THAT EXTRA TWOPENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 136, 10 June 1926, Page 10

THAT EXTRA TWOPENCE.

BUS REGULATIONS AMENDED. ONUS ON LOCAL AUTHORITY. GOVERNMENT YIELDS TO PRESSURE. (By Telegraph—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The Prime Minister made the following statement to-day in regard to the bus regulations: — "It has ben decided to make one alteration in the motor omnibus regulations ali'iut to fome into operation. The alteration is in reference to the provision which requires every motor omnibus running in direct competition with a tramway to charge at least twopence more than the corresponding tram fare. According to the balance of evidence put forward at the recent conference of the parties concerned and information obtained by the Public Works Department as to the running costs in Xew Zealand and other countries this charge fairly represents both the amount which it is necessary to impose to protect the capital sunk in municipal tramway undertakings from spasmodic attacks of omnibus competition and also the amount which, in view of the difference in running expenses between trams and omnibuses, it is necessary for an omnibus service to charge if it is to avoid a loss in the long run. "Representations have, however, been made that special cases may exist in which a motor omnibus service, operating along a tram route under such conditions as to afford a legitimate public convenience, and therefore to be entitled to receive a license, is capable of so operating without the need of the additional twopence excess fare. It has been decided to meet this position by leaving it to 1 he discretion of the local licensing authority in any case in which application is made to waive the imposition of the additional twopence. "As in other matters left in the hands of the local authority, this decision will be subject to appeal to the Transport Appeal Board of the district. ''It is felt that this modification will be in lino with the general tenor of the regulations in leaving as much as possible to be settled by the local representatives of the public who are primarily concerned. Although it may be questioned whether there will be many eases in which omnibus proprietors will be able to satisfy the licensing authority or the Appeal Board that a fair case is made out for the concession, the modification of the existing hard-and-fast provision should go a long way to meet criticism which has been levelled at the regulations, probably as the result of one or two cases of hardship which could not be met by a provision framed generally for the whole Dominion. The necessary alteration will be effected by an amending Order-in-Council wliich it is intended to issue at an early date."