Readers Write

Northern Advocate, 5 January 1946, Page 4

Readers Write

On behalf of a lot of people who ride in buses, I think it is about time something was done to prevent a terrible accident which OVERCROWDED must surely occur BUS if buses are to be packed as on Thursday last on the Or.Grahi run leaving Whangarei at 6.5 p.m. On this bus there was room for about 30 sitting. The passage-way was crow-ded with people standing, s}ay another fifteen or more.

A lot of older people are very neri vcus as the bus passes over the wooden bridges. With a big crowd on board, this is not a small weight. These bridges were built long years ago and are about done judging by the creaking and rattling of the planking. Overcrowding is a daily occurrence. Something must be done. Here’s hoping for a change to more buses instead of trying to squeeze everyone on to one bus.—“ONERAHI RESIDENT.” NO OVERLOAD GUARANTEED “The permissible load of the bus used on the Onerahi run is 33 seated and 14 standing,” said Mr A. J. Wilkinson, manager of the Northern Motor Bus Company, in commenting this morning on the letter of “Onerahi Resident.”

“I can guarantee that there was no overload on the 5.50 bus on Thursday. I have never heard of such a crowded vehicle at that time of the day. Usually it is quiet. The busy period is at 5 o’clock when two buses are employed to cope with the rush.”

Mr Wilkinson added that, extra buses run to Onerahi during the holiday period were definitely a failure. “It is impossible,” he said, “to judge what the public are going to do.” As far as the bridges are concerned, he said that they were certainly in bad condition. However, a contractor was installed at the bridge near Reyburn’s property this week and a start was to be made on Monday on the erection of a new bridge.