WORKERS’ BUS

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 60, Issue 4366, 8 December 1950, Page 8

WORKERS’ BUS

KEREPEHI - PAEROA RUNNING AT A LOSS i BUSINESSMEN’S DISCUSSION The newly organised workers’ bus service between Kerepehi and Paeroa was the subject of considerable discussion at the November meeting of the Paefoa Chamber of Commerce. Mr J. J. Craig, president, outlined the position and explained how a trial fcerviqe had established from Ngatea to Paeroa sponsored by Messrs Berlei Ltd. and the 1 result had not .been as anticipated. A position arose in which there was a likelihood of i the service being terminated and it appeared that though there was little support from Ngatea there was much support from Kerepehi. Paeroa businessmen had been called upon to make an .immediate decision in order to con tinue the service from Kerepehi to Paeroa. Fourteen business men had guaranteed the necessary funds upon the understanding that the chamber would support , the trial service from Kerepehi.

If the bus service was maintained till after Christmas he felt confident the service would be a success, said Mr A. Bambury, manager of Berlei (N.Z.) Ltd.

The secretary of the chamber, Mr J. H. Bartlett, quoted figures to show how the service was being patronised. There were approximately 12 people being brought in each day to Paeroa by the workers’ bus and according to the latest report the position had improved during -the most recent week.

Mr Craig stated that he was most anxious to see the service made permanent. The building up of any service Was always difficult and was usually attended with a certain amount of loss, part of which should be accepted by the New Zealand Railway Road Services as part of the building up of its service.

A real effort should be made to build up the service, said Mr A. C. Boulton, who pointed out that bus services from Kerepehi to "'Thames were taking people from Kerepehi to Thames and it behoved Paeroa people to make a real effort to establish not only the workers’ bus service but a .Friday night service to Paeroa. Further support came from .Mr E. W. Lee, who thought the service should be extended to cover Ngatea.

Mrs Dillon expressed the opinion that many young people from the Plains boarded in Paeroa and they feared, when the service was only a temporary one, and likely to be abandoned, to give up their boarding and rely upon transport from their homes on the Plains to Paeroa which was only-a possibility.

How long should the chamber carry the burden ? asked Mr Craig, for that was the question before the meeting.

Mr N. C. Davies moved that the service be continued until the end of March and that the New Zealand Railway Road Services be approached and asked to carry a portion of the loss. Mr Boulton suggested that the headmasters of the Ngatea and Kerepehi schols be infonned "of opportunities offering pupils leaving school for securing positions in Paeroa. The proposals put forward by Mr DaVies and Mr Boulton were adopted by resolution.