“Must Give Way to Private Enterprise”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 457, 12 September 1928, Page 8

“Must Give Way to Private Enterprise”

CITY AND SUBURBS UNPAYING BUS SERVICES “How long will the City Council continue to run buses to outside suburbs, where such services are inot paying, and are likely, ultimately, to be a charge on the city ratepayers?” THIS question was submitted to Cr. J. A- C. Allum, chairman of the Tramways Committee, this morning. It will be remembered that even before the appointment of the Transport Commission there were threats that bus services must pay or go, and the city undertook to continue most of them, even at a loss, till the position was cleared up by the commission. As yet the position is little further advanced, and the buses have continued to lose heavily for several months. “The council will, of course, eventually decide that,” remarked Cr. Allum. “My own opinion is that we cannot take up the attitude "we can't, and you mustn’t/ “If the council services cannot be made to pay, the city ratepayers cannot be expected to bear the loss. We never wanted the western suburb services. in any case. “We can only give way to private enterprise, and let the buses run into the city. They can make their won arrangements with the outside local bodies.”