PRIVATE BUSES AGAIN?

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 234, 22 December 1927, Page 10

PRIVATE BUSES AGAIN?

TEMPORARY PERMITS MAY BE GRANTED TRANSPORT CONFERENCE ALTHOUGH no official agree. ment was reached by the transport conference yesterday it was understood that the City Council would agree to the temporary licensing of private buses subject to penal fares and to a ticket-checking system. The wishes of local bodies are to be placed in writing before the Tramway, Committee of the council before Janu. ary 8. when the committee intends to take action to reduce the losses eg the buses.

Yesterday’s meeting was attended br representatives of the Mount Eden and Mount Albert Borough Council, th e Waitemata and Manukau County Conn, cils, the Henderson Town Board, and the Mount Roskill and One Tree Hill Road Boards, and Cr. J. A. C. Alin® chairman of the Tramways Committee' presided.

“We have two duties, one to th» travelling public, and the other to tie city ratepayers,” said Cr. Allum, ' and the loss on the bus routes must be materially reduced. If you cannot accept the proposal that you pay Is 6d a mile to keep the services in your district, then will you make another pro. posal. We have had the resonpsibilify up till now. We will consider any reasonable proposal.” PRIVATE BUSES WANTED The Mayor of Mt. Eden, Mr. E. H, Potter, said that the conference which had been held could not accept the suggestion that the local bodies should pay the Is 6d, but it was pre. pared to accept a proposal that private owners should run buses outside the city. Although a commission had been mentioned it was evidently the intention of the Government to ask its departmental heads to report. “We do not consider that the feede? services are sufficient to meet the requirements of the districts," he said. "Our only proposal is that private baa owners should receiv-e licences.”

Mr. Allum asked if Mr. Potter yrould suggest that private buses should be allowed to run services with a penal fare and a check on the ticket system as a temporary measure until the Royal Commission gave its decision. Mr. Potter said he could not agree that the licences should be temporary because the commission might rule otherwise. The chairman said that-the ccmmiasion would sit because the Prime Mi* ister had told him so. Mr. M. J. Coyle: Will you local bodies give evidence before the Commission? , Mr. Potter: We are not here to discuss the commission. We have no official statement that the commission will sit. “There are no two ways about it" said Cr. Allum. “The commission wifl sit all right. If the council agrses to private enterprise it can be only as a temporary measure.”

Mr. Potter: Our idea is to relier? the city ratepayers not to involve them in more expenditure on buses. Mr. L. A. Tozer, Mount Roskill, said the city buses did not pay on his route. There should be through bus services on two routes to the city. The question of the cost of running the buses was raised by Mr. Potter, who said that Is 6d a mile was excessive. Councillor Allum: lam not going to allow you to cast doubts on the statement. Mr. Potter: I am not doubting your word that the cost to the council is Is 6d, but the average ratepayer does not consider that they would cost private enterprise as much as that. ANOTHER FORTNIGHT

Mr. Allum said that the proposals would be accepted not later than January 8. “We will not take any buses off until after the holidays,” said Councillor Allum. “You have another fortnight in which to submit your proposals. Mr. Potter: We have given you tha

definite opinion of the conference o® local bodies. , . vr>a Mr. H. B. Dobbie, \Vaitemata * must admit that the city in tn has been unsuccessful with tn vices. git Mr. Allum: I must ask you t g down. I can’t allow reflections council services. m av Mr. Potter: The commission » g realise that the buses are a _p „ e great service. In the me , an H, ras to ask the council to grant -ice the private owners. su ° to the penal fare. mnncafc* In reply to a question Allum said he was not P re P a . .. a ct, how the committee intended J( | but the losses on the buse have to be reduced. - .fount Mr. L. A. Rhodes, Mayor of Albert, said that if the Clt - prJii could not run the services* t fa ate enterprise should be allow?® “"|a