The Hutt News THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1930. INCREASED BUS FARES.

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 30, 18 December 1930, Page 7

The Hutt News THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1930. INCREASED BUS FARES.

The announcement that the [Wellington City Council, the licensing authority in charge of the 'ifStt Valley system of motorbuses run as a monoply by the •Government Railway Department, had approved of*the monopoly's application for the right to increase the fares has caused little1 or no surprise. The Council made it abundantly clear, even though1 its proceedings were taken in com mittee or in camera, that the great; majority of its members knew,little and cared less as to the merits of the application. With the arguments for and against the radical alterations1 sought to be made, we do not at present propose to deal preferring to. await fuller information as to "the wishes and business interests «£ the residents before doing so. But the recent proceedings haye1 abundantly proved that (whatever the merits rights and wrongs •Off the case may have been) the Wellington City Council as at pre43ent constituted is by no means a suitable judicial body into whose liands the rights, liberties, and privileges of the residents of the Hutt Valley may with' safety be entrusted. For what reason this Council was in the first instance ©onstituted the .Licensing Au--fchority it is difficult to say. It is one of those inexplicable mysterious happenings which so often occur in connection with the dpings of past and present Governments And we venture to assert without fear of , contradiction "that the great majority of those1 affected will agree that after the at the recent meeting (even though that meeting was held in privacy, camera, committee, or the '*'hush hush" system) it is quite time there was a-change Some other licensing- authority, to vhom. the requirements and conditions of the district are familiar dhould replace a body of men who openly and unashamed admit that they are ignorant of the facts, and who apparently did not take sufficient interest in the matters upon -which they were called upon to give a decision to even ask for some evidence to be placed before them of the propriety or justice of the change they were asked to sanction. The City Council very properly no doubt has at heart the interests of the citizens, and. if they adequately study these interests, with which they are presumably familiar and to safeguard which they are elected, they will have earned the gratitude of their constituents. But when in a furtive, secret "in. committee" manner decisions vitally affecting the interests of a large body of people who have no voice in their election are come to in so hasty and ill-considered manner as was recently the case, it is time that a strong protest was recorded. There are no common interests be^' tween the citizens of Wellington and the residents of the Hutt Valley j certainly none which will justify the elected representatives of the former sitting in judgment upon the requirements of their neighbours in the neighbouring

boroughs. It is surely, apparent that the elected representatives m. upoix the various local Councils who are familiar with the needs of the district should constitute the Licensing Authority, and it would then be a certainty that any future applications in connec-' tion with the conduct of the mo-tor-bus service would receive full, fair, and impartial treatment at tlic bands of a body of men who a-\; fully conversant with all the aspects of such matters as they may be called to adjudicate upon.1 It is however, only fair to a minority of members of the City Council to admit that an effort was made to postpone the consideration of the application until fuller details were put before

tiiein to enable an intelligent decision to be arrived at. But this endeavour was foiled by the determination of those admittedlyignorant of the facts, and the decision of the Council, sitting as the Licensing Authority was rushed through'in what can only be described as a most reprehensible manner. As previously stated we reserve comment on the main qv^stion of the advance in fares until the people generally have had an opportunity of giving the question more mature consideration. But one proposal to which we are whole-heartedly opposed is that by which it is proposed to heavily increase all fares on Sundays end holidays. It is one of the most essential factors in the prosperity and advancement of the me st beautiful Garden Suburb in" the Dominion that the best fludiiites^^Jo^^access. should be available at'? such/ Ifnies and sea-

sons i-s are most convenient to those who may contemplate making their home in our midst. The countless players of games of every description and seekers af-J ttr fresh air and sunshine should be encouraged to come out from the city and rather than penalise such visitors on Sundays and holidays, we would gladly see concessions given.