TRANSPORT AUTHORITY SITS AT KAITAIA

Northern Advocate, 31 October 1936, Page 4

TRANSPORT AUTHORITY SITS AT KAITAIA

PASSENGER SERVICES DEALT WITH

A sitting of No. 1 Transport Licensing Authority was held at Kaitaia on Thursday morning, Mr E. J. Phelan presiding.

A. Hutley applied for a renewal of his passenger license between Awanui and Otiria, with an amendment to travel via Bull’s Road.

Mr Roy Kelly, for the applicant, said that Bull’s Road had only recently been opened, and by taking this route five miles would be cut off the journey, which in the interests of passengers, should be made as short as possible. Mr Phelan: “That would affect the fares.” .

Mr Kelly: “They will have to come down, Mr Hutley also wished to have the right to conduct a rjequest service from Ohaeawai to the cross-roads at the junction. This was necessary if the Ohaeawai people were to have a service. . • Mr Phelan; “Has anything been done to meet Mr Lane’s coniplaint?” Mr Kelly: “We have amended the timetable and fares. A letter from Mr Lane was read, stating that the carriage of passengers on the route as it affected Totara North was an unfair monopoly to Hutley’s, and that the fares were excessive. A licensed mail bus was traversing the route, and should; be allowed to take passengers. ■ Children were obliged to walk four miles to Waitaruke School; or accept lifts, which were illegal. The mail contractor should be allowed to carry a few passengers, and the schedule of charges should be posted in some' con-* spicuous place, sUch as the Post Office. It cost less to run a, car from Totara North to Otirih than the fares, of two • passengers by service car over the same distance.

Mr Kelly: “Mr Lane’s chief. complaint concerns the school children, arjd as Hutley’s cars left at . 7.15 a.m. and returned at 6.15 p.m., it was impossible for them to make use of his service. They had the_ same, position with the mail car. There had been no previous complaint about the fares between Totara North and Qtiria, and they were only 1/- more than from Kaeo, which was five miles nearer Otiria.”'' . *•-. ' . :

Mr Lane: “I suggest that the mail contractor should have.the right to pick up and set down passengers along his route: No one would travel by it in preference to Hutley’s better service, but a passenger might miss Hutley’s.” Mr Kelly: “Until tl» mail contractor applies for an amendment of his license, the Authority can do nothing.” Mr Phelan: “Yes it pan. It is for us to see that the public get the best service.” Mr , Kelly: “If the ‘Northern Advo-' cate’ can’t carry the mail* Mr Hutley can carry it. At present the ‘Northern Advocate’ has a goods license, but'no right to carry passengers.”' Mr Phelan said he would like to go

through some of the papers which had been put in with regard to fares and

other points, and would defer his, de cision. -

Takahue-Kaitala.

C. Harris applied for a renewal of his passenger service license between Takahue, Victoria Valley and Kaitaia, There was also an application by J. V. Beazley for the right to run a passenger service between Takahue and Kaitaia on Saturdays only. Mr Harris’ application was for a continuous passenger service with the right to run special trips oh request, the right to run to the pictures on Saturday nights, and special trips on bonus day and the 20th of each month. Mr Kelly said an amendment was asked for so as to allow Mr Harris to run_to the pictures. By a misunderstanding this was not incorporated when granting the previous license. C. Harris said he had been operating for two years along the route. There had been no complaints and he had been able to provide all that was necessary to the service. On some Saturday nights there had been a rush, but in such cases he had met the position by putting on another vehicle. Mr Phelan: “You have no right to exceed your privileges under your license.”

To Mr Peace (representing Mr Beazley); “Mr Cowie ran his bus to Pamapuria byjarrangerhent with witness; practically every Saturday night. A lot of people went into Kaitaia by different means during the day, but used, the bus to get home. When making the trip from Takahue he turned on reaching the junction with the main highway and travelled three miles to Victoria Valley before going on to Kaitaia.- This meant an extra 12 miles for Takahue passengers making the return trip, but when he had a load or a little over half a load, he did not go to Victoria Valley.” Mr Peace: “Then you don’t run to timetable.”

Mr Harris;'“The Transport Authority had no objections, and I was told to write- to the Commissioner:” Mr Phelan: “If it is not embodied in your license you had no right to do it.”

