HIGHER BUS FARES

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 948, 15 April 1930, Page 10

HIGHER BUS FARES

P.T.C.’S PROPOSAL LOCAL BODY OPPOSITION Determined local body opposition met an application by the Passenger Transport Company to the Auckland Transport Board this morning lor permission to make a general increase in bus fares. At a combined meeting last evening the Ota huh u Borough Council, the Alanukau County Council, the Ellerslie Town Board, the Papatoetoe Town Board and the Mount Wellington lload Board resolved to ask the Transport Board to defer consideration of the application in view of the fact that they had had too short notice for adequate time to organise a case against the company. In any event, the authorities mentioned formally opposed the increase in fares. In making application the company said that although the proposed fares represented an increase generally, there, were a number of cases in which reductions had been made to overcome existing anomalies. The new scale had been carefully worked out on the mileage basis as far as possible: “We regret the necessity for a revision of fares,” the directors remark. “In the interest of the service this is imperative,” they add. Several factors, particularly Public Works regulations, which necessitated larger and more expensive buses, determined a revision. As far as they were concerned the Passenger Transport Com pany was the only Auckland bus opera lor which had absorbed the petrol tax without passing it on, as others did. 33 PER CENT. INCREASE? Mi\ H. A. Stedman, who, with Mr R- W. P. Wood, opposed the application on behalf of the local bodies, said lie desired that consideration of the application be deferred to give his clients time to collect evidence in rebuttal of the company’s testimony. He believed that some of the increases were as high at 33 per cent. Mr. A. J. Fntrican suggested that tho matter be deferred for three weeks, the board and the local bodies to confer in the meantime. In support, Mr. M. J. Coyle recalled that a pre vious applicant had thrown open his' books to a firm of auditors. If the Passenger Transport Company did the same and it was shown that it was running at a loss, then the public might not oppose an increase. The deputy-chairman, Mr. G. Baildon, moved that consideration be deferred three weeks, the matter to be dealt with by the board-in-committee, which would hear evidence for and against the application. Mr. E. ££. Potter, who agreed, said the application should be dealt with by the board alone, not with the assistance of local bodies. The deputy-chairman’s motion was agreed to. For the applicants. Mr. N. B. Spencer said his company was only too glad to show reasons for an increase. Revenue had fallen nearly a penny a mile since last financial year. His company had quite unforseen antagonism from local bodies.