POSITION AT TAKAPUNA.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 87, 13 April 1927, Page 10

POSITION AT TAKAPUNA.

the increased fares. SPEEDING AND OVERCROWDING. A variety of matters in connection with Takapuna's much vexed transport problem came under discussion at a meeting nf the local borough council last evening. When a letter was received from the borough's solicitors stating that they had requested the town clerk at Auckland to forward to them a copy of the time-table and fares as submitted by the fellow buses for the approval of the No. 1 Licensing Authority, the Mayor (Mr. J. D. Morison) said that he thought an error had already been committed. It was not right that the tramway company and the proprietor of the rival buses should have conferred and decided upon a co-ordinated service without the knowledge of the council. As a result, the time-table was somewhat uncertain, and many of the residents were very

j perplexed. I Mi. A. 11. A\ ilkie asked whether the I bus company had the right to increase their fares when running a co-ordinated service with the tramway com pa 11 v. In answer Mr. Morison said that, although he could not ghe a leal opinion 011 the point, he did not think •that the buses had the right to charge the extra fare. He believed that tlie ' oiirt. in its final ruling, had intended - Mr. Smith to confer with the council 011 the question of arranging fares and a time-table. Supporting Mr. Wilkie. Mr. K. H. Greville said that he thought the penal fare was intended only for when buses were in diieet competition with a tramway system. A motion. "That this council disapprove- of Mr. Smith charging higher fares than the present rates under the Deed of Delegation, and that the tramway company be ad\ised accordingly." was carried. Mr. C. If. Matthews: The result of the litigation was really a win for the tramway company and for Bavswater. Mr. F. K. N. Gaudin: Nonsense! It was contended by Mr. Matthews) that the Takapuna Tramways and Ferry Company should grant a concession to Smith's buses, as tlie Devonport Company had done in the past. Such actions by the company would be fair to the ratepayers and to Smith also. The Mayor: Do you suggest that the company should reduce their weekly steamer fare to 2/ Mr. Miitthews: Yes. 1 -V letter from the tramway company, j advising that arrangements had been j made for Grammar School pupils to be carried to and from Devonport by the ' Yellow buses was referred to the Trans-! port Appeal Board.

The borftugh's solicitors advised that in their opinion the council, in consenting to the substitution of buses for trams, had not lost any of its powers under the Deed of Delegation. The council could insist upon a tram every hour.

Mr. G. H. Matthews moved: "That the company be required to conform to the various agreements it had made, including that to run a tram every hour.'' Mr. Grevillc: Anything like that amounts to a persecution, and 110 useful purpose would be .served by such a request. Mr. Matthews: The policy of the council all through has been to allow the company to break their agreement. On the voting the motion was lost. Messrs. Matthews. Williamson and Suckling being the only members in favour of it. The Mayor: The same old three! '"The speed of the Liberty service limousines is outrageous. Why. cutr inspector tells me that he has sixteen cases of these cars doing 34 miles per hour," declared Mr. F. E. N. Gaudin. who was of the opinion that the inspector should be given assistance over the Easter holidays, when a considerably larger fleet of limousines would be 011 the road. The traflie inspector. Mr. Wheeler, reported that he had 22 cases of speeding by the limousines. The average speed clocked was between and miles. After discussion the inspector was instructed to prosecute the drivers of all vehicles, whether private cars, limousines or buses, travelling over the speed limit. Instructions were also issued to the inspector to prosecute in cases of overcrowding. subject to the solicitors' approval. During the •evening an account from the borough's solicitors. Messrs. McGregor and Low l ie. for C-UMI, cm cl ing all expenses for tramway matters, was received.