MORE AND MORE BUSES.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18415, 23 June 1925, Page 8

MORE AND MORE BUSES.

COMPETITION IN WELLINGTON.

(SPECIAL TO "THE 7USS.")

WEIkINGTON, June 22. x

Motor-bus competition with trama and ferry steamers threatens to become serious in Wellington. Three more privately-owned buses have arrived. Two (17-seaters) aro to be placed, on the Island Bay run by tho passenger transport company', and ( the third (a 24-seater) unuer tho management of the- Wellington Bus Company will run to Lower Mutt. ,

This brings the number of private buses to seven, but it docs not (says the "Post") bring "finality, 'lho first company in the neld has stated thai it will add to its fleet in the very near future, and with this-, second; fleet brought down under the management of .New Zealand Cars and Motors Ltd., come a promise of no fewer. than iJO more buses for Wellington, the bodies fo • which ar© now being built at Auckland.

Car fares will be the rule, and the matter of concession tickets is receiving consideration. Island Bay is looked upon as an attractive run, as it is practically all top gear work from ctiy to terminus, but other runs will bo undertaken when larger fleets are available. Lyall Bay, Miramar and Seatoun are probabilities, but owing to the length of these trips, it is not considered wise to attempt to institute services until considerably more buses are received, otherwise the interval between runs would be so great that the term "regular service" would be scarcelv applicable. The new machines Will be in commission in a day or two. There is an~ impression that the buses which are being brought to Wellington are Auckland buses which have been crowded off the streets there by an excess of competition, first between trams and tiuses, and secondly between buses and buses, but that does not hold. Of the machines which have 60 far come to hand all aro new, and have yet to lose their first gloss of paint and varnish. There is still another largo company, it is stated, to enter the field in Wellington with a fleet o? something like 20 buses, and with a very considerable capital backing.