THE DAYS OF THE CAB

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2084, 9 January 1908, Page 3

THE DAYS OF THE CAB

ABE THEY NUMBERED ? A BAD YEAR LY WELLINGTON. (Special to Times.) AVELLINGTON/Jan. S. Wellington cabmen complain that they have had a very bad year, and what with the excellent tram service and the large number of motor cars in use, no doubt they have. In addition, the cost of feed has been high. To a “Post” reporter a wellknown proprietor had some scatliing remarks to make about the farming fraternity and their “unholy combination to’ keep up prices,” as lie ter lied it. Chaff, he said, which he had usually purchased at £3 5s per ton last year, ran up to £B. Oats, too, went up tremendously. Proprietors were compelled to nay overtime to drivers, and then _ had considerably increased expenditure. “'I ’have been feeding about sixty horses on an average,” said one man, “and I estimate in horse-feed alone I have lost over £IOOO on the year. Three years ago it took 10s a week to keep a horse, and now it takes nearly 30.” Aonther livery stable proprietor said that three years ago he used to bed, feed, and stable a horse at 16s per week, blit now if he attempted to do it for Zos per week he would lose money. He added that the 'heavy price of fodder was entirely duo to the fanning combination. “Look what they did with flour,” lie said. “Recently in the South the combine broke for a few d tvs, and flour came down immediately by £2 per ton. The /farmers, however, combined again in a few dn vs. and flour went up again to its former price.” The same tactics were being" adopted with fodder. He said he was convinced that if a combination of proprietors sent a_, man to Ad d aide they could procure fodißr and land it in Wellington much cheaper than it could be procured from farmers who grow the commodity in New Zealand. Notwithstanding all this, any man .who has had experience of the extortionate charges of some of the AVellington cabmen w 11 not wonder at the tendency of Wc'lington people to take a penny tram io the theatres, or even to the vicinity of Government House when there is a Vice-Regal function. Aloreorer, many of those who once used cabs have their own motorears, and prefer these to the public cab.