"A BOMBSHELL."

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 19, 23 January 1929, Page 8

"A BOMBSHELL."

WESTERN SUBURBS BUSES.

PROPOSALS CRITICISED.

SERVICES NOT PAYING.

BOARD CHAIRMAN EXPLAINS

"The report of the tramways manager in regard to bus services is a bombshell It was not anticipated, and if fares are altered as suggested there will be a riot," stated Mr. W. L. Titchener, chair man of the New Lynn Town Board, wh«\ on numereu#recent occasions, has spoketi on behalf of the associated town boartlw of the western districts, including New Lynn, Glen Eden and Henderson.

"I quite agree with Mr. Ford's efforts to cut out the steep climb that the buses have to negotiate in Cook Street," said Mr. Titchener. "That is wisdom. The buses should not have Pitt Street as the terminus, however. They should run along Hobson and Albert Streets, parallel with Queen Street, with a terminus in the vicinity of the Ferry Buildings. The public will never be satisfied with a Pitt Street terminus, because it will still mean transferring from bus to tram and tram to bus. They demand direct communication with the city by a through route. Private Enterprise. "As far as private enterprise is concerned we have advocated this change ever since the city commenced its interference. I am capable of saying a good deal on the whole question, but I do not desire to add to the difficulties of the new board by being too precipitate now in my comments. Every facility should be placed in the way of inducing private enterprise to take over the western services. The penal fare will not be objected to on the tram routes, and never has been.

"The suggestion that the workers' and apprentices' privileges should be abolished is a clear indication that the management of the transport concern does not appreciate the position. They are told by Mr. Ford that they must rely upon the trains, because they are cheaper. Does Mr. Ford know that the train services have never been satisfactory? The trains run at infrequent intervals and there are numerous delays, exasperating to the travelling public. The trains have their own stopping places and passengers have to walk to thos-; stations no matter what the distance, even though the rails might be at the very back door of a traveller's residence. How different with the buses! They stop right along the concrete roads and pick up and set down people at their very doors. If a new settlement springs up the buses can serve the district at no extra cost, while with the trains it means huge expense in laying down permanent way. Bus Manager Advocated. "I am strongly of opinion that the Transport Board should appoint a bus manager, who should be quite distinct from the tramways manager. If it is to be competition between buses and trams, let it be a question of the survival of the fittest. The public themselves will be the judges. The Ilford (England) Borough Council recently purchased seven small tramway concerns with a view to pulling up the rails to make way for motor transport on the roads. The public is being gradually educated up to the point where they value the quick bus services, and it may be difficult to obtain public sanction for tramway extensions; A warehouse proprietor expects that his sub-managers will make their departments pay even in -face of fierce competition. The Transport Board has a monopoly and the'same rule should apply. The western districts are growing rapidly and do not want another setback with a transport policy that has nothing in it of a constructive nature. Reluctant Purchasers. "As far as the western suburbs are concerned the City Council never desired to take over the services previously controlled by the G.0.C.," said Mr. J. A. C. Allum, chairman of the Transport Board. "The City Council was forced to take over this line of buses by the decision of the Supreme Court. The services were retained reluctantly by the council. First of all it was desired to give the local bodies concerned the opportunity to co-operate with the council in the running of the services by means of subsidy Or economic fares. Then the suggestion of a commission cropped up to inquire into the whole transport system of Auckland. Delay then took place, waiting for the commission's re-

commendations and there was further delay caused until the board was set up. Now that the board is in being the manager has reported advising the way to make the services most attractive to the public and the least unprofitable to the board. The board members have yet to consider the proposals, but there is a strong feeling that certain of the services should be handed over to private enterprise. The board's first duty is to decide whether the board is to continue the services under the present management." Security of Tenure. Asked if there would be security of tenure granted to private enterprise in the event of the board going out of the western service business, Mr. Allum said the Transport Act gave power to the board to grant licenses up to a period of five years. "Would the board allow the buses under private enterprise to run through to the city?" was the next query. Mr. Allum: The answer to that is that I am of opinion that the board will permit through running under certain conditions, which will have to be determined. Referring to that portion of Mr. Ford's report where workers and apprentices are informed that the train fares are lower than the bus concessions, Mr. Allum said that the train fares were considerably lower and it was doubtful whether the board would continue to run the bus services. If the bus services were continued under the board's management the unprofitable running which the various concessions were responsible for would be eliminated and a more attractive and payable service instituted.

"The criticism has been levelled at the board that it does not possess a transport mind," said Mr. Allum. "This is not so, The duty of the board is quite clear. It has to provide transport in the area under its control at the lowest possible cost to the user, without throwing any burden on the ratepayers in any of the districts concerned. A further duty is to see that where private operators are allowed to run services, they shall give reasonable facilities to the public. It has been amply demonstrated that many of the bus services initiated by private enterprise in the past were unprofitable and it cannot reasonably be expected that the'board will provide lervices just because some private concerns may have run similar services at some previous time. Patience Needed. "The people must have patience with the Transport Board," added Mr. Allum. "There are many difficulties to be faced and Auckland is not the only city which has the same problem. It will require a great deal of thought and time to arrive at conclusions satisfactory to all parties concerned. It is not a question that we are leaving the worker 'high and dry' without transport, but we are merely suggesting that the trains In the district concerned are cheaper than the bus fares."

In conclusion Mr. Allum stated: "My candid opinion is that it will come to private enterprise, but if the board does not agree to this policy then Mr. Ford's proposals will have the serious consideration, Which means the abandonment of the present fares."