NORTH SHORE TRAFFIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19471, 29 October 1926, Page 14

NORTH SHORE TRAFFIC.

AN ANTI-CLIMAX REACHED. PRINCIPAL PARTY ABSENT. THE UNITED SERVICE BUSES^ The first sitting of the Takapuna Borough Council in its capacity of licensing authority for No. 2 District under the Motor-Omnibus Traffic Act, which district is simply' the, borough of Takapuna, was held yesterday morning. The meeting was distinctly an anticlimax, The people who had been expected to be the principal parties to the proceedings, the proprietors of the United Service-Motor Buses, owning the line of "yellow buses," based on Devonport, made, no appearance. The licensing authority took evidence concerning three applications as to which there was no likelihood of serious controversy, and then found that its business-sheet, was a blank. It had been expected the formal application of the United Service buses would by that time be to hand. The manager of the company, Mr. A. H. Smith, was present, and seemed genuinely perplexed at the non-arrival of his solicitors, or of some communication from their office. He stated he was aware that all the necessary forms incident to an application had been prepared the previous day. The licensing authority dallied until the Borough Council mail from the city should be delivered, but on its arrival there was still no application. Then an adjournment, for an indefinite time was agreed to, the puipose of which was to enable Mr. Smith to communicate by telephone with his solicitors. Adjournment Until Monday. After waiting for more than half an hour, it was intimated that Mr. Smith had got in touch with the lawyer's office, but that the particular member of the firm who had charge of his business was out in the city, and could not be found at the moment. The council decided to adjourn until next Monday morning. As that day is the day on which the new Act comes into operation, tho position will then be that unless the United Company obtains a licence on that day, it will be liable to a penalty of £lO for every day on which its buses run within the borough unlicensed. When the council met, the Mayor, Mr. J. D. Morison, intimated its intention, as a licensing board, to hear any evidence that might bo offered in support of the applications received, and then to consider each case in committee, and give its decisions. Mr. F. Lowrie was present as borough solicitor. Mr. A. St. Clair Brown, chairman of directors of tho Takapuna Tramways and Ferry Company, and Mr. J. Kerr, manager of the company, appeared in support of its four applications for motor-bus licences. A letter coverinc the applications asked for approval of 17 new stopping-places. It was also proposed that all trips shown on the present time-table should bo at the present fares, but that in regard to special buses, outside the time-table, sent to connect with the hours fixed for entertainments, an extra penny should lie chargeable for the first section of tho journey, and there should be a fare of 6d for late, trips at the conclusion of dances and the like. Hourly Trams If Desired In reply to questions, Mr. Kerr indicated the company's willingness to add other stopping-places that were suggested as being desirable to the public. As to whether, now that it was assured of a monopoly of passenger traffic, the company was prepared to return wholly to steam-tram traffic.* instead of running buses in the slack hours, the company was entirely in the bands of the board. It would run hourly trams if so desired. Mr. Lowrie: You are content, to leave that to the Borough Council ?—Yes. On the question of carrying children from Devonport to the Takapuna Grammar School next year, Mr. Kerr said his company would be prepared to provide the service if there were a sufficient number of scholars to warrant it.

With regard to tho carriage of workers, Mr. Brown said a company now running from Devonport to Old Lake Road was prepared to extend its service to Belmont, connecting with the trams there, under an arrangement- with his company. If, as tho absence of a representative of the "yellow buses" might imply, that line did not propose to continue running, he would consider it incumbent upon the Tramway Company to see that connection with Devonport was maintained, and ho would be prepared to undertake that responsibility. In that case a service would certainly be maintained either by his company or that now plying to Old Lake Road. The Tramway Company was already providing for the carriage of children from Takapuna to the Technical School. Servlco to Back of Lake. On a question being raised as to the insufficiency of the present service to the district at the back of the lake, Mr. R. 11. GreviUe pointed out that the board had to be satisfied, before issuing licences to the company, that the proposed service would bo made sufficient. "It will rest with us," he. added, "to decide what wo want for the back of the lake." The Mayor intimated that the council would consider the application, and make known its decision in due course. On behalf of the Waitemata Bus and Transport Company, its manager, Mr. E. J. Fraser, applied for two licences. The company desired authority to run a service between Northcote and Milford Beach, as it had been doing for the past three years. Mr. Fraser stated his. company catered chiefly for Sunday and liolidav trips, and also provided travelling facilities for the rural community between Takapuna and Northcote.

In cross-examination by Mr. Brown and members of the council, the applicant stated his line was carrying Takapuna passengers,- via Northcote, at the busy Injurs on a through ticket to Auckland, by arrangement with the Devon port Ferry Company, and had a remunerative traffic. The Devonport company acted as agent for his company in the city. Ho was pro pared to give the board, in committee, full information as to the financial arrangement made with the Devonport company. Practically half the passengers to the city in the morning came from Mil ford. The same fare, Is fid return* was charged from both Milford and Northcote. Necessity for Monopoly. Mr. Brown: Supposing your licence wore limited to traffic'from the borough boundary, how would you regard it?—l am afraid it would be a big setback to onr service. That being so, are you not in substantial comnetition with the Tramway Com-pany?-—Well, if one bus is substantial competition, I suppose you might term, it so. The Mayor: How do you view that position, Mr. Brown ? Mr. Brown: I regret to say that in my view the tramway service should enjoy a monopoly of Takapuna traffic. As we have to attend to the whole of the traffic tile.whole of the time, we expect the benefit of the whole of the business. It is the foundation of anv tramway system that it should enjoy e, monopoly. The Mavor said the board would not favour restricting the Northcote and Birkenhead people from coming to the Takapuna beaches. There should be some arrangement made for their accommodation. Mr. Brown said he was in a sense speaking in the interests of the people of Takapuna. because, subject to their granting the Borough Council the right to raise the proposed loan, it was the borough that flow owned the tramway system. Of course, if they did not propose to carry out the purchase the tramway v/oulfi revert to his company, but there was no

doubt that last week's poll was based on the assumption that whoever owned the tramways wouid enjoy a monopoly. They must do so if the tramway system, which was the main artery of the district,, was to function properly. Any opposition service, running only a few trips in the day, and choosing its ow.u time, running in between the tram-trips, was bound to drain away business. On that ground he must object to. the granting of the licence. There could be no compromise—anything tlsit was in substantial competition with tho tramway should not be allowed to run. Iti a discussion upon tho penal fare which competing buses must, be compelled to charge, the Mayor pointed out that the board was not limited. The twopence named in the Act was a minimum, and the board had power to fix any amount it thought reasonable. Mr. Grcville said he was sure the board would not wish to prevent the applicants from carrying on the genuinely tourist portion of its service. Mr. Brown: I am quite in agreement with that, as far as my company is concerned. Mr. G. H.Matthews: If the other companies aro put off' the road the tramway company, even at the risk of loss, must be 'prepared to provide this service. The Mayor : Undoubted! v. A decision upon the application was deferred until the board's next meeting, and Mr. Fraser was asked to bo prepared to givo an answer then as to whether his company would bo prepared to take it« licence