MORE BUS-RUNS CANCELLED

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 197, 9 November 1927, Page 1

MORE BUS-RUNS CANCELLED

Tramways Committee’s Decision VEHEMENT PROTESTS FROM NEW LYNN NO more through services to the city will be run by Citv Council buses ancl two services have been cancelled The management has been severely criticised by the New Lvnn Town Board. The indications are that the near future will see plainspeaking; in fact, what might even be termed a “bust-up” over the Auckland trams.

TIE only place where there is any degree of unanimity concerning ,jip undertaking is in the Tramways -oumittee, and even there, report m It, there have been little displays „( Jreworks. 1)< City Council, as distinct front ,k ( committee, has barely given kind ailcism, or even assistance, to the ‘.jrimlttee, and various outside local Julies and organisations have offered riicism, mostly destructive, all of stick merely tends to bring nearer 1 day when those most concerned sil declare themselves in no mixed terms. nro more important events in the liitory of the undertaking were redded last evening. They were: 1. The Tramways Committee deHi sd to cancel all “through” bus series even in busy periods. They dfo entirely cancelled the St. stiphen’s Avenue-Point Resolution, jjd St. Stephen’s Avenue-Seaview ji»d. services, and made the finish m point of the Bucklands Road bus slice Khyber Pass instead of Comj rce Street. >, New Lynn Town Board dejcimced the present tramway inanagejmt and stated that “its services rti not deserving of patronage, that I; figures were false and thtrt the ,-uncil was lacking in business acuiffl, and finally decided that if the City Council was left alone it would tug itself, thus saving the outside local bodies the job.” file Tramways Committee spent lr*e hours delving into the position jit evening, and the chairman, Cr. J. A C. Allum. stated this morning that tie trams, under the penny-fare sysm had not come up to expectations aid that the bus position was very unsatisfactory. The committee is still -sslderlng possible reductions in the Derating expenses. Though Cr. Allum would not answer ortain questions at the moment, it is -ported that the committee does not ■r.ew with any alarm the diversion of ! rthern traffic to the railways, and. in Set, views it with pleasure. The new fares, etc., will be given a Sir trial, and not condemned on the list month,” replied Cr. Allum to ano hep question, but whether he believed tie present order would be retained for tip full six months of the trial period.

he would not say. The probabilities are that it will not.. BUCKLANDS ROAD CHANGE Bucklands Road service has not been as well patronised as it might have been, the average revenue being 9d a bus mile. The change to Khyber Pass as one terminus will allow of two buses being removed from the run, and save 80,000 bus miles a year. No more workers* tickets will be issued on this routs, and its retention, as a service, will depend on the amount of patronage. The revenue on the St. Stephen’s Avenue services which are cancelled, has been negligible. Revision of other services is under consideration. NEW LYNN CRITICISM The New Lynn denunciation occurred at a meeting of the Town Board last evening. Advice was received that the extension of the service to make a round trip including Hutchinson Avenue, would be considered. Mr. Akers remarked that the council had refused a request to include a service to Seabrook Avenue, on which there were 49 families. The buses used to be full to Parker Avenue, but were now carrying only three or four passengers. The service had been spoilt, and the district would decline. Mr. Fielding said the residents were going back to the train. They would not tolerate the change-over at Surrey Crescent. Mr. Titchener, chairman, described council figures as false. These concerned Henderson and New Lynn. The council could not make the buses pay owing to lack of business acumen. DESTRUCTIVE CRITICISMS Cr. Allum was given an opportunity to reply to these criticisms this morning. “The committee is trying to do the right thing, and not merely to please destructive critics, the great majority of whom have no financial responsibility,” he remarked. “We welcome constructive criticism, or suggestions.” “No outside local body has shown any willingness to help by undertaking its share of the responsibility, but one, Roskill, has such a proposal under consideration. The outside bodies’ wishes can be met if they will shoulder the cost, or the residents will agree to economic fares. “Going back to the trains is quite a sound action. “Changing at Surrey Crescent provides nothing unusual, and we are well aware that in the city, in a certain area, people are transferring from one tram to another, to save Id. “The accusation that we are giving false figures is grossly improper. We never knowingly publish false information.”