Mz, S, HI. Peek then addressed the ceting, and taking for his subject What progress has been made with the rickshaw problem?" said In part:—Now a considerable number of people were of the opinion that the recommendations of the Rickshaw Committee should have been given effect in toto with the minimum delay that as it was obvious that warfare tween the conflicting interests was unavoidable, a short, sharp Aght was to be preferred to 2 long-drawn-opt tussle, The Council on the other hand obviously feared that too rapid action would lead to serious disturbances of the peace, and chose to progress more slowly, giving way. on various points or deferring their enforcement from time to time, Rickshaw Board was appointed in May 1994 and what Is practically an Independent department of the! Council set up. Mr. P, W. Massey' realgned his seat on the Council become Ckalrman of the Board, and he has two very able colleagues. Col. M. 7. Chou and Mr. Anson Wong. Their efforts are supplemented by the activities of the Pullers" Mutual Ald Association, the composition of which has been subjected to change, but now consists of a Board of Management having twelve members, Two of the Trustees and two of the Community members are nominated by the Chi-ete Chamber of Commerce and Chinese Rate;.yers Association. The Owners who do not contribute one copper cash to the PMAA. funds, are actually permitted to make substantial (prompt out of their collec: lon from the pullers, and have managed to sec tire two sents. The division of labour between the Rickshaw Board and the P.MA.A. may ho roughly defined as "administratiy and "Social welfare."
The Rickshaw Commitice Report recorded that there were 144 tleencees, Some of whom did not own a single rlekshow but made a prot by mere! having the tences in their name. Some had rickshaws but let them out to sub-contractors, whilst 28 Iieencees actually operated their own rickshaw] without sub-contracting. One con-cor, the Star, kad over 2,000 lleencees in is name, ' Many undesirable features have been removed by registra-Won of the true owners of the rick shaws, and this change has given the Rickshaw Board a much greater degree of control. There are now nearly 1200 Icencees, the largest individual "holding being tke Express Rickshaw Company with 270 teencees, An Invldious Position 'These owners were, and stil are, banded together as the "Shanghai Rickshaw Hongs Association" which has proved itself a very powerful and determined body, It had previously usurped the rights and functions of the Council in' the matter of the transfer of licences in direct breach of the conditions on which they were granted, and more recently it has stopped' at nothing to combat the efforts of the Council, the Rickshay Board and the P.MLA.A. To strengthen their ands, the Hong Association Is now centering its efforts on gaining control of all the leences, so as to be able to compel the individual owners to act In accordance with their orders in their attempt to stem the tide of progress.
"The paramount issue has been, of course, the reduction in the rickshav_ rentals. The charge current when the Massey Report was compiled was $1 to $1.10 big money per day, and was recommended that this be reduced to 80 cts. small money (say 60 els. big money) per day, to be effective from July 1, 1994. This, was later considered impossible. The rent was reduced to 78 ets. big money in August 1994, plus the 7 els. per doz [contribution to the PMA.A. As from April 1, 1936, It is to come down by 8 cts. to 70 ets. big money. So that one year and nine months behind! the anticipated schedule, the: rental will sll be more than fifteen po: Jeent. higher than the Committee's rejeommendation: whilst, in addition, the owners collect $2.10 per month from the pullers in order to pay the PM.AA. contribution of $150. This rent reduction means a great deal to} [the owners, The value of a licenced rickshaw was placed by the Assoclation as high as $700—ninety per cent. of which attached to the licence itself JOn 10,000 rickshaws this gave 2 Jeapital of ($7,000,000, 'The result of the cut in rentals was (o reduce the Agure per riekstaw to about $300 and when the further reduction is made Jeffective on April 1, it is estimated that the figure will' drop to around $150. Teat Is, in effect, a destruction of some $5,500,000 of the book value of the rickshaws. The premium placed on the licences was, of course, fon Iegitimate profit, but neverthe-ess, It has {0 be remembered that] some of the present owners actually acquired vehicles at or near the top prices, and they have to face a real Toss.
The enforcement of the rent reductions has been a matter of considerable difficulty, and there are signs that there may be trouble in the atr when the further cut Is en: forced next month.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.