AUCKLAND TRANSPORT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 195, 19 August 1930, Page 5

AUCKLAND TRANSPORT.

ORAKEI-BENSON ROAD BUSES,

CONCESSION CARDS STOPPED,

The ordinary meeting of the -Auckland Transport Board was held this morning, Mr. J. A. C. Allum presiding.

Concerning the bus service between Orakei and Benson Road, Renmera, C. M. Strand wrote as follows:—"I regret finding it compulsory to suggest to your board a further curtailment in the present time-table on account of recent decreases in weekly takings to such an extent that I am running at an increasing loss. The only reasons I can ■suggest for such, decreases are as follows: (1) Quite a number of past everyday passengers are out of employment and others are only partly employed; (2) A number of others accept rides in private motor cars, who would otherwise no doubt be bu3 passengers; (3) Others walk to and from the trams for reasons unknown to me, but probably for economic purposes, in view of the general depression at present in business."

The secretary reported that he had interviewed Mr. Strand, who* now wished to apply for authority to cease issuing concession cards rather than to curtail his time-tale.

It was decided to allow the applicant to cease issuing concession cards for a period of three months. Safety Zone Requested. The secretary of the Auckland Higher Thought Centre stressed the need of a safety zone at the tramway stop at the junction of Pitt and Hobsoa Streets. •'The number of people attending our temple exceeds 20,000 per annum, and we have already had several narrow escapes from injury," the letter stated.

In reporting that the width of the carriageway was not sufficient to permit of the establishment of a safety zone, .the engineer recommended that the outward tram stop should be moved ten yards further outwards, and the inward one the same dista'nee inwards. The recommendation was adopted. Workers' Tickets. A letter from H. W. Haddow, in reference to the recent change of conditions under which the Passenger Transport Company's workers' tickets are issued, asked if the change had been authorised by the board.

The secretary reported that at the recent conference between the local authorities and the Passenger Transport Company, the question of restricting the availability of workers' tickets by requiring the morning journey to be completed by 8.30 instead of commencing at 8.30 a.m. was discussed.' No discussion had taken place regarding the availability of .workers' tickets in the evening hours, but the Passenger Transport Company had now restricted the use of workers' tickets after C.30 p.m. Mondays to Thursdays, 11.30 p.m. Fridays, and 2 p.m. on Saturdays. No conditions as to the availability of the various types of concession cards had been fixeel in the license issued by the No. 1 Licensing- Authority. In view of the foregoing letter, he recommended that the company should be requested to submit conditions for approval when applying for the new scale of fares at present under discussion. The recommendation was adopted.