Housewives Seek Action On Prams

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31115, 19 July 1966, Page 1

Housewives Seek Action On Prams

The Canterbury Housewives’ Union might call a public meeting to give young Christchurch mothers the opportunity to plan action to ensure that prams were carried on Christchurch buses, said the union’s secretary (Mrs M. J. Hobson) yesterday.

“If it is going to be such an issue we will call a public meeting so mothers can have the opportunity to defend themselves," said Mrs Hobson. She was commenting on a reported statement by the secretary of the Canterbury Tramway Workers’ Union (Mr L. C. J. Southon) that carrying prams on Christchurch buses would be discussed at the next meeting of the union on August 14. "Mothers don’t go into town with prams for the fun of it,” said Mrs Hobson. They go because they have to. It is no fun hawking young children around the town.” There was an element of danger to drivers who lifted prams on and off the front of a bus, especially in the city “But this is public trans-

port,” said Mrs Hobson. “You can’t penalise an important section like the mothers.”

The Housewives’ Union, said Mrs Hobson, might decide to send a deputation to the City Council to discuss the hazards to bus drivers. The council, she said, was responsible for public safety in the city. The prams issue might also be raised with the Christchurch Transport Board, the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce. and the Tramway Workers’ Union.