HE WAS RIGHT

NZ Truth, Issue 1180, 12 July 1928, Page 11

HE WAS RIGHT

"Peculiar Mentality" Too Mild (From "N.Z. Truth's" Auckland Rep.) When an Auckland . lawyer, speaking of the City Council, applied the term "peculiar mentality" to that remarkable body of municipal mud,d,lers, he used a definition which was as mild a,B it was correct. , . .-.'..■■ '■■-... nURING- the course of business before the No. .1 Licensing. Authority last week', it was mentioned that the matter of buses catering for race -day traffic had been brought to the notice of J. S. Brigham, the town clerk* - . ;■■." The town clerk" is ' quoted as saying: "It may be pertinent to remark that complaints are received from- time to time that the ordinary passenger time-' tables are not entirely: run by some bus services on such occasions, doubtless because the vehicles' are used for race traffic." ; • ' '''. . . . ' ■ The last few words indicate the marvellous alertness of Town ' Clerk Brigham., and the unfailing interest which the. No. 1- Licensing Authority takes m all' matters which may cause inconvenience to the citizens of Auckland—in all transport > problems other than their own tramway, or bus, monopoly. ..■■,-•■ ..■•-." 1 The humor of this complaint which is alleged against bus--owners is that Town Clerk Brigharn, as' one of the No. 1 Licensing Authority, is an employee of the council which owns the trams. ' '•''•■:•.■",' ■• ■' '• ■:• ■ ,'. :• The municipal trams> are indisputably the -greatest offenders m , the matter of neglecting their regular, services whenever .the be-! '. casion arises for them to snap up '.' '■\a few pounds at Such times as there ; are race meetings on, or sporting fans to be, catered for,' either m the way of football or cricket. , ' At such -times, the ratepayer who expects to be able to enjoy the benefits of a regular time-table finds that he is! — so far as municipal transport is.con-cerned-^not m the running. . . v >r rhe congestion which prevails disorganizes practidally every route and those who are not among the sports crowd are neglected. - . PATIENCE ESSENTIAL! Instances have been brought to the notice of "N.Z. Truth" of people waiting for a -car to convey them to their destination, for twenty minutes or more, wet or fine. Their needs take a very second place to the demands of the "sports." . Literally, their comfort and time are sacrificed- to the convenience of the tramways committee, but their indignation fails to bring about 1 any ichange In tactics. .... . '-_''■■' h < The more speedy and mobile buses •hav.ingbeen driven off the road by the a\itocratic action of the council, the tramways committee is in' a ' position t'p say:' "Wait or walk; we'll transport •you :when we've got rid ! of the rush." Jh the . fape of this peculiar state of things, the No. 1 Licensing Authority, which cannot be said to-be disinterested, has the audacity to suggest 'that.it will put a stranglehold on bus-ownera who neglect their, regular services. Might it not be more* to the point if the City Council devotetl some of their limited initiative to . ensuring the running to tjma of ' their regular services, m order that those, who cannot afford— or have not the inclination— to Jndulg'e' m sports, may not be incon* venienced?. ' The tram, service is by no means perfect and the organization is far from efficient m many respects. ...... It is up to the tramw^ays department to put their own affairs- in order, before .they look rouijd to eliminate their remaining competitors, who /serve' the public with considerably, more facility, and, as '/a .rule, . with fq,r . greater >.onimpn-serise.\ , „. . „.;..