AUTHORITY CHALLENGED

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 135, 9 June 1926, Page 7

AUTHORITY CHALLENGED

BUS PROPRIETORS' DECISION. WIIX RUN AS USUAL. PROSECUTION INVITED. The motor-bus regulations come into force to-morrow, but if the decision of the motor-bus proprietors arrived at goes for anything, the regulations will have no effect, at least not at present. The Bus Proprietors' Association has obtained legal opinion, and been advised that the regulations are invalid. Acting upon this advice, the association has decided to disobey the regulations, and, run the buses as usual, not charging the twopence additional fare on tram routes as provided by the regulations. As a preliminary, the proprietors have not recognised the City Council as the licensing authority, and though the i special licensing committee set up by I the council met yesterday, there were I no applications for licenses on behalf of those buses running in the city. The committee meets again to-morrow, but it is not expected any applications will be made. The Council's Position. When the decision of the Bus Proprietors' Association was mentioned to a member of the Tramways Committee this morning, he said that whatever action the bus owners took up in defiance of the law was no concern of the Council. The City Council certainly had to see that its by-laws were enforced, but the regulations were not by-laws, and therefore it was the province of the Government— possibly the police department -to attend to. Certainly the council had been appointed the licensing authority, but it seemed that the bus owners were determined to recognise the regulations not at all. and in that case it was for the Government to take action. The Express Service. Although nothing definite could be obtained as to whether the attitude of the bus owners would cause an alteration to the plans of the Council, it is expected that the express bus service which the Council proposed running to-morrow will be put into operation, though perhaps on not quite so extensive a scale as was intended. That matter will most likely ibe finally dealt with when the Licensing Committee of the Council meets tomorrow, and when the City Solicitor will be present. I Will Appeal. It is understood that the bu3 owners, if prosecuted in the Magistrates' Court, and if a decision is given against them will appeal to the Supreme Court, and then to the Court of Appeal if necessary. The contention of the bus owners is that the regulations do not come within the Act under which they have been made. It is to test this that they have decided to continue their running as usual without increasing the fares, and thus invite a prosecution. At Takapuna. It is expected that the attitude adopted by bus proprietors in the city will be followed by bus owners at Takapuna. There the Takapuna Borough j Council is the licensing authority and I from what can be gathered, the bus ! proprietors intend to have the validity or j otherwise of the regulations decided by I the Supreme Court. The licensing eornj mittee of the council will meet tomorrow evening to deal with any ap- | plications for licenses. J Regulations Too Drastic. : At a meeting of the Auckland Motor j Trade Association the Government regui lations dealing with the buses was discussed at considerable length and the following resolution was carried: "That this association enters a strong protest J against the drastic nature of the regu- : lations. and that a copy of the resolution be forwarded to the Prime Minister. To Censure Cabinet. J Residents of Point Chevalier met last I evening and packed the Point Chevalier Hall. The regulations were freely discussed, and tht following resolution carried: '"That this meeing of Point Chevalier residents demand the repeal of the bus regulations, and the district's Parliamentary member be requested to j place before Parliament the strong indigI nation of the people at being ruled by ' Order-in-Council. and they urge Parliament to Censure Cabinet for passing such debatable regulations during the recess."