Birkenhead Storms Over Bus Licences

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 292, 1 March 1928, Page 15

Birkenhead Storms Over Bus Licences

OPPOSITION FROM TAXIS AN INVOLVED POSITION i Birkenhead has prospects of “setting; on the map" as a storm-centre under the Motor Omnibus Regulations, and a complicated position is arising. Last evening the Marine Suburbs Bus Company Ltd. abandoned. it> {service after 111 years’ operation, claim - } ing that it had been forced to give up iby reason of competition from taxis I licensed by Birkenhead Borough, which purports to issue motor omnibus licences. The possibility taut Birkenhead residents would have to ltramp to the ferry wharf this morning was eliminated by the Blue btar Bus Company, formerly the opposition service to the Marine Suburbs Buses, utilising some of the latter’s buses to help out its own fleet of three vehicles, j At the meeting of No. 2 Licensing Authority at Devonport last evening, the withdrawal of the Marine i Suburbs Bus Company’s service was notified by the company. The letter was strange. The position was bound ; power to compel the continuation of the services. I Mr. C. M. Browne said the Act made no provision for taxi competition, which was strane. The position was bound to arise elsewhere. An application to run a bus service - from Birkenhead to Albany on one of the routes previously served by the j Marine Suburbs Bus Company was made by Mr. G. A. Sutcliffe, garage proprietor, Birkenhead. In support of : his application he stated that the Edu- ’ cation Board had arranged with him j for transport of children from Albany ; > and Glenfield to Northcote Junior , L High School. The chairman said that he had re- - ceived a telegram message from the i solicitor for the Blue Star Bus Com- . ■ pany objecting to the application. That > company was going to abandon the j > penal fare formerly fixed. 7 Mr. T. Walsh: That is a breach of 3 its licence. All objections should be 5 made properly, either by writing or in » person. . ' 5 The clerk said due legal notice of * the application had been given. . Holding that no objection had been 1 lodged a service permit was granted ’ {Mr. Sutcliffe on condition that he made ! prompt application for his bus licence. | 1 i A further application by Mr. Sut- » cliffe to run, one day a week, a service 3 to Coatesville and Hairy Flat, was op--1 posed by Mr. R. Lister, who runs mail services with a taxi car from Auc- ” land to Puhoi. 3 | In reply to Mr. T. Walsh, it was “ stated that the proposed bus fare to ’ ; Coatesville would be 5s 6d return. As I | this put the service outside the juris- “ ! diction of the No. 2 Licensing AuthII j ority, the matter was dropped. ! The legal position began to vex some " members, and Mr. Hearidge, chairman l of the board, remarked. “We should e | have our legal adviser here for these * i fine points.’* s j n 1 Note. —The penal fare was imposed on a I the Blue Star Company on passengers y ; picked up between Birkenhead Wharf and e | Highbury when the company was granted 7 the licence in opposition to the Marine r Company.

COUNCIL’S ATTITUDE

The Marine Suburbs Company advised the Birkenhead Council last evening that its buses had been withdrawn in view of unfair competition by cars which did not pay heavy traffic fees or insurance. The Mayor, Mr. E. G. Skeates, said the council could not enter into a controversy on the question, but IV could not understand such a fine fleet of buses being taken off after a few weeks of opposition. The Blue Star Company advised the council that the withdrawal would increase its responsibilities, some of the Marine Company buses being run temporarily, but before the company increased its responsibility and capital it wanted to know something of the future policy of the council. The company suggested that if taxis were to continue they should pay reasonable heavy traffic fees and insurance, and should be required to give some definite timetable. j The council decided to reply that it j would take measures to force owners of omnibus licences to take out insurance and if necessary would try and get power to charge higher licence fees. An application from Mr. M. A. Moverley to run a motor-car as an omnibus was granted, opposition being raised by Crs. Moller and Jasper. Cr. Hadfield pointed out that the criticism of the council was unfair, as it had onlj r been licensing for eight or nine days. One of the promoters of the Marine Company had helped to put a private fleet of cars on the North Shore recently, he remarked.