BUSES ON MANAWATU COUNTY ROADS.

Shannon News, 13 September 1927, Page 3

BUSES ON MANAWATU COUNTY ROADS.

LIMITED TO 16 MILES AN HOUR. TOO SLOW SAYS MAGISTRATE. At the Foxton S.M. Court last week, before Mr J. L. Stout. S.M., the Manav/atu County Council (Mr Berry), proceeded again J. O’Reilly (Mr Oram),, a driver of one of Messrs Madge Bros, char-a-bancs running between Palmerston North and Foxton, for driving at an excessive speed contrary to the Motor Regulations Act governing buses. Mr Berry, in evidence, stated that the Motor Regulations provided that buses in class G which governed Messrs Madge Bros, char-a-bancs, weie allowed to travel at 14 miles per hour with an increase of 20 per cent, bringing, the speed up to a maximum of 16 miles per hour. On a recent date witness had* timed 8 .busr and found that it was doing 33 miles per hour on the Himatangi Road. The Council had leceived a great number of complaints from Madge Bios, about the bad state of the County roads, and this the Council attributed to the q>aee at which vehicles, such as those travelled, ove’ the highways. The S.M.: Tou don’t think they are going to slow down to 14 miles per hour do you? ■ ,Mr Berry said that they could apply for an increase in ’he speed to the Council, and defendant’s firm had done this since the issue of the summons. The S.M. (perusing the regulations): If this applies to passenger buses then it’s time the regulations were redrafted. Mr Berry: Thev were only drawn up in 1927: ‘

The S.M.: Surely they were not intended to apply to motor buses! Counsel: Technically my client comes within those regulations. The S.M.: They provide that vehicles of certain weights can travel at certain speeds. I suppose bus owners are expected to weigh up the passengers before they start. Counsel: Fifteen passengers go to the ton, your worshin. (Laughter). The S.M.: Is this an attempt to put the lorries off the road because they are running in opposition to the railways? It’s unreasonable! Mr Berry said the. only solution his ■'’ouneil could see to preserve the road** vas to prevent these heavy vehicles travelling so fast. The S.M.: If they do that they will put the buses off the road and what will happen then? The railway cau’t cater for the passengers. '• Mr Berry: Madge Bros, could have obtained permission to' increase the speed of their ehar-a-b&nc. The S.M.: Sixteen miles an hour is a bit slow. Consulting the regulations, the S.M. said that if a bus was equipped with solid tyres it was allowed to go a whole 7 miles p?r hour! (Laughter). The maximum speed allowed buses fitted with pneumatic tyres was 14 miles per hour plus 20 per cent. This regulation, if enforced, simply meant that the buses would have to go off, the roads. If the Railway Department wanted to cater for the travelling public it should put ''on steam or petrol buses. It was no use asking anyone to travel on the; '“whitebait express.” There was no comfort or any convenience. The first class accommodation was not fit for second class travelling. The buses were a convenience to the public and the Council should remember this fact. Defendant would be convicted and discharged although the S.M. was in two minds as to whether he should dismiss the case as trivial.