XN000022-1974-12-18 — Page 23

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1974.

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FIRM ACTION BEING TAKEN BY POLICE

AGAINST TAXI DRIVERS SELECTING PASSENGERS

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THE POLICE ARE TAKING FIRM ACTION AGAINST TAXI DRIVERS WHO UNREASONABLY SELECT PASSENGERS BY PREFERRED DESTINATIONS, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, THE HON. JAMES ROBSON TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION FROM THE HON. J.H. BREMRIDGE, MR. ROBSON STRESSED, HOWEVER, THAT THE POLICE COULD ACT ONLY AFTER A COMPLAINT HAD BEEN LODĞEDÝ

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HE INDICATED THAT THE POLICE HAD RECEIVED SO FAR THIS YEAR 59 COMPLAINTS ABOUT TAXI DRIVERS EITHER REFUSING A FARE OR REFUSING TO GO WHERE THE PASSENGER DIRECTED.

THE POLICE HAVE PROSECUTED 26 OF THESE CASES- 12 ARE CURRENTLY UNDER INVESTIGATION WHILE NO FURTHER ACTION HAS BEEN POSSIBLE WITH RESPECT TO THE REMAINING 21 MAINLY BECAUSE COMPLAINANTS WERE EITHER UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO GIVE EVIDENCE IN COURT.

MR. ROBSON REVEALED THAT A SIMPLIFIED REPORTING PROCEDURE, WHICH MERELY REQUIRES THE COMPLETION OF A PRO FORMA, WAS NOW IN OPERATION AT KAI TAK AS MOST COMPLAINTS RELATED TO TAXIS AT THE AIRPORT.

TAXI DRIVERS, HE SAID, COULD USUALLY RECOGNISE TOURISTS AND ASSUME THAT IT WAS UNLIKELY THAT THE TOURISTS WOULD LAY A COMPLAINT, EVEN IF THE TOURISTS DID LAY A COMPLAINT, HE ADDED, THEY WERE UNLIKELY TO BE STILL IN HONG KONG WHEN THEY WERE REQUIRED TO GIVE EVIDENCE AT ANY SUBSEQUENT COURT HEARING.

HE POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS APPARENT FROM THE COMPLAINTS THAT THERE WAS LITTLE UNDERSTANDING, ESPECIALLY BY VISITORS TO HONG KONG, OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TAXI AND PUBLIC HIRED CAR OPERATIONS.

IN RESPECT OF PUBLIC HIRED CARS, BOTH THE DESTINATION AND FARE WERE SUBJECT TO MUTUAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN DRIVER AND PASSENGER WHICH MEANT THAT PUBLIC HIRED CAR DRIVERS WERE COMPLETELY FREE TO SELECT CUSTOMERS WHO WERE WILLING TO PAY WHAT WAS DEMANDED, MR. ROBSON EXPLAINED.

BUT WHILE THIS WAS NOT THE CASE WITH TAXI DRIVERS, HE SAID, +THERE IS, SOMETIMES, A GOOD REASON FOR A TAXI DRIVER REFUSING TO GO TO A SPECIFIED DESTINATION, IF, FOR EXAMPLE, THE PROSPECTIVE PASSENGER LOOKS LIKE A VILLAIN AND WISHES TO GO TO AN ISOLATED SPOT WHERE ROBBERIES OF TAXI DRIVERS HAVE OCCURRED IN THE PAST.+

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