BUS COMPETITION.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 13, 16 January 1926, Page 11

BUS COMPETITION.

OTAHUHU'S ATTITUDE. BOROUGH COUNCIL'S REPORT. REGULATIONS CRITICISED. In common with other local bodies' which are provided with easy access to the city by motor transport, Otahuhu finds objections to certain clauses in the proposed regulations. At the Borough Council's meeting on Thursday evening the Legal and Finance Committee presented a report on the matter. Dealing with clause G. which provides that the owner of any bus running for the whole or any part of its journey along or near the route of any tramway shall charge its passengers for the whole or such portion of its journey as is along or near such route not less than the fare for the time being charged by the proprietor of such tramway or trackless trolley for the whole journey along the full length of such tramway or trackless trolley on such route. This was considered to be against the interests of the borough, inasmuch as it would mean that a passenger could be charged the full journey fare plus the tram fare from the city to the place of entering the bus. The report states that the ciause is loosely drawn and leaves it open to question whether a passenger to Otahuhu who entered the bus at Newmarket would not have to be charged the tram fare to Onehunga as well as the bus fare from Newmarket as well. The committee considered this claus* should be deleted, being of the opinion that the same was intended to bolster up the tramways at the expense of the outlying districts. Referring to clause 12, which deals with the transport appeal board consisting of five members—four of whom are to be appointed by the Governor-General, and one by the owner of the publicly owned tramways in the distric— of the four nerobers to be appointed by the GovernorGeneral, one is to bo a stipendiary magistrate, who shall be chairman, one is to be a representative of the Government, one is to be a representative of the local authorities in the licensing district, and one to be a representative of the motor bus proprietors in the district. T&e two last-mentioned members are, however, to be appointed by the Governor-General after consulting such persons as he shall think fit, and for such period as he may decide, and may be removed in like manner. The committee considered this to be undemocratic and highly objectionable. The representatives of the local authorities and of the bus proprietors should be elected by the authorities and persons concerned. The committee also objected to clause (9) of regulation 0, which provides that all questions as to the meaning of the regulations, or any portion thereof, shall lie referred to the mister for determination, that bis decision shall I* final and conclusive. The clause is apparently designed to prevent the possibility of having vaguely worded clauses interpreted in the usual manner by the courts. The Council adopted the report unanimously, and decided to communicate with the Minister of Internal Affairs and the member for the district. MASTER CARRIER'S OPPOSITION. (By Telegraph.— Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Another shot in the campaign against the proposed motor bus regulations has ■ been fired by the master carriers, who ! passed a series of resolutions condemning them as a blow against private enterprise. A great deal has been published here lately in opposition to the regulations, but nothing so far has been put forward upon the subject of meeting the deficit caused by buses reducing train revenue. j