§ MR. MARKHAMI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, seeing that the majority of the taxi-cabs in London are identical 1215 with those used in Paris, being manufactured by the same foreign firm, he will say why he has sanctioned a scale of rates permitting motor companies to charge the public 2d. for two-and-a-half minutes by time when the rates in Paris for the same cars are 1d. for three minutes by time.
§ *MR. HERBERT SAMUELIt has already been stated that no analogy can be drawn between the fares in force in Paris and London, respectively. But the rate suggested by the hon. Member, which works out at 1s. 6d. per hour, is manifestly unsuitable for London, being less than the rate for horsed cabs. The Select Committee in their Report stated that "obviously the fare by time must be much higher" in the case of motor cabs than for horsed cabs.
§ MR. MARKHAMDoes the hon. Gentleman consider 4s. an hour for waiting reasonable? Are not the Paris cabs of exactly the same construction, and if they pay at the lower rate cannot the English cab pay equally?
§ *MR. HERBERT SAMUELThe conditions in Paris are different.
§ MR. MARKHAMThere can be no difference in waiting.
§ *MR. HERBERT SAMUELThe difference is in the wages of the men, their standard of comfort, the cost of maintenance, and so forth.
§ MR. MARKHAMBut the wages in Paris are higher than those in London.