The Globe. MONDAY, MARCH 15, 1875.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 238, 15 March 1875, Page 2

The Globe. MONDAY, MARCH 15, 1875.

From the reports which appeared in the Christchurch papers of Saturday, giving accounts of the proceedings before Mr Justice Gresson, and also from the report of the meeting of the cabmen held at the City Hotel on Friday evening, it would appear that the quarrel between the City Council and the cabmen is as far from a satisfactory settlement as ever. Each side professes to be willing to settle the question amicably, but somehow or other the negotiations have invariably no effect, and we are still in the dark as to what will be the ultimate issue of the case. Of one thing, however, both the contending parties may be certain, and that is that if the litiga tion is continued to the bitter end. the lawyers’ bills will be very heavy. The City Council, who, we suppose,

must be considered as fighting the case in the int erests of the citizens of Christchurch, will, of course, now that they have been finally forced to trust to the law to vindicate their authority, come upon the ratepayers to settle their bill to the solicitors and barristers who must be employed to conduct the case through the various courts of law. The cabmen, equally of course, must find the money to satisfy the lawyers on their side, and the bill in both cases will be a stiff one. Each side appears to be equally determined, and all hopes of an amicable settlement would seem to have faded away. Meanwhile those people in Christchurch who are compelled to employ cabs, do not know what they may have to pay in the shape of fare to the cabman they employ. A list of fares is stuck up in some of the cabs, but as far as we can see there can be no obligation on the part of the hirer to abide by this list. The Council have now caused a list of fares authorised by them to be posted in different parts of the town, and the cabmen decline to be bound by these fares. What is the hirer to do? Asa matter of fact, we suppose .he will make a bargain with a cabman before engaging him. This system, however, can only be applicable when the hirer is a man, and any hapless lady who may be compelled to hire a cab, stands a chance, unless she should be a strong-minded female, of being mulcted in a good round sum for the journey she wishes to take. Of course there are cabmen and cabmen, and it may chance that the lady falls into the hands of an honest man, but the temptation to try it on, with a view of obtaining a good fare, would, we are sure, be too much for many of the men who are now driving licensed cabs. As it appears impossible that the question can be settled for some time, and until it is settled, we would strongly recommend those who hire cabs to take care and have a distinct understanding as to the fare to be charged before employing any of the present licensed vehicles.