BUS SERVICES

Northern Advocate, 12 June 1931, Page 4

BUS SERVICES

OWNERS COMPLAIN. PROTECTION WANTED. (Special tn “Northern Advocate.”) AUCKLAND, This Day. The increasing amount of uneconomic competition on the licensed route of most omnibus companies and owners operating under the Motor Omnibus Traffic Act was brought under the notice of the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Gr. W. Forbes, yesterday, by a deputation from the N.Z. Motor Omnibus Protection Association. The deputation consisted of Messrs L. J. Keys and L. Alderton (Auckland), N, Bell, S. Crichton and 0. L. Bishop (Wellington), W. Sticking;* (Christchurch), C. S. Kirby (Dunedin), and D. F. Smillie (Palmerston North). Speaking for the association, Mr Bell pressed the necessity for the immediate provision of adequate protection for these services in order to place all motor passenger transport on an equal footing. Five years ago, he said, the Motor Omnibus Traffic Act was passed, mainly for the purpose of protecting municipal tramway undertakings from wasteful and uneconomic competition, and it definitely achieved that, purpose. The motor omnibus concerns now considered that they could fairly claim similar protection from outside competition, which was threatening them on many of the licensed routes.

During the last five years they had been compelled, in order .to obtain and continue their licenses, to comply strictly with the Act in all its details, and had been governed as to . fares, ■timetables, conditions and construe* tion of buses, insuring passengers, and had been required to maintain an adequate service. It was the opinion of members of the association, continued Mr Bell, that the time had arrived when the interests of the public could best be served by an extension of the Act so as to include all motor transport.

It could not be urged too strongly that the proposed Transport Bill be brought before the House of Representatives at its next session, said Mr Bell. That the matter was urgent was proved by the number of letters recently received- from mem* bers of the association .complaining of the increasing amount of interference on their licensed route by vehicles not subject to any regulations. The Prime Minister assured the deputation that the matters brought before him would receive due consideration. He hoped to bring down transport legislation early next session.