TRANSPORT APPEAL BOARD.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 142, 18 May 1932, Page 2

TRANSPORT APPEAL BOARD.

DECISIONS GIVEN.

The Transport Appeal Board continued its sitting in Palmerston North yesterday afternoon, tho members being Mr Justice Frazer (chairman), Mr T. Jordan and Air L. Alderton. Judgment was given in tho appeal by C. W. Hoffman (Mr Ongley) against the decision of the Central Licensing Authority in granting a license lor a service between Palmerston North and Marton to L. S. Weld (Air Cooper). Prior to the luncheon adjournment the board had decided that there was no reason why a second service should not be allowed and suggested that tho parties should confer to see if an arrangement could lie made so that the vehicles should not depart at the same time. On resuming, counsel intimated that the parties had been unable to agree as to the changes to be made. The board decided that the appeal bo dismissed, that the time of one of respondent’s services be altered, and that the other service in the meantime remain as at present. Respondent was allowed £3 33 costs.

S. H. AlcJorrow, and partners, trading as The Kosy Car Service Coy., appealed against the decision of the No. 6 Transport Licensing Authority in refusing the application of the Kosy Car Service Coy. for licenses to run two services between Palmerston North and Feilding. The proposed routes were between Feilding . and Palmerston North, via Alilson's Line, and Feilding and Palmerston North via Cameron’s Line. Air Cooper appeared for appellants and Air Grant for the Madge Char-a-Banc Motor Coy., Ltd. J. G. Eliott, auctioneer, of Feilding, stated that the Kosy Car Service operating between Feilding and Palmerston North was extensively used and was a benefit to the public. S. H. AlcJorrow, ono of the members of the Kosy Car Service Coy., stated that the service was started in Alarcli of last year. Thr.ee cars were used in tho service, but they were not always sufficient to carry all the passengers. If tho license was granted, applicants proposed providing an additional vehicle. Tho buses of the Aladge Coy. were also well patronised. In reply to counsel for tho Aladge Coy,, witness said that his cars had cut the fares below those fixed for the licensed service.

W. F. Sims, another of the appellants, corroborated the evidence of the previous witness.

J. O’Donnell, of Bunnythorpe, gave evidence that the appellants’ cars had proved of advantage to residents of Bunnythorpe. Ho considered that there was room for both services.

Evidence in favour of the continuation of the Kosy service was given also by R. C. Wallace, T. K. C. Gardner, H. J. Smith, A. F. Wimsett, C. J. Bowen, Aliss I. AI. Armstrong, Aliss J. Waugh, P. P. Stevens, It. H. Wood and E. W. Hicks. Air Grant stated that the Aladge Coy., which opposed the application, had started nine years ago. They had two regular buses on this route, with sometimes an extra bus, and two standby buses. They ran the services by three different routes, two being the same as those applied for by the appellants. They had conducted the service under the conditions imposed, paid heavy traffic fees, and kept to tho time-table and fares. They ran 11 trips each way daily for five days a week, 14 one way and 13 the other way on Saturdays and fine Sundays. The average carrying capacity of the Aladge buses was 24, while that of the three Kosy buses together was 15. The Aladge service paid £lB7 in, heavy traffic fees. The traffic was also served bv another service and partly by through services. The Aladge service had four regular drivers on tho run and an extra driver in the garage, all being paid award rates of wages. Tho small cars were practically “pirating” the regular omnibus service. The popularity of the Kosy service had been to some extent due to their being used as taxi cars.

The chairman said that the purpose of a bus service was to keep to the regular route. Counsel said that if the Omnibuses went off the run there was a possibility that the public would lose the service altogether. D. F. Smillie, secretary of the Madge Motor Coy., gave evidence on the linos of the remarks by counsel. There had been no complaints about the service, but there had been requests for alterations in the time-table. These had not been made because they would affect the whole service.

In reply to the chairman, witness said that there would be no difficulty in running the first trip to Palmerston North earlier in the morning. EFFECT ON BUSES. Witness stated that during the past year there had been a considerable drop in the number of passengers carried compared with the previous year. The buses kept strictly to the prescribed routes. Replying to counsel for appellant, witness said that the company could not issue 2s 6d return tickets; it had not made any application for permission to do so. In reply to the board, witness said that concession tickets were issued at a reduction of about 20 per cent, on the regular charges. T. S. Madge, a member of the firm of the Madge Motor Coy., gave corroborative evidence. He stated that his company was always willing to meet the requests of the public for services. The chairman pointed out that at times it was necessary to run services in the public interest, even if they did not quite pay. The buses were public .utilities as well as a source of profit to the owners. ~ "Witness said the company would willingly put on other buses if they would pay. ~ , . After an adjournment the chairman stated that the board had considered the evidence and studied the balancesheet handed in by the -Madge Coy. After referring to the question of monopolies of public services (his remarks being. reported elsewhere) the chairman said it was obvious that the Madge Coy could not carry on on an economic basis with the competition by the other service. All would admit that travel in a* sedan car was more comfortable than in a bus, but they must not confuse the public comfort with the public interest. They must consider the needs, convenience and essential services of the public as a whole. It would bo impossible to conduct tho service by means of small vehicles; they must have the larger vehicles for the time of tho peak load. In the public interest the larger bus service must be maintained. The Madge service also had the merit of being the oldest on the road. The board had decided to dismiss the appeal. Tho board had no power to amend the Madge Coy’s license, but it suggested that perhaps it would - run some trips in the public interest even if they did not pay. They, might have to run some tripp that were not payable in return for the many that were payable. The board did not want to insist on the company running a service to reach Palmerston North at 8.30 am. but it was desirable that it should find out if it was possible to run such a service. The board suggested that the company consider the matter and apply for a revision of the time-table where it was necessary iin the public interest. The board

proposed drawing tho attention of the Commissioner of Transport to the suggestion it had made Another matter that suggested itself was in connection with the issue of concession tickets. The board’s belief was that the concession rates should be more liberal and that a reduction of at least 25 per cent, should ho allowed off tho regular fares. The hoard did not make any reflection on the Madge Coy. for not having done something in this direction last year, but now that the competition, was out of the way there was no reason why it should not look at tire position from a new angle and tho board did not think it would he dissatisfied with the results. The appeal by the Kosy Coy. would be dismissed and £3 3s costs allowed respondents.

Counsel for the Madge Coy. said he felt certain that the suggestions made would be given immediate consideration by. the company which appreciated the manner in which they had been made.