PRIVATE BUSES RUNNING

Evening Post, Volume 137, Issue CXI, 10 June 1926, Page 10

PRIVATE BUSES RUNNING

LOCAL COMPANY'S LICENSE

EXCESS FARE CLAUSE MODIFIED.

The new motor-bus regulations came into force to-day, but as far as the public can see that has niade no difference to the buses, for business is as usual, notwithstanding that no licenses have been issued to date. Auckland bus proprietors have intimated that they will not observe that clause of the regulations which requires them to charge a higher fare than tram fares, arid an important statement has been made in regard to that clause by the Prime Minister: licensing authorities may or may not insist upon an excess fare. So far no licenses have been issued in Wellington, but applications have been made by several proprietors. Not so, however, in the ease of the Wellington Suburban Motor-bus Company, the managing director of which (Mr. W. G. M'Donald) stated that he had not received any reply whatsoever to his application for a license, which was made on 17th May.to the Mayor. He considered that this was an act of grave discourtesy on the part of the Mayor, owing to the important issues involved as far as the company was concerned. At the same time, it had been conveyed to him that at a special meeting of the Finance Committee of the City Council, held that afternoon, it was decided to recommend to the council that a license should be granted for the number of buses (14) now on the road. Asked as to what his intentions were, Mr. M'Donald said he would run the buses and did not intend to charge the twopence extra per section imposed in the regulations. He considered that some little time should have been allowed ' him to adjust matters in reference to his numerous patrons and members of his staff. Asked what he intended to do in the future, he stated that for the present he could not say. THE MAYOR'S REPLY. "I was rather surprised that Mr. M'Donald should have been able to make a public statement attributing discourtesy to me in connection with my treatment of his letter requesting an expression of opinion as to whether a license wfeuld be granted or not, if applied for,"'stated the Mayor (Mr. C. B. Norwood) to a "Post" reporter to-day. "As a matter of fact, the letter in question was written on my request, and I am now, and always have been, desirous of doing everything possible to help Mr. M'Donald if he should find that the regulations press unduly upon him. "It was not possible to place Mr. M'Donald's letter before the council at its last meeting, for, as everyone knows, that meeting was a particularly heavy cne, and did not close till between 2 and 3 o'clock in the morning. In any case, nothing could arise out of it beyond an expression of opinion. Advertisements in the Press for some time past have set out full particulars of what is 'required of bus proprietors and others requiring licenses, but of these Mr. M'Donald has taken no notice. Until he fills in the form required under the regulations, as others have done, and submits it, accompanied by a certificate from the Government's inspecting engineer that the machine may be licensed, and he ; otherwise complied with the formalities laid down by the regulations, his application cannot go before tho council officially. "Yesterday morning. Mr. M'Donald 's solicitor communicated with me by telephone, and put two questions to mo: (1) Would the council grant Mr. M'Donald a license? (2) Would the council use its powers to increase the amount which it may under the regulations fix as the bus fare along tramway routes above the minimum sot down by the regulations? LICENSE RECOMMENDED. "As far as the second question was concerned," continued Mr. Norwood, "I replied that the council would not provide for more than the minimum laid down, but that as a meeting of the Finance Committee was being held in | the afternoon I would then obtain an expression of opinion from tho members as to the granting of the license. I did so, and by telephone advised Mr. M(Donald's solicitor, through the Town Clerk, that the Finance Committee '■would recommend the council to grant the license, providing tho ordinary formalities were complied with, and instructed the Town Clerk to confirm the advice by letter. It was immediately open to Mr. M'Donald to apply for the license if lie wished to do so. PUTS A NEW ASPECT ON THE REGULATIONS. "While the matter was being discussed yesterday afternoon I was not aware of the Prime Minister's intention to modify the regulations in the matter of the excess charge over tramway fares, and naturally this puts a new aspect on the regulations which must be considered immediately by the council. I have my own views iv this regard, and they are definite, but it is a policy matter for the whole council to decide, and it would not bo right for me to say anything which might have the effect of committing the council one way or the other."