Government Control of Buses.

Hutt News, Volume 1, Issue 14, 7 October 1927, Page 1

Government Control of Buses.

At the time of writing when the fate of the buses is hanging in the balance, it is interesting and instructive to note a paragraph in the Railway Report dealing with the buses in Hawke's Bay. Our readers may remember that the buses operating between Napier' and Hastings were taken over by the Department in November last for the purpose of reducing the competition to the railv/ays. Since then the neitt loss has been £90. As it is somewhat obvious that a private company could not operate on losses, we may presume that these buses under their original owners did not operate at a loss, and that the loss was brought about by Government control, in conformity with the usual practice of the Railway Department. It is understood that Government control of buses will have the effect of reducing the number of trains, thus saving running costs to the Department, but it is not said whether this control will have the effect of reducing the number of buses also. The fear that such will be the case and the doubt as to the intentions of the Government in the event of their controlling the buses should make the most recent report on the subject good reading. It is stated that the proposal to purchase the buses has been dropped by the Department, but as negotiations are apparently going on as merrily as ever, evidently the Department is contemplating some action which will lead to a measure of Government control. From several quarters come reports which clearly indicate the necessity of more co-ordination between trains and buses if the annual loss of the Railway Department is not to increase, for it is becoming more and more evident that a large proportion of the loss can be accounted for by bus competition, in view of which, the Department has the alternative of eliminating competition or increasing the efficiency of its own services. A simple increase in the number of the trains would not mean an increased revenue, for the loss on the trains would be correspondingly increased, seeing that people refuse to walk to the railway stations when the

buses pass the door as they do in many cases. The only possibility apart from purchasing the buses is to arrange for transport to the railway stations. In spite of the fact that this was attempted a few years ago and proved a failure, there can be no reasonable doubt that it is the only solution of the Railway Department's difficulties in the Valley, and what is more, the only plan that is likely to commend itself to the residents, who, having in mind the efficiency of the present bus services, and the unsatisfactory nature of the railway communication, are not likely to view with pleasure the taking over of the buses by the Department.