“SERVICE CARS AND LICENSE FEES.”

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3515, 24 July 1926, Page 3

“SERVICE CARS AND LICENSE FEES.”

Sir, —Ail article in your issue of July 20th, under the above heading, deserves comment. There are two sides to every question, and I think that if the full facts are made known to the residents of Foxton that the incident of service cars stopping in Foxton will be appreciated rather than condemned. Some time ago you voiced a complaint in your paper that passengers wishing to board the service cars at Foxton had no assurance of being able to do so, as the cars flashed through the town without stopping. Subsequently my firm made a special point of (catering for the requirements of the Foxton people. Instead of making Levin the stopping place for refreshments for all cars, we have stopped some of them in Foxton, thus affording our passengers the opportunity of patronising your local tea rooms and business places as they desire. The travelling public spend money wherever they stop and by giving passengers half an hour or so in Foxton, we claim that the business people benefit to some extent, but it is impossible to say to what extent.' In reference to the car which is alleged to wait in Foxton from .9.30 a.m. to noon. This is a special car under contract to deliver newspapers from Wellington to Palmerston North, and return to Wellington daily, leaving Palmerston at 8 a.m. In order to link up with another car leaving Wanganui at 7 a.m., this car has been diverted from Palmerston via Foxton, but if objection is to be taken to this tear remaining in Foxton to suit our convenience, we can send the car direct to Wellington via Shannon. My firm pays a substantial sum of over £2OO per annum in heavy traffic licenses, and if the position became that we were compelled to pay licenses in every town we pass through, we should .have no option but to increase the fares or discontinue the service. Personally I regard the complaint of “a Foxton ratepayer” as pin pricking, and an attempt to cause’unnecessary strife. lam glad to pote that two of your councillors regard the motor services as an asset to the town from an advertising and publicity standpoint. I am etc., H. SMITH, Manager S.O.S Motor Service.