Mr Harris said the trip to Victoria Valley made a difference of a quarter of an hour, and the Takahue passengers would be half an hour late in reaching Kaitaia. Mr Phelan: “You have no right to do that.” Mr Peace: “On a number of occasions two buses had to be run to cope with the work.”

Mr Phelan asked applicant if he was prepared to increase the carrying capacity of his fleet. Mr Harris: “Yes, with a very small machine I could take the few odd passengers.” . 9

Petitions Circulated.

James V. Beazley stated that he was running the school bus, and the route was from Takahue to Kaitaia direct. He wished to start a passenger bus leaving the Herekino Road, about three miles beyond Takahue, at 9.45, and travel direct to Kaitaia. He had been asked by the Takahue people to give this service, and a petition in favour of it had been circulated and signed by the people. This had been, sent to the Minister, who had suggested that an application be made for a license. The present service was inadequate and unsatisfactory, and traversed a greater distance than was necessary. Applicant had the school bus contract, and had catered for the district for seven years. The petition he had referred to was signed by Europeans and a second petition had been signed by Maoris. His bus was practically new, and he had a certificate of fitness.

To Mr Kelly:- “The timetable he proposed was:—Leave McCullough’s, Herekino Road, at 9.45 a.m.; arrive Kaitaia 10.40 a.m. Leave Kaitaia at 4.30 p.m., arrive McCullough’s, 5.25

p.m.; leave McCullough’s, 7.15 p.m., arrive Kaitaia 7.55 p.m., leaving again after the pictures. He proposed to go three miles further towards Herekino than the present service, providing for seven additional families. James McCullough, Bowman Yates and Olive Annie Carr gave evidence in favour of Mr Beazley’s application. Joseph Cowie stated that on a number of occasions he had run special trips for Harris. This had gone on for six or eight months, and practically every. Saturday- night he had gone as far as the Takahue turn-off, either before or after the pictures. Mr Phelan said he would hold over his decision, as five operators were interested in part of the route. “Not Like Savages.” A. B. Wells applied for an amendment of his license, enabling him to ruii from Oruru via Fairburn Road to the pictures at Kaitaia, on Saturday nights. Mr Phelan: “Both Beazley and Harris are interested in the route.”

Mr Peace; “Only from what is known as the ‘Finger Post’ to Kaitaia.”

Mr Kelly: “It is proposed that no passengers shall be dealt with between Kaitaia and a miie beyond the Finger Post.”

Mr Phelan said the application was interwoven with others, and it would be necessary to devote a little time before giving a decision, which would be held over for about a week. He was very anxious at all times to keep operators on the road, and objected to pirates who worked all hours and in all circumstances to eke out a living.

The Authority Wanted to protect those who were giving service to the people, and when it was proved that reasonable service was given, and a reasonable living was being earned, a license would be granted, but it was not going to have operators cutting one another’s throats like savages!.

Other Applications.

W. G. Freese was granted a passenger service between Whirinaki and Rawene, but the applicant was informed that the Authority had nothing to do with picture entertainments, and that his fares, which were shown as 2/- and 3/-, including pictures, would have to be amended. The fares were fixed at 2/- and 1/-. -i

The application of W. S. Jones for an amendment of his Opononi-Dargaville passenger license was granted; as also was the application by P. Spender for a transfer of his license to thp Rawene Motors, Ltd.

C. O. Tubbs applied for a license for a passenger service between Kerikeri and Otiria Station.

The application was opposed by A. Hutley, who had applied for a license over Bull’s Road, the route to be taken by Mr Tubbs. Mr Hutley said Mr Tubbs had a taxi service at present, which interfered quite a lot with his interests.

Mr Phelan: “If we give him a regular route, and tie him down to a timetable and definite fares, will it mean the same opposition?” Mr Hutley: “It will mean greater opposition, but if I am allowed to run through Bull’s Road at reduced fares, there will not be much taxi work to Otiria.”

A decision was held over so that the application could be dealt with in conjunction with others.

Mr Phelan saidysome services would have to go out. The policy today was not to increase, but eliminate.

H. T. Burling was granted a license for a passenger service between Waihaha and Moerewa, with the right to carry parcels up to 281b5., a scale to be submitted later.