REPORT CONFIRMED

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 15, 8 April 1927, Page 9

REPORT CONFIRMED

’BUSES FOR TAKAPUNA DEVONPORT COY’S ENTERPRISE THE SUN’S report that the Uevonport Steam Ferry Co. has purchased a fleet of motor-cars for transport between Devonport and Takapuna, was confirmed to-day by Mr. A. E. Alison, the company’s manager. Arrangements have been made, said Mr. Alison, for the provision of a fieet of seven-seater Hudson limousines for the convenience and comfort of their Takapuna patrons. Mr. Alison explained that the first instalment of ten of this fleet would be available on Monday, and that others were on order, and would be put on the road. He declared that the policy of his company had always been to confine itself to transportation of passengers by sea, and that this temporary departure from their settled policy was dictated only by “ very special circumstances which had arisen.” Mr. Alison pointed out that under the arrangements which existed prior to the decision of the Transport Appeal Board many residents of Takapuna had acquired concession tickets of various periods, some even being anmial family tickets. The decision of the Appeal Board woiild mean, he said, that these passengers were deprived of the opportunity of availing themselves of the concessions which they had acquired, and that, the company had obtained their money and was not in a position to give the service. “ Under these circumstances the company decided that it was its duty to its patrons to make provision for the transportation between .Takapuna and the Uevonport wharves,” he said. An additional reason given by Mr. Alison for the institution of this service was that from the inception of his company it had always enjoyed the patronage and goodwill of the people of Takapuna by means of the service running to Uevonport. “It is true that in recent years the intervention of the steam trams had restricted this traffic to some extent, but modern conditions of good concrete roads with high-class, efficient, well-conducted buses had given the Takapuna people an opportunity to resume their earlier route through Uevonport and by the company’s boats, and this they have availed themselves of in increasing numbers.” Under these circumstances the company felt that it was under a duty of loyalty to the people of Takapuna to assist them in the difficulties which had been created by the Motor Omnibus Traffic Act. Mr. Alison explained that notwithstanding the difficult circumstances under which they were establishing the new service the fares would not be increased beyond those being charged by bus and boat before the recent decision of the Transport Appeal Board. Pains had been taken to get highly efficient vehicles, as well as \v§lltrained, competent, and courteous drivers for the service, and he had no doubt that the people of Takapuna would be well content with the arrange, ments being made for their comfort and convenience. Mr. Alison declared that it was in the contemplation of his company that they might run ferries to Bayswater, but inasmuch as the arrangements in that regard were not yet complete they had taken the step indicated so that there should be no interruption of the normal Takapuna-Uevonport-Auckland traffic.