TAXI-MEN MENACED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 208, 27 April 1932, Page 2

TAXI-MEN MENACED

' ' 1 A llvifslg threAtenEd OWNERS OF PRIVATE MOTOR CARS BREAK , LAW. SERIOUS RISKS INCURRED. Apparently the only way that taxidrivers can Inake ends meet these days is by having a collision, and that isn't very profitable, says the Christchurch Sun. The taxi-men are having a lean tinie, and the slump is not the only reasoil. Much of the blame for dittiinished public sdpport iS attribnted by taxi-men to the private car owher whose idea of the risk he runs and responsibility in giving either fi'ee rides or rides where the passenger contributes toward the cost is very • vague. Taxi-drivers make no small show of resentment over the menace to their livelihood by private owners, and it is likely that stern official action will be talcen shortly. There are close on 200 licenses issued for taxis in Christchurch, but not all of thein are txsed, and many are held by drivers who do not talce their place on public . stands, preferring to operate from their own homes. Only about half a dozen taxi-driv-ers are on wages; the rest scurry about seeking a precarious livelihood. Just how precarious it is may be realised from the fact that one driver worked t>n a recent day from 7 a.m. till 7 p.m. for a return of 6s 6d. Another made 11s 6d for 18 hours on duty, and yet another worked 102 hours for £1 2s. It is nothing for a driver to Work from 90 to 100 hours a week. The maximum weekly worlcing hours Uiider the drivers' award which i3 now in the discard, was 60 hours one week, with 70 the following week. Many drivers are wondering where they will get their fees to pay for the new registration. A taxi-driver j)ays £2 for his license, £7 10s for insurance under the third party risk, and 2s 6d for his number-plates, whereas the private owner only pays £1 under tha ; third party risk. There will be a big decrease in the number of taxi-drivers holding licenses this year. The taxi-men say that they would be better provided for if they were on relief work. Even 37s 6d a week would he a better income than what they are earning at present. The private owner who p'cks up passengers is assisting rnaterially to bring about unemployment among licensed drivers, these men claim; it has been stated before that tramway receipts are aifected hy the habit of private motorists in giving people a lift. When the private motorist, out of the kindliness of his heart, offers a lift to his friends he prohably does not realise that he is running a monetary risk. If such a driver has an accident and the passenger is injured, such passenger has a claim on the driver if it is proved that the accident was caused through the negligence of the driver. Such passenger does not come under the third party risk insurance. The only way that the driver can escape personal claim in such an instance, apparently, would be by paying an extra premium. Even the members of a driver's family must be covered by ah extra premium. In face of that risk thousands of drivers, in the course of a summer, drive their families and friends here and there, often on long journeys, ignorant of the monetary liability they are running. Ilt is not> realised by most private drivers that they are breaking the law if they convey a passenger for reward of any kind; that is, unless they have a Tcense. A private car beeomes a public motor-vehicle if it is used for the carriage of persons for hire of reward, including a motor-vehicle hired to any person who drives himself or prov'des a driver. Paying for the car-driver's meals or lodging on a journey, or contributing petrol, ranks as reward, and the owner is liable to prosecution for carrying passengers without having a license to do so. A great deal of passenger-carry-ing work on the basis of sharing the expense is being done, and officials are keeping a close watch on the situation. In the meantime taxi-men who pay to the measure of their calling and obligations are finding it difhcult to make even a slender living.