OMNIBUS TRAFFIC

Evening Star, Issue 19550, 7 May 1927, Page 4

OMNIBUS TRAFFIC

PROSECUTION AGAINST COMPANY In the Police Court yesterday after* noon, before Mr H. W, Bundle, S.M., Keith, Webling, and Co., were charged with having, oh April 17, carried on within a motor omnibus district a motor omnibus service between Green Island and Dunedin otherwise than pur* snant to the authority and in conformity with the terms of, a license granted by a licensing authority under the Motor Omnibus Traffic'' Act, 1926, contrary to the form of the statute in such case made and provided. Mr H. E. Barrowclough appeared for the City Corporation, and Mr J. B. Callan for the v Mr Barrowclough said that on the date mentioned in the charge a bus belonging tu the defendant company, while coming in from Brighton, picked up passengers at Green Island, The traffic inspector interviewed these passengers, who said they had paid 6d each. The defendant company had applied for a license, but this had been refused. The. Act was designed to prevent improper competition among those running the services. Even n the company had the license, it w.u wrong in charging 6d, as the fare from Green Island to Dunedin should be 7d. Eric Victor Reynolds, postal cadet, said that, at tbo request of the trtiffii inspector, he and a friend went out to Green Island on April J", and cam« back to town in tbo Fisher bus, which came from Brighton. _ They did not signal to the bus; it just pulled in to the side of the road. They asked the driver what the fare was, and he said Gd. George Frederick Stevenson, _ fibrous plaster ■ worker, gav. corroborative evidence, but in reply to Mi’ Callan said that tbo driver of the bus would know by their movements that they wanted to board the bus. James Dunnett, traffic inspector, said that five people got on the bus at Green Island. When ho spoke to tho driver tho latter - said ho’ had only picked up the passengers ns a favor, and asked witness not to bo too hard on him. Mr Callan said that tho company wn catering for Brighton residents before the new Act came into force Snrae time ago the corporation made an excursion into the Brighton run, but withdrew from the contest fter caving reduced the fares. The public expected cheaper fares, and with that idea the company had made application for a license, which had been refused. In tho meantime tho service was being lawfully carried out; it was lawful so long as not less than 2s single fare was charged from Brighton. An apped to the Transport Appeal Board was pending, and Mr Cuttress, who was '.he controlling mind in the company, nad told the drivers not to charge fares lor any passengers they picked pat Green Island. It was remarkable that the City Council was the judicial authority to grant licenses, and yet could bo the greatest competitor. George Percival Cuttress, director of Keith. Webling, and Co., said that ho gave instructions to tho drivers that it they picked up passengers* at Green Island they •were not to charge them any fare. An application for a license under the new Act had been made, but it had been refused, and an appeal was to be heard on Thursday. William Wilson and Robert William Phimestcr detailed the instructions given to them, and said they never charged fares to passengers ihey Picked up at Green Island or Burnside. If tho passengers offered them anything they took it- , , ... At this stage His Worship said no would adjourn the case until after the appeal had been beard.