Daylight Bus Run Proposed

Northern Advocate, 4 October 1947, Page 3

Daylight Bus Run Proposed

Auckland-Wellington

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, This Day. On the grounds that it was not in the public interest, that Railways Department experience had shown that there was no demand for a daylight service between Auckland and Wellington and that a single unit would be the start of much more serious competition, the Railways Department appealed before Mr Justice K. G. Archer against the decision of No. 2 Transport Licensing Authority in granting a licence to Gordon Kitchener Prisk to operate a daylight bus service between Auckland and Wellington.

The department’s case was that present facilities were quite adequate for the passengers offering and, though the trains were running rather full at present. this would not be the case next year when a number of oil-burning locomotives would be in use. THREE RETURN TRIPS

If numbers of passengers were to be picked up at the two termini of the main-trunk railway, intermediate passengers would not receive the same service and, in time,\the whole operation of the line would have to be reviewed.

For Frisk it was stated that the service was designed to carry, by one bus 24 passengers three days weekly from Auckland and a similar number the other way from Wellington on alternate days. Later, if successful, further licences would be applied for and then it would be possible for the railways to object. The only places where the service would run parallel to the railway was Wellington-Levin and Hamilton-Auck-land. " TOURIST FACTOR For the rest of the journey wonderful scenic country would be covered and this would be an important tourist factor.

No freight would be carried, therefore there would be no competition with the railways in that respect. It was claimed that the bus service would have fuller conveniences for women with babies than the railways provided, and that at each end there would be no waiting in queues for tickets.

Finance was assured as soon as investors knew the licence was to be granted. £20.000 being required. Only 50 gallons of petrol daily would be consumed against an estimated 4000 ‘gallons of diesel oil by a locomotive. Decision was reserved.