MUNICIPAL MOTORBUSES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1934, 17 December 1913, Page 8

MUNICIPAL MOTORBUSES.

,'S|TH BEE ] BUSEsfHE GHT^I jWiThe^passingy^ >l)orations) : cuity' in' ■tJ so Viii 11 pa I i.ty fa u mentiiig it^ti'aiisiraft'fnrviccsOiy-moans electric •.:(oi;;."ptli'pr) -tramway. "systeinV-pi:-tio 11 ii'J'he. aiiomaiy;-. it. wastexpla'ined : toa' reporter, .was : created;;byiuhe; English House of Lords, which decided that tho' London County Council liad.no -power: in supplement" its : services'.by motor-buses,'"-'; whicli® allowed- J motor-bus companies 'to '.runjunrestricted services, groatljAto.tliojlpssjof-'-tho-: Couii tj ; ;Co>in-. eil's ■■■■■ electric';f.. question liatr"']ipt.-; : cropped ■■'iip-Siii ; .' l U!ie,. I colonies (for tho'.reason- that'tlie-motor- ' bus is a ...development of. recent'years) until ...the'' Auckland City. Council sought ipower to run''motor-buses in opposition to tliO'.electricvv'traiiisv'.J'rflni. which the ■ council ircceivcd a'percentage of profits under tho ■' terms'.:." of ' tho -concession j granted to' tho Auckland Tramway Company. . The-i'point- having, been raised, the municipalities.iiuisevera! centres, wishing to protect .themselves .'from the results of .the' anomalous position created in London,-,.sought powers to enable ■ them 'to ; : run'y motor-buses should they deem' 'it. expedient to do so,' and that right is.-ceded to''them, under the amending Act mentioned. ■ Speaking to a. Doawxiox reporter yesterday, the Mayor (Mr.' J. P. Luke) expressed his. gratification at the fact, that tho Bill had gouo through, and | mentioned that ■ in anticipation" of tho action of Parliament tho Wellington City Council had called for tenders for | three motor buses (which tenders were to close shortly), the same to be used as feeders to the. existing tramway sys-' '< turn. - The buses, tho Mayor continued, would be of varying makes and designs, ! in order to ascertain as far as was possible which type of bus was most suitable for the work in the outer City districts in which they were most, likely to be employed. What those districts were, he was not at present, at. liberty to say, but the buses would be employed to link up some of the presenttramway sections,. in a. manner that would be a convenience to tho. citizens and helpful .to the tramways.-.-..1t-was thought' that when :so'used .'the buses' would meet the demands of.some, parts of the City ..for. a considerable time to come.. '.-"V"""''.'.;''--,r■":''>■■ ■'* ' ■' It may be that the buses would bo used in places where the roads, would require- some favourable 'adjustment, such as easing grades and rounding I corners, in order to get tho best results from tho buses, which were big heavy vehicles'which needed room, for manipulation. -..- In his. (tho Mayor's). - opinion, the | coming of the< motor bus opencxf up new responsibilities to local authorities.