DECISION FINAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 22 December 1942, Page 4

DECISION FINAL

APPEAL AUTHORITY’S RULING

NELSON -IIUNDALEE PASSENGER j SERVICE MINISTER’S REPLY TO CITY COUNCIL A reply that the decision of the Appeal Authority was final and that it would not l»e possible for any further action to be taken was received by the Nelson City Council last evening from the Minister of j Transport (Mr J. O’Brien) in ! answer to the Council’s recent request for reconsideration of the decision of the Appeal Authority which would result in the cancellation of Messrs Newman Bros, daily passenger license between Nelson and Hundalcc. Mr H. Atmore, M.P.. advised the Council that he had made representations to the Minister of Transport on the subject of a through service from Nelson to Honda lee. The Minister’s letter stated. "This case was fully considered by the Appeal Authority who decided that having regard to the present grave position re garding supplies of tyres and petrol, it was not in the public interest that the service should continue to be operated over the Blenheim-Clarence river section as reasonable alternative travel facilities are now provided by train between these two places. The decision ol the Appeal Authority is, of course, final and I am afraid that it is not possible for me to take any further action re garding this matter. “It is appreciated that there will be a certain amount of inconvenience to the travelling public as a result of this decision, but the present position regarding tyres and petrol is very serious indeed and it is essential that wherever possible use should be made of alterna tive forms of transport and the use of vehicles using rubber tyres should be discontinued.” The Mayor (Mr E. R. Neale) commented that the letter did not answer the point about similar road services being allowed to operate in other parts of New Zealand. On the motion of Councillor J. A. Harley it was decided that the Administration Committee give consideration to the subject with a view to ascertaining if the train timetable frem Blenheim could be altered to make it more convenient for Nelson passengers. The Mayor said that the Provincial Progress League and the Chamber of Commerce would also go into that subject.