THE SUBURBAN BUSES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3087, 18 May 1917, Page 5

THE SUBURBAN BUSES

4 — AND'LICENSE FEES. Since the curtailment of the suburban railway services has been in force 'one or two firms or persons have begun to run inotor-buses to the suburbs to convey people wTio could not 1)0 accommodated otherwise owing to the lack of trains. These firms have made application to the City Councif that they be not charged the usual licensee fee ol J.'3 per vehicle. '

The Mayor suggested that as these people were rendering a public service the application ought to Be granted. Councillor Wright agreed that the motor-buses were a great public convenience.

Councillor Barber urged the council not to do anything liasty. The vehicles were going to do a great deal of damage, to roads, which tile city had to maintain, mid it would be very much wiser to refer the matter, to the by-laws committee, which couid collect information on the matter. Ho did not deny that the buses were a convenience to tho public, but he thought it probable that tho people interested in tho "enterprises had undertaken them for other reasons.

Councillor Fitzgerald deprecated the suggestion to levy tho tax. If tho city made tlio demand, it would also be made by other bodies—Onslow Borough, Hutt County, and Petonc Borough. The city ought to bo tho very last to levy tho tax. ( Councillor Atkinson supported Councillor Barber. Ho suggested that the council should run its own two, white elephants, its unused motor-buses, which wero lying rusting and rotting in the city somewhero.

Councillor J. Cfistle supported this suggestion, but the Mayor, and other councillors expressed doubt as to whether the council had power to do this.

It was agreed that a report be obtained from the By-laws Committee.