LIGHTS ON BUSES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 227, 8 July 1941, Page 2

LIGHTS ON BUSES

AUCKLAND DRIVERS’ STAND. WILL REFUSE DUTY TO-NIGHT. (P.A.) AUCKLAND, July 7. No motor buses will run in Auckland after 7 o’clock to-morrow night unless either the Minister for Transport (the Ho id. 11. Semple) or the Aucklanu Drivers’ Union is" prepared to give way ; concerning the motor-vehicle lighting restrictions. The expectation to-night was that people depending on buses for transport would have to find alternative means of travel from to-morrow night. Tho (Minister ruled to-dav that, subject to the speed limit of 25 miles an hour on certain bus routes, the lighting restrictions must be observed by, all road users, including bus drivers. The reply of the secretary of the union (Mr L. G. Matthews) was that buses would not run after 7 o’clock to-morrow night. . , t Mr Semple said that drivers who disobeyed the restrictions would be prosecuted. He added that trial runs under the conditions prescribed by the regulations had been made last week, and officers of the Transport Department, had reported that the enforcement of the regulations would bo safe on all routes if speed were reduced on some of them. An appeal to the drivers to carry on under tho regulations in the interests of tho passengers and of the country’s war effort was made by Mr Semple. He said* that if experience showed that amendments to the regulations were necessary tho Government would be prepared to consider representations. ... A promise of police protection in the event of there being any interference with drivers who might decide to carry on, in compliance with the Minister’s wishes and in defiance of the union s ruling, was sought at police headquarters in Auckland to-day. An assurance was given that any necessary protection would be provided. Signs of a definite split in the union, with a growing section of bus-driver members in disagreement with the union’s decision, became more pronounced to-day. It was freely stated that many drivers were ‘ prepared to ignore the union’s decision, and the secretary’s statements, and go on tomorrow night with reduced lights. Some drivers stated that while they completely disagreed with the union’s ruling, they were reluctantly obliged to abide by it in view of the possibility of future repercussions if they did not, and in this view they had their employer s’ support. The official attitude of the Auckland .branch of the New Zealand Omnibus Proprietors’ Association was stated by the vice-president of the Dominion organisation, ( Mr N. B. Spencer. He said advice had been received from the Minister that buses could carry on tonight with two dipped headlamps, but that from to-morrow night the law must bo complied with. The union secretary had also given formal advice that drivers 1 would not go on the road after 7 o’clock to-morroW night. “We are going to comply with the Minister’s instructions,’' Mr Spencer added. Ho said that tho buses would bo ready to run to-morrow night with tho correct lighting according to the regulations, and ii the drivers would not operate them, the proprietors could not help it. Tho inconvenience likely to be caused to shift workers in the Penrose industrial area in the event of there being no buses was mentioned by Mr Spencer.. Ho said that one company carried many such workers to Penrose at 11 o’clock at night, and he did not know what they would do if thcro woro no buses. The restrictions have been operative in Auckland now for a full week, but the majority of buses have continued to break themf Some companies changed their buses’ lights at the outset, and their drivers have been working as usual/ and maintaining schedules ; but in the main buses have continued to use more lights than private motorists.

THE INSTRUCTION STANDS. CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. , Having issued instructions that the lighting restrictions must be obeyed, and having made an appeal to the Auckland bus drivers to see that they are by to-night, the Hon. R. Semple, (Minister for Transport) said last evening that in the meantime he had nothing further to add to his earlier statement.