For Fiji's

Hostile Future

Pirate Taxis

From a Suva correspondent If history takes any notice of

the Fiji Legislative Council’s

June meeting it will record it under the heading of “The battle of the taxis”.

AND it was a battle, with plenty of sniping at the Government from the Opposition Federation Party and at the officials of the Transport Department.

But the Government, determined to be masters in their own house, brushed aside all arguments, and, with what the Attorney-General described as “foresight and courage”, approved a measure which will give Fiji an ordered taxi industry instead of the chaos which has existed for years.

There were two measures, really, a Bill to amend the Traffic Ordinance, which the Member for Communications and Works, Mr.

Charles Stinson, said represented “the declaration of war against pirate taxi operators”, and a motion to approve regulations governing the industry.

Both the Bill and regulations, which will have the effect of control ling the number of taxis in the Colony—eventually cutting it to an economic size—and imposing control on similar lines to that which has created an efficient bus industry, met with frenzied opposition from the Federation Party.

1,300 taxis

There are now 1,300 taxis in the colony compared with 700-odd in 1963.

In the Legco debate. Government speakers accused the Opposition of trying to protect the pirates.

This was indignantly denied by the Opposition which pointed out that, on the word of an accuser, an innocent man could be robbed of his right to own a car—that the Licensing Authority became the accuser, judge and executioner, as Mr. A. D. Patel, the Federation Party Leader, put it.

The Government argued that there was a right of appeal and that drastic measures were needed to cope with what had become an evil.

The Opposition then claimed that there was already a law against “pirating” and that the courts should

deal with such an offence, not Tran port Department officials.

They blotted their copyboo however, by descending, as they fr quently do, to the level of accush Government officials of bribery ar corruption—even that the regulatioi were being pushed through by tl Government to favour vested interes —motor dealers, oil companies ai insurance companies.

Mr. John Falvey (Member witho Portfolio) struck back and the B and the regulations were eventual voted through.