PLIGHT OF BUS TRANSPORT

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 209, 23 November 1927, Page 1

PLIGHT OF BUS TRANSPORT

Government Inquiry Probable AUCKLAND APPEALS TO PRIME MINISTER IT is virtually certain that a Government inquiry into the plight of motor-bus transport in Auckland will be held in the near future. There is every reason to anticipate remarkable developments of the position within the next few days.

MANY different interests are de- "*■ manding a thorough investigation of the unsatisfactory circumstances, and as far as can be learned authoritatively the municipal authorities are not averse from an inquiry, holding that they have nothing to hide, and many serious difficulties to show. A large deputation is going to Wellington this evening to interview the Prime Minister, and the Minister of Public Works, on the question of tuburban transport, and at the council meeting to-morrow evening the council will be asked to support any movement toward any inquiry promoted by the Government into the question of transport over the whole of the metropolitan area. It is reliably stated that the Prime Minister las already been approached, and asked to promote an inquiry. The deputation, representing the suburban areas, will meet the Ministers to-morrow morning. It will Include members from Panmure, Ellersiie, Mount Roskill, Mount Eden, New Lynn, Glen Eden and Henderson. FORCED BY CANCELLATIONS

A member will be Mr. S. I. Goodall, who said this morning that the local bodies and the transport committees had been working on the question for some time, forced to It by the cancellation of services, and the considerable drop in the value of properties. “I want to stress that we are not going down there to criticise the City Council, but we want to seek some remedy of the position that has arisen,” stated Mr. Goodall. “There is k wrong and we want it remedied. The effect of the curtailment of the services has been disastrous. It is •nly robbing the suburbs and tending

to crowd the people into the city, which is most undesirable. “OUR OWN BUSINESS” “We feel that we should be left to manage our own transport affairs and that this Is a legitimate field for private enterprise. The city has the tram tracks and should attend to them, and not extend their functions to running the business of other people, losing very heavily in doing ,it. We claim that' they have no right whatever to dictate how we shall travel. Complaints have been met as if theywere charges, and we have had counter charges. PRIVATE ENTERPRISE AGAIN

“We suggest that the position can be met by slight amendment to the Act, and that we should be allowed to have properly controlled private enterprise. The licensing authority should not be the City Council, but should include representatives of all the local bodies concerned. In the present position they are often plaintiff and judge, which is most unconstitutional.”

Mr. Goodall, asked for his opinion as to .a Transport Board or a Government inquiry, was not by any means unconditionally In favour of either. He said the day was too late for Parliament to create a transport board, and it might not be a wise move, with the possibility of another expensive administration. "I suggest that the remedy is an impartial controlling authority,” he said. With reference to the inquiry Ue said that It might be a good thing, but previous experience of these inquiries were not conducive to confidence. It was always difficult to get certain evidence before t"hem, and the water commission was a case where nothing was gained. INQUIRY SUPPORTED “What is your opinion of a Transport Board?” Cr. J. A. C. Allum was asked this morning. “My personal opinion, and I am not speaking as chairman of the Tramways Committee, is that provided the interests of the city are properly safeguarded there

could be no objection,” he replied. “There appears to be such a considerable division of opinion on transport matters, and so much misrepresentation of the position, that I will propose at the next meeting of the council, that is to-morrow evening, that the, council should support any proposal that the Government should initiate an inquiry into the whole of the circumstances of the transport position in Auckland.”