§ MR. CAVENDISH BENTINCK, in rising to move the following Resolution—
Having regard to the large remission of Duties on Hackney Carriages which came into operation on the 1st day of January last, this House is of opinion that it is inexpedient to increase by any Regulations the fares and rates payable by the public,said, that by the provisions of the Act 32 & 33 Vict., the Home Secretary was empowered to issue, from time to time, regulations with respect to certain matters specified in the Act. Accordingly, quite suddenly after midnight on the 9th of March, there came into effect certain regulations of a very remarkable nature. The point to which he wished, in the first place, to direct attention was this—that the regulations in question came into force without any notice whatever to the public, except through some very obscure paragraphs which found their way from time to time in a fragmentary manner into the newspapers. He wished to ask his right hon. Friend—first, whether he did not think it expedient that regulations of this nature should receive greater publicity; and, secondly, whether it would not be easy to find a mode by which that might be done? Before the taxes were remitted by the Chancellor of the Exchequer last year, a cab, whether four-wheeled or two-wheeled, 1722 working seven days, had to pay £19 5s. duty, and the duty for one which worked six days was £16 13s. But now a four-wheeled cab, without reference to the number of days it worked, paid £5 10s. 3d., and a two-wheeled cab £4 3s. 3d. Therefore, there was a remission as regarded four-wheeled cabs of £13 14s. 9d. in the one case and £11 2s. 9d. in the other; while as regarded two-wheeled cabs the remission was £15 1s. 9d. in the one case and £12 9s. 9d. in the other. But though the two-wheeled cabs gained considerably by this remission, his right hon. Friend gave them an increased advantage under the regulations, for they were allowed to charge 8d. instead of 6d. for every quarter of an hour they were kept waiting. The next regulation to which he would call attention was the 22nd, which provided that for every mile, or part of a mile, beyond the four-mile radius, the driver of a cab, whether four-wheeled or two-wheeled, was entitled to charge 1s.; but the 22nd regulation was to be read with the 23rd, which provided that the fare for a hackney carriage hired within but discharged without the four-mile radius was to be 6d. a mile within, and 1s. a mile without. Therefore, if a cab was hired at Charing Cross to go not more than five miles, one of which was outside the radius, the fare would be 3s.; but if a person was to hire the returning cab he would have to pay, not 3s., but 5s. That seemed most unreasonable. The regulation also that the driver of a hackney carriage should be allowed to charge 2d. extra for luggage carried on the outside of the hackney carriage, whatever the number of persons carried, was unfair, and would give opportunities for extortion. Hitherto no such extra charge was permitted unless the number of persons carried was more than three; but under the new regulation the driver of a hackney carriage might charge an extra 2d. for any luggage which he might insist on being put on the outside of the carriage, even if it carried only one person. The hon. Member was proceeding to recommend the publication of a book of fares, under the authority of the Home Secretary, when—
§ Notice taken, that 40 Members were not present; House counted, and 40 Members not being present,
§ House adjourned at half after Ten o'clock