BUSES IN N.S. WALES.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18265, 26 December 1924, Page 4

BUSES IN N.S. WALES.

It is estimated that there are about five hundred motor buses now operating in New South Wales (says a Sydney paper), the number of passengers carried daily being about' 300.000, or 150,000,000 a year. The bus section of the Motor Traders' Association includes about ,72 proprietors representing about 300 buses. Tho motor bus is daily exploring new fields, and opening up areas that, under past conditions, were inaccessible as,residential districts. In the .Newcastle area there are about 50 buses operating. In this district there was fierce competition between the Tramway Department and the bus proprietors. The buses engaged iii. the Newcastle-Merewether Beach route for instance were doing well, because-the Tramway Department provided only an hourly service. The Department, it is stated. be<?an to lose ground, and it was decided to give a more frequent service. The buses were consequently forced to retire, but soon afterwards the Department reverted to the former schedule.

It is out in the country, however, that motor buses are doing valuaolo pioneering work. Thereare motor services plying betwen towns forty and fifty miles apart.

A GENTLEMAN OF THE ROAD. In tho old days "a gentleman of the road" was usually tho designation of those people who preyed on the users of the road. Nowadays tho term has a different meaning, or sit least it usually has (states on exchange). A gentleman of the road will let you pass when you blow your horn, keep to his correct side, and turn corners quietly. According to an experience that happened to a local motorist last week, tnc term "gentleman of the road" iri this instance appears to be reverting back to ite old meaning. This is the story: On the main road some 30 miles out a car with tvrc trouble was drawn un on tho sido of the road. The local motorist gave tho usual fraternal greeting, "All right?" and was asked if lie bid any spare patches. H<?. did not happen to have any in his tool kit. but, noticing the tyre size corresponded with his own, offered to lend the stranded motorist a worn but iairly decent inner tul>e. The offer was accepted, and the borrower asked how he would return the tub2 io his benefactor. Tho lender replied that if the tvre was worth using surely it would Ix 3 worth while for him to vail or post it back. Away went the car with the borrowed tube, :rnd the local motorist returned to town. Several days after lie received the tube, but to hi., surprise and annoyance wr.s asked to pay fees Amounting to 2s 2d on it by the. Post Office. It seemed to h'ni to' bo adding insult to injury hy sending the tube back to him practically "collect on dolivery," and not even accompanied with a letter of thinks. Once bitten twice shy is this motorist's motto now when be takes the road.