TRAMS AND BUSES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19027, 26 May 1925, Page 7

TRAMS AND BUSES.

Sir, —The letter by Harold 0. Wiles should not lie allowed to go unchallenged, as it conveys the impression that the bus is more advantageous than tho tram. Actual experience so far, however, has proved that buses arc advantageous only to the importers of chassis and the purveyors of the power required for propelling this class of vehicle, i.e., imported benzine. Actual experience has shown that the only effect motor buses have had has been to embarrass not only the tramways against which they have competed, but tho buses themselves as instanced in London and other cities in both England and America. Such competition can only be regarded as wasteful. It has been and is Still being proved to be ultimately disastrous to all, viz., tramways, bus proprietors and citizens generally. In both England and America where the experiment has been made bus proprietors themselves are now clamouring for protective measures, so that a properly constituted authority can say what number of and where, buses are to be run. In London, as the result of unrestricted and wasteful competition, both tramway and bus proprietors appealed to the Government, with the result that the City of London Traffic Bill was introduced. This Bill gives the Minister for Transportation power to refuse licenses for buses to run where there is already an adequate tram or bus service, and in London no less than 164 routes are now being controlled. In many towns in America similar action has been taken,'and the sooner our legislators wake up and introduce legislation to effectively regulate and co-ordinate transportation services adequately, the bettor it will be for all. W. H. Clarke.

Sir—The greater part, of Mr. Harold 0. Wiles' letter is beside the point. The deficit on the London tramways is as irrelevant as his reference to the Proverbs. Mr. Wiles insinuated that the trams in Auckland are monopolising the roads while the motors are paying for them. My letter merely pointed out that the reverse is the case. The trams have always paid; the buses "never. Mr.^ Wiles says certain fees have been "fixed" and are "payable," but have they been paid? Then he writes cheerfully about these fees going to the Highways Board, as if the Highways Board made or maintained, or did anything at all to, the roads in Auckland or its suburban boroughs. These roads have been made and are being maintained by the local authorities, heavily subsidised by the tramways. Further. Mr. Wiles is concerned about the customs duties collected on trucks, motor vehicles and tyres. But customs duties are collected on the boots worn by the pedestrians who walk the streets, on all the luxuries and many of the necessities of life, not, I should think, excepting tramcars and tramway equipment. So the motor trade is not singular in this respect, nor does the money it pays through the customs go to maintain the roads over which buses compete with tramcars. Pakt Owner.