PRIVATE BUSES

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 141, 19 May 1925, Page 7

PRIVATE BUSES

APPLICATION FOR LICENSE.

ATTITUDE OF BOROUGH COUNCIL. An application from a Rangitikei street motor syndicate was recently received by the Borough Council transit committee for a license to run a <*,mtinuous service between the railway station and the Family Hotel corner, via the post office. At the meeting of the council last night it was reported that tlio committee had refused the application. “Is it the intention of the council to stifle private enterprise?” asked Cr. Eliott.

Cr. Hodgens said that to allow private 1 competition with the council’s buses was going to have a detrimental effect on the financial side of their operation.

In Auckland, Cr. Fitzherbert pointed out, the motor buses were seriously competing with the trams, but the City Council there got a lot of the lost revenue back by charging £4O for an annual license. The private buses were a convenience to the public, anyhow, he srfid, and he advocated that they be licensed to run provided that there be a substantial fee payable to the council. He suggested, therefore, that the clause bo referred back to the committee, which should be asked to bring down a scale of fees for the licensing of private buses. STREETS FOR USE OF ALL.

In seconding the motion, Cr. Eliott said that it would be a dangerous thing to attempt to prevent private buses running and he doubted whether the council would be successful in an action in the Supreme Court. The streets of this borough, like those of any other, were for the use of the public and to attempt to restrict their use in such fashion opened up a big question. Cr. McLeavey pointed out what a seriius thing it would be if the council attempted to monopolise in other directions such as hotels, for instance. If that were possible the council could have the only hotel in town. It was pointed out by the Mayor thaw the matter had been dealt with at the last meeting of the executive of the Municipal Corporations’ Association, especially in the direction of the competition of private buses with trams. Auckland was at present thy most affected, but Christchurch and Dunedin realised that in time they. p too, would have to face the same trouble. He thought it would be ultra vires to refuse to grant a license, else Auckland’s troubles would have been over long ago. The Minister for InteiT al Affairs bad been asked to give local authorities the same power over private buses as the Government had over a Borough Council when it went in lor an electric tramways system. In such a case the tram lines and trans had to comply with specifications, the trams had to bo kept clean and run to a time-table, and tlie body coni rolling them was made financially responsible for accidents which might occir. Further explaining what loca' bodies wanted, Mr Nathan said that, for instance, it was desired to prevent private buses from leaving tram termini just before the trams did and generally running just when and where they pleased and thereby taking advantage of not having to give a regular fixed service. Often such buses were not of the same value to the public all the time as a municipal service. His personal opinion was that they would have to license such vehicles, but should make them pay a fee as proscribed in the Motor Vehicles Act and compel them, if possible, to lun to a fixed time-table. The I private vehicles would have to bo kept clean, he said, and their owners should be asked to take out a. third party risk in order to protect the passengers in the event of accidents. He supported the motion that the matter be referred back to the committee. Cr. Hodgens said that he was willing for the transit committee to reconsider tiie application nnd mentioned that in any case the resolution had only beer, a minority decision, as at the meeting of tho transit committee which dealt with the matter only he and Cr. Canton, out of the personnel of five, had been present. They luxhad to transfer funds to tho transit account as it had not paid its way and what they had done had been in the interests of the ratepayers. It was desired to make the borough service as prof table as possible. The Mayor said that he fully appreciated that, but the council’s position in the matter had been pointed out. The clause in the committee’s report was referred back accordingly.