MOTOR SERVICES

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 117, 13 November 1931, Page 6

MOTOR SERVICES

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—l wish to enter an emphatic protest against the action of the Government in passing legislation to prevent the running of service cars on the Hutt road, and also in regard to the service cars on the longer routes, such as Wellington-Palmer-ston, Wellington-New Plymouth, etc. In these hard times, when practically every one of us is struggling to make ends meet, it should be the duty of the Government to encourage private enterprise, not to kill it. While the Hutt road buses were under private control they showed a substantial profit, yet immediately the Government took .them over up went the fares, and down went the profits, with the consequent advent of a better, faster, and cheaper service in the shape of the socalled "pirate"'taxis. This service is much appreciated by the travelling public, who save money. Will the Government charge the same fares when the private companies have been put off the roads? The long-distance service cars have in many cases been established several years, and are giving the public a good, safe, and cheap service, and it would be a very retrograde step to have them stopped. Why should the Government be able •to cover its own mistakes and shortcomings by denying others the right to earn a living? What right has it to prevent these services from running on the King's highway? We all know it is desirable to balance the Budget, but will the stopping of these services, and consequent unemployment of some hundreds of men, do anything towards this end? How are these men to earn a living? Are they and their wives and "children to become a burden on the State? The Government U not going to find other work for these men. —I .am, etc.,

LIVE AND LET LIVE,