MOTOR-BUSES.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18690, 13 May 1926, Page 13

MOTOR-BUSES.

♦ OWNERS PROTEST AGAINST REGULATIONS.

PUBLIC MEETING TO BE CALLED

A meeting of the Christchurch Omnibus Proprietors' Association, held yesterday, decided to convene a public meeting to protest against the regulations affecting the operations of motor-buses; and to arrange to place the views of bus ptoprietors before members of Parliament early in the approachinc; session. Mr W. S. Ensscll presided.

The chairman said that before the election the Association had written to the Priino Minister on the matter and had received a reply stating that suitable legislation would bo passed covering tho position. In February there had been a conference of all parties interested, and tho motor-bus representatives Jed to believe that a different policy would bo adopted in regard to insurance from that which had been made in the regulations. What was discussed was a "blanket" policy, which would cover all buses owned by one firm, but instead of that the Government had kept hard and fast to the draft proposals. Tho conference had been a waste of time and a 'waste of money from the bus owners' point of view. . It had been a fine affair for the public bodies and the tramways. They had got all they wanted.

Drastic Insurance Clause. Mr T. E. Fisher said that while the Prime Minister had not committed himself in any way, they had left the conference feeling that their appeal had been listened to and would receive consideration. The regulations were the biggest blow that ho had received in a business experience covering a good many years.

Mr H. J. Knight, who represented the White Star lines, said that at the conference tho public bodies outnumbered the bus owners by three to one. They not only approved of the draft regulations, but added to them. Tho insurance conditions were a catastrophe. He had noticed that Mr Coates had stated, after the regulations had been made, that possibly a way would be found to include the "blanket" system of cover. He thought it was right to say that the insurance clauses were very drastic. The insurance proposals made at the conference by the bus owners had been accepted without a vote being recorded against them. All present had agreed to the "blanket" policy but the Government. It meant that, it would be impossible for the bus owners to carry on because they could not insure at the rates- set out. The meeting would have to consider ways and means of meeting the regulations, and whatever was done would have to be done throughout the Dominion. He suggested that a conference be held before Parliament meets and that whatever was decided on be done on constitutional lines.

Mr Fisher: The regulations will be in force by then, Mr Knight: Yes, but we can't do anything else.

Suggested Suspension,

Mr Ern. Smith suggested that tlie Association should ask the Government not to enforce the regulations for a month, in the same manner as they treated the seaside grocers. Another point was that the insurance companies liad not made any arrangements to insure the buses.

Mr Knight said that the machinery was not ready for putting the regulations into effect. If a bus owner went to the City Council immediately, it could not grant him his license. No Board had been appointed yet, and it would take some weeks before the thing could be put into effect. The chairman said that he thought that if a public meeting were held, it would gain them a lot of support. He agreed with Mr Knight's suggestion regarding placing the matter before the members of Parliament, but some action would have to ' be .taken before that. Attitude of the Public. Mr Knight said that he felt sure that if a referendum of the people were taken, the regulations would be scrapped. It was true that a tremendous sum of public money was involved in the tramway undertakings, but there was also a tremendous sum of private money in the bus undertakings, and these people were ratepayers. It was only drawing a'red herring across the track to say that the bus owners did not want regulations. They wanted insurance and time-table regulations, but the present regulations would put tho buses out of existence. Once the private buses were out of the way, there was nothing to prevent the Tramway Board from increasing the fares by a penny a section. Trams Out of Date. The Rev. Jasper Smyth asked if the tramway buses had to charge the increased fares, Mr Knight: No. Mr Smyth: That is the whole trouble. „, , c The chairman: The trams are out of date, and it is only postponing tl-o evil hour when thev will be scrapped at the expense of the private bus owners. Mr Smith said that the nubho convenience had to be studied, and he pointed out that buses could serve the public better, from the point of ftexibilitv and mobility, than the tramways, there was no doubt that the tramways would eventually have to Mr Smyth explained that he was there, not as a shareholder in any bus company, but as one of the public, who wished to vent his objections to the iniquitous proposals of the Government. He was intensely horrified to see tho regulations, and he was sure that they were ultra vires. As a member of tlie public and a minister of religion, he wished to oppose the regulations, and ho urged the meeting to petition Parliament on the matter. Mr Smith said that as president of tho Christchurdi .Master Carriers' Association, be would help the bus owners. The carriers would be involved in the' fight, and would give their support. Public meeting of Protest.

It was decided, on the motion of the chairman, seconded by Mr C. R. Brown:—"That a public meeting be held, the place and date of which will be advertised shortly, to protest against the gazetted bus regulations, and that all kindred bodies and the public be invited to attend." Messrs W. S. liussell, T. E. Fisher, and W. Strickens were appointed a sub-conunittce to make the necessary arrangements for the meeting. It was further decided on the motion of the chairman, seconded by Mr Stiekens. "That the secretary write to the Employers' Association, Wellington, and to" the various motor-omnibus proprietors throughout the Dominion, stating the action taken by this meet"\n«, and asking them to co-operate; and' that a motion be submitted to the public meeting suggesting that a Dominion conference be held in Wellington during the coming session of P rliament to place the position before members of Parliament."