TRAMWAY SERVICES.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1864, 25 September 1913, Page 8

TRAMWAY SERVICES.

PROBLEM OF THE MOTOR BUS,

"COUNCIL SHOULD CONTROL."

"I understand that you .liavo a motor-bus service about to start here," remarked Dr. R. A. Cameron (who has just returned from an extended tour) to n Dominion reporter last night. "If motor-buses are permitted they should be controlled by tho City Council, otherwise they will simply smash your tramways. London is tho most beautiful example of that. Tlio motor-bus companies liavo the London County Council completely 'down,' and tho council is going to loso thousands of pounds over it. If the City Council does not run tpem hero, they will simply skim the cream of the business, and ioavo tho corporation tho skim milk, and very little of that. It is very important for tho council who have started tho trams to get control of any motor-bus servico that is started in tho city, and if thoy do not they will ho in a iiiuddlo with their tramway revenue.

"In London tho motor-buses aro running at very much loss cost than the trams. Tho buses are in practically every way more' convenient to tho publie; thoy can cater hotter for the people. Tho underground railways and tho motor-bus services .ire working hand in hand, both against the council, and they aro charging practically the samo fares over and underground. You will seo tho trams empty, and tho buses full. The buses can run you to your destination, whereas the trnjns can run only so far as the linos go. "As sure," he concluded, "as they lot tho buses get into private hands, there will be a muddle over the trams."

Speaking of tramwa'y services, Dr. Cameron gavo particular praise to Glasgow. "Glasgow," ho said, "is the place to see trams run. It is the finest system I came acroßS, and I do not think you could find a better. I think it is acknowledged all the world over as the best. It is wonderfully well managed, ■and run at a great profit. And what is important municipally is that the profits are used to improvo tho city and wipo out slums. Very good work is being dono in that way. YoVt can ride more than a mile for a halfpenny. The halfpenny section is coming in at Home very strongly. Thoy have it in Glasgow, where tho service is owned by the City Corporation, in Leith, in London, and, I understand, in a number of other cities. Overlapping sections, too, arc frequently met with."