“FEELING WORKED UP”

Southland Times, Issue 24241, 26 September 1940, Page 6

“FEELING WORKED UP”

OPPOSITION TO TRANSFER OF TAXI-CAB LICENCES

“There seems to have been a tremendous amount of feeling worked up over this and it always arises out of suspicion and distrust,” declared the No. 4 Transport Licensing Authority (Mr S. V. Raines) yesterday after hearing arguments for and against the transfer of a number pf individual taxi-cab licences to Blue Star Taxis (Invercargill) Ltd. Mr K. G. Roy appeared for the applicant company and Mr J. H. B. Scholefield for the Southland Drivers’ Union,

A suggestion had been made by Mr Scholefield that the formation of a company of owner-drivers was the result of a desire by the company to avoid the payment of award wages, said Mr Raines. He did not agree with this, and did not see any objection to the formation of such an organization. In fact, it was one of the first steps towards the co-ordination which was desired by the Transport Department. Mr Raines said he required first to be satisfied that the company would have proper control over its drivers and that its articles complied with all the regulations. For example, in one company, the organization of which he had investigated, he found that some drivers were staying out very long hours with the result that they became more liable to meet with accidents. Mr Raines reserved his decision.