March 23.
Mr. S. H. Peek and the Rotary Club under whose auspices he spoke, rendered an important public service last week in giving a clear, detailed and comprehensive ae: count of the achievements of the Rickshaw Board since its inception, Mr, Peek, in fact, answered a question which has' often been asked: "What is the use of the Rickshaw Board?" His answer in brief was that the Board had done 2 good deal. It had met with considerable obstruction; so in general lls progress was slow, but it had persisted and worn down opposition, By the creation of the Pullers! Mutual Ald Association the Board has provided for the necessary welfare work arising out of the findings of the Massey Report and left itself free to deal with the administrative issues. 'The Massey Report recommended that the rickshaw rental—paid by the pullers to the owners—as from July 1, 1934, should be 60 cents, daily. A reduction to 78 cents plus 7 cents. in contribution to the Pullers' Mutual Aid Association was effected in August 1934. On the first of ext month a further reduction to 70 cents will become operative, Mr. Peek pointed out that tone year and nine months behind the anticipated schedule, the rental wilt still be more than' teen per gent. higher than the (Massey) Committee's recommendation; whist addition the owners collect $2.10 er-month from the pullers in order pay the P.MLA.A. contribution of $1.50, Mr. Peek, although severely criti-flying the obstructive tendencies of the Hongs was careful to be fair in that he drew attention to the fact that the proposed cut in rental next month involved a heavy loss to the rickshaw owners, Fundamentally this loss—estimated at $54 million of the book value of rickshaws—accrued from the illegitimate tratticking in licences which the Massey Report condemned. Yet this naturally affected the price which the owners had to pay in acquiring rickshaws "at or near top prices," so that, however justifiable the Yeduction may be, it cannot be Jeffected without inflicting material, loss on the rickshaw owners, The owners have forfeited sympathy owing to their truculent obstruction of the Board's reforms, Fortunately in several important directions, the Board has been able to relax the stranglehold of the owners. Over 30,000 licences direct ly granted by the Council to the pullers have been renewed. The Pullers' Mutual Ald Association with its amenities intended to increase the pullers' self-respect and to provide them with some of the common needs of a decent life—cheap and healthy sleeping accommodation, medical, educational and recreative facilities—has established contact with the pullers, When it is alleged that the Board has done nothing et Mr. Peek's statement regarding the improvement In the pullers' physique and health be noted:
The weeding out of the bodily unfit has also brought about a distinct improvement in the pullers' Physique. There were only 63) deaths in the past seven months—equal to 2.7 per 1,000 as against fAficen per thousand amongst. the Keneral native population.
Some orities are topid in their zeal for this sort of reform. They want to have cleaner rickshaws and better service and are not disposed trouble about the pullers' rights, wrongs or disabilities, Even they need not be depressed. Although the attempt to introduce the improved rickshaw in September 1934, was, bluntly, a failure, and a new pattern had' to be adopted in the following May, there are now 1,400 rickshaws of that pattern in use and their number will increase at the rate of 1,500 a year. This, admittedly, is not a dizzy rate of progress but it is far from connoting inactivity. The Rickshaw Board costs the Council $75,000, but als the Feveite from the licences amounts to nearly $570,000 annually, the expenditure is not excessive, especially in the light of the actual progress reported, Mr, Peck's observations come usefully at this moment to encourage public support of the Rickshaw Board and in particular of the Council's policy of reform, The problem comes under two heads: firstly, social welfare in the rectly fication of the distressing economic conditions under which the pullers Inbour; secondly public service in the Improvement of the rickshaws' equipment and cleanliness, On both, public opinion has strongly ex: rested itself so the Council has a clear mandate, The Council is committed to the fundamental principle of eventual abolition of the rlekshaw as part of its traffic programme. If the rickshaw owners continue to display hostility to the Rickshaw Board, the Council might consider the possibility of taking the rickshaw service under Its'own, control with the definite object of instituting a gradual reduction until elimination be reached, A declaration of such an intention might bring the rickshaw owners to realize that they would be better advised, to ce-operate in reform so that abolition could be carried out with due regard to the proper liquidation of their interests. The rickshaw.
a serious obstacle to the removal of traffic congestion. Its elimination is dependent on the provision of transport facilities to come in between the tram or bus and the private motor-car or taxi, Whether this can be approached by recourse to the small taxi, by some adaptation of the "Jitney" or by a further extension of the bus system, remains to be seen. Shortage of funds must necessarily hamper speedy solution but the creation of a Transport Board may ultimately have to be taken into consideration, It is Mlogical for the Rickshaw Board to be functioning in the air, as it were, while the Council is committed to abolition of the vehicle in question, A. Transport Board could most effectively absorb the rickshaw problem as part of its general scheme for the planning of a transport service suitable to all needs and all localttic
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.