ROAD SERVICES DIVERTED

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22768, 21 July 1939, Page 4

ROAD SERVICES DIVERTED

POSITION OF GERALDINE RESIDENTS licensing authority may HEAR EVIDENCE “We are pleased to learn that the New Zealand Railway Department’s passenger road services between Christchurch and Dunedin will continue to pass through Geraldine until the question has been investigated by Mr T H. Langford, the Licensing Authority for the No. 3 Transport District.” said the Mayor of Geraldine (Mr D. C. McKechnie) when speaking on Mr Langford’s statement on the subject yesterday. A decision to protest against the diversion of the 11.45 a.m. north bound bus and the 4.30 p.m. south bound bus was made at the last meeting o the Geraldine Borough Council, he Mid. when the opinion was expressed that it was unfair that a town with no rail service should be deprived of its through bus service. It seemed logical that the road buses Fhnniri serve populated districts that were not served by the railway, he Pttd. and there was little argument lor the continuance of bus services at all if they ran parallel with the railways. If the buses came by way of the Cain’s road link, when it was bitumen surfaced, the Mayor continued. they would have little extra distance to travel. j . "I have communicated with Mr T-angholn. the Main Highways Board representative in Canterbury,” Mr McKechnle said, “and have asked him if the reconstruction of the road can be

pushed ahead.” There should be no difficulty in this, because there was already a sum of money on the estimates for the work. As soon as an official invitation was received asking the council to give evidence during the public sitting of the' Authority, the matter would be placed before the council, and there was no doubt that a strong case would be prepared in support of the request for the retention of the service through the town of Geraldine. “The diversion of the service from Geraldine does not meet with the approval of the business people in Geraldine,” said Mr E. B. D. Logan, act-ing-president of the Geraldine Businessmen’s Association when the matter was referred to him yesterday. He said that as soon as his association received advice that evidence from representatives of Geraldine bodies was wanted by the Licensing Authority, the matter would be placed before the association.