BUS REGULATIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 132, 5 June 1926, Page 14

BUS REGULATIONS.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —I hope everybody read the Mayor's statement that "the council is providing up to the tram termini, and no doubt the transportation companies will make provision for the districts beyond the tram routes." This is enlightening. When the "pirate" buses are stopped from running on the tram routes and serve the thinly populated areas beyond the tram radius they become '"transportation companies." As these areas grow the council will doubtless extend the tram routes and push the buses further out into the country, a very suitable agreement for the trams. Time is growing scarce, and it is time definite steps were taken by the authoritative bodies to make it understood that the great majority of Auckland citizens are not going to be dictated to about things pertaining to their own interest by a few persons who do not understand or choose not to understand when they are unpopular. There is a way out of the tramway company's plight, which is to act on the recommendation adopted by the Sydney City Council some months back on this self same subject, viz., to construct no more lines, and to withdraw the trams off the various routes as opportunity offered, and substitute what our City Council want to banish here.—l am, etc., MAJORITY RULES. (To the Editor.) Sir, —It would be interesting to know what amount of the tramway deficit is chargeable to the municipal buses. The tramway department ignored innumerable requests for conveyance of suburban residents to the tram termini. After private enterprise had established services and opened up the districts, they (the tramway) attempted to wrest their business from them by running buses of their own. The reason of the lack of patronage of the municipal bus is a memory of many a wet trudge to the tram when the powers that be turned a deaf ear to the requests of the public. The Mayor now gives an assurance that transport facilities will be provided after June 10. In another publication (circular) the tramway department stresses the point that trams are the only safe mode of conveyance. It has even been stated publicly by such a well known authority as Mr. Bloodworth. Does it then mean that our Mayor is indifferent to the safety of those outside the tram district or are the municipal buses protected by a special Providence, of pirating, of which there is much mention: The term is applied (in England at all events) to a vehicle which runs during rush hours, leaving the regular service to continue during the slack period. A private owner submitted a time-table on these lines a short time ago, but was refused permission on account of the service not being continuous. The tramway department then started a bus on exactly similar terms, and it is still running. The explanation given was that the Legal and Finance Committee had overridden the by-law. But as we have the Mayor's assurance tha they will use the power which is put into their hands as the licensing authority fairly and justly, such matters ai the above cause no more anxiety than the canary feels about the cat.—l am, etc., "BUS OWNER. (To the Editor.! Sir, —In this controversy the public interests are being ignored—in fact, the people are being treated like naughty school children who must be taught what is best for their health and general welfare. There is no reason why the Auckland city trams should not mnke profits if they would but run only sufficient trams during the slack hours to cope with the traffic offering. Instead, they are running a much greater mileage than before the buses commenced competing, with the one object of running the buses off the road. That is also the reason they so foolishly reduced the fares so drastically on the long distance runs. If they had reduced the fares to what could be considered fair and reasonable to the travelling public they would still be showing a profit. Residents of Greater Auckland have been long suffering in the matter o*f transport facilities, and now that the buses have given us a quick, frequent and cheap method of transportation the Auckland City Council is leaving no stone unturned to kill it. If they manage to do this we will br> back- where we were years ago. If these regulations are enforced we will most surely have to put up with a greatly reduced service and higher fares, and we are just as entitled to good transport facilities as those living in the Auckland City Council areas. Let the people not forget all the annoying tactics of the tramways in the past—the go slow, the limited number standing, no matter if people had to wait half an hour, etc.. With good healthy competition all this has changed to the great benefit of the travelling public.—l am .etc., GREATER AUCKLAND. (To fip FCdltor.) Sir, —I have just read the case against the buses as distributed by the City Council. They acknowledge that trams can be run at half the cost of a bus. How very simple then to settle the whole question and clear out the buses (without compensation) by reducing the tram fares! And why not! If there were a loss on the trams the public would foot the bill; it is the public thafr pay the expenses for the trams in any case. The only difference would be that the loss would be distributed over all the tax payers, and wealthy men who roll to town (over our roads) in cars would help to support the trams and make the roads. And why not? A smaller taxpayer would help, too, but he would get a return for his money in cheap fares— for he would be using the trams. It would be interesting to hear from the City Council why they do not adopt this very simple solution of the difficulty. The only reason I can see is that tliev wish to' put all possible burden? of the State upon the shoulders of the poorer classes. In the same way taxes are taken off wealthy land owners, to the tune of £600,000' a year, and put upon the working class by way of the Customs. To mc it would seem only right and proper to run the trams for the public use. without charge. Tt would reduce expenses immensely, and there pnn 1-" ii" reason wrivthe peneral rate? should not run the trams, like they run the schools and the Health Department. They are free to all to use, so why should not all pay?—l am, etc.. F.. S. DUKES.