NEARING THE END

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 374, 7 June 1928, Page 13

NEARING THE END

Transport Commission’s Sitting

COUNSELS’ ADDRESSES TO-MORROW

IT is expected that to-morrow will mark the end of the Transport Commission’s proceedings. Four more witnesses are to be heard to-day. The chairman, Mr. J. S. Barton,'S.M.. announced yesterday that he would hear counsels’ closing addresses to-morrow afternoon. The question has been raised as to whether counsel for suburban local bodies should call evidence in contradiction of the city witnesses who have advocated Greater Auckland, and the commission will make an announcement in this direction to-day.

Cross-examined by Mr. V. R. Mere dith, Mr. J. A. C. Allum admitted that when an application was made by the tramways department to the licensing authority for permission to run a service to Orakei along the waterfront road the proposed fares and time-tables were not specified in the application. Mr. Meredith: When the tramways department put in that application you hoped it would be granted? Mr. Allum: I do not care to answer that.

But did you want the licence? —Certainly. Then you hoped it would be granted? —We didn’t put in the application for a joke. Mr. Allum explained that when he heard Mr. L. J. Keys desired to apply for a licence over the same route he willingly agreed to the two applications being heard later. In reply to further cross-examina-tion, witness said he believed the tramway department had some unlicensed buses in service, but that he did not see anything improper in that.

The Public Works Department found it impossible to inspect the City Council's large fleet before the old licences expired, with the result that some of the vehicles had to run unlicensed for a short period. Albert Edwin Ford, tramways manager, recalled, submitted schedules and detailed information relating to the method of dealing with emergency calls for omnibus repairs. He also dealt with bus operating cost figures produced earlier in connection with services conducted by the Passenger Transport Company and Messrs. Gallagher and Sterling. Mr. Ford stressed the fact that, had the tramways not been compelled to operate a fleet of second-hand buses, and, had they been given a free hand in selecting routes as was the case with private companies, the possibility of economical operation would have been much greater. CARRIERS’ OPINIONS Giving evidence on behalf of the Auckland Master Carriers’ Association, the secretary. William Edward Anderson, said that his association favoured the appointment of a central authority as a Metropolitan Traffic Control Board, either under the wing of the Auckland City Council, or the Public Works Department, or as a newly-con-stituted body, but preferably under the Auckland City Council. Witness considered that such a body should be empowered to declare any road or street in the area to be not available for through traffic exceeding a certain weight, or travelling in excess of a specified speed. Notices should he erected in streets in which extraordinary regulations applied. The new board should generally administer motor-lorry regulations Within the area and employ the necessary traffic inspectors. The constitution of a metropolitan appeal board with a Supreme Court Judge as president, was also advocated. The appeal board’s functions would be to hear appeals by the users of roads or local bodies against any of the decisions of the traffic control board. The appeal board would provide a safeguard for* both the local authorities and the vehicle owners. Mr. Anderson stressed his association’s opinion that the control of heavy traffic by a number of small but independent authorities was not in the best interests of public or carriers and and was in many respects impracticable. FORTY-FIVE IN A BUS a number of residents of the Portland Road, Remuera, district, Norman Russell Withiel Thomas criticised the bus service running to that area. Witness maintained that he had been frequently debarred from travelling on the bus because it was filled to capacity. At rush times in particular the average number of people carried in the bus was from 40 to 50. In view of the many inconveniences suffered, witness said many residents preferred to walk to the top of the hills and travel in a tram at 2Jd rather than pay 4d in a bus. Cross-examined by Mr. Jackson, witness admitted that the tram service an within a quarter of a mile from his house, but he nevertheless thought that the district should be served by a satisfactory bus fleet as well as by trams. RAILWAY TRAFFIC Giving evidence in regard to suburban traffic on the Auckland railways, Eugene Case}’, No. 1 divisional superintendent, disclaimed any intention of concerning himself with the projected system of city and suburban local bodies control. Witness said that the railway suburban district extended from Papakura. on the South line to Swanson on the North. The railway brought in an average

of 4,500 suburban passengers daily on the South line, and of that total 2,500 were brought in before 9 a.m. On the North line the average was 2,500. of whom 2,000 were brought in before 9 a.m.

Mr. Casey submitted 13 cards showing time-table and second-class fares between Auckland and various suburban stations. He also handed in a list showing the revenue derived from the sale of ordinary passenger and season tickets at Auckland and suburban stations, pointing out that, with the exception of Auckland, there had been a serious decrease in passenger revenue at all the stations enumerated.

Also handed in was a copy of the working time-table and train diagrams which included the Auckland suburban area.