MOTOR SERVICE WAR

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 489, 19 October 1928, Page 13

MOTOR SERVICE WAR

HAMILTON TO CAMBRIDGE FARES DOWN TO 3/- RETURN (From Our Own Correspondent) CAMBRIDGE, To-day. There is a mild war on between the two principal motor services between Hamilton and Cambridge. The trouble has arisen over the failure of one service to secure an omnibus licence from the Hamilton Borough Council, as * the licensing authority, the trouble being further fomented by the Kiwi service now being allowed to run an extra service on the Hudson service’s advertised time-table. Fares have been brought down to 3s return to Hamilton. The matter was discussed at the monthly meeting of the Borough Council last evening, when the Mayor said that the Hudson service had been refused an omnibus licence owing to its vehicles not complying with omnibus regulations. It is felt that to some extent there is petty spite behind the trouble, and it was pointed out that, though the omnibus regulations were reasonable for services in the town of Hamilton or from Hamilton to its suburbs, it was a different matter on a lengthy run from Hamilton to Cambridge. It was contended that the omnibus regulations were never intended to meet such a situation, and that service car regulations were more applicable. The Mayor, Mr. T. R. Richards, intends to bring down a remit for the next council meeting to be forwarded to the Municipal Conference, that a representative board, comprising representatives of local bodies within a given area, should be set up to issue licences. He considered it unfair that the Hamilton Borough Council should have the power of deciding what services should run from Cambridge to Hamilton, as local conditions had to be given the greatest consideration. The Mayor’s suggestion was approved, and it was also decided that a letter be sent to the next meeting of the Appeal Board in Hamilton urging that every consideration be given to the Hudson service’s application for a licence, as the proprietor was providing a good service to the people of Cambridge. The Hudson service has headquarters at Cambridge, while the Kiwi service has headquarters at Hamilton.