BUS REGULATIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 13 May 1926, Page 4

BUS REGULATIONS

MR. COATES IX DEEENCt

WELLINGTON. May I I The bus regulations have raised

storm of protest here from the proprietors. The municipal side of the question has yet to be stated. In a brief conversation this afternoon, the Prime "Minister pointed cut that there wars a demand for regulations. These had been drafted and fully discussed at a conference of representatives of local bodies interested, tramway boards, omnibus owners, and Government officials, who had studied the position in New Zealand and abroad. Two important questions were considered—-one the economic problem, the other that of insurance. Liability for damage arising out of accident bad to bo provided-for, and the owners had to be prepared to meet such a. contingency in iiie same way as the tramway authorities had to meet their liability. Tt was also necessary to have an examination of the vehicles used, in order to sec if they were fitted to take the road, and were properly cared for afterwards. There was also need for the examination of drivers in the interests of public safety.

On the economic side, it had to be remembered tint the ratepayers find about five or six million pounds invested in tramways. “But apart from all Ibis,” concluded Mr Coates, “Mr Christie. the Clown Law draughtsman, who bad been specially delegated during Jiis recent trier abroad to moke enquiries into this particular subject, upon

examining the New Zealand regulations on his return, reported that they conformed very closely with the regulations in force in other countries. The bus owners and everyone else had asked for regulations.”

‘‘UTTERLY UNFAIR.” WELLINGTON. May 11. “1 ' im 1 had a t'airlv wide experience <‘.f transport ([iicstion.s in parts of the world other than New -Zealand.” remarked Mr Herbet Filmer, chairman of the executive of the Wellington Antomohile Chib to-day, “and T must say that 1 have never lieard of such penalising legislation as is set out in these regulations. In regard to the comparative fares between trams and buses, I cannot believe that the regulations mean that private buses must charge twopence more than tram fares over a given trip, while Corporation buses need not. It is so utterly unfair. It leaves me speechless. What can it. mean, except that private buses cannot run after June 10th? It is dijfficult to believe that the Government will persist in its intention to employ such a method as this to regulate competition. The average man is fully cognisant of the fact that he helps to own the tramways, but when he has to put up with, the pushing, and scrambling, and starpunging of wliat the French style the hours of affluence, be is not going to consider that particularly. What be wants then is the best transport that is available to him. “Regulation is necessary in New Zealand as it has been necessary in America, where, by the way, practically all transport services are privately owned, but regulation carried to this extent is utterly unfair.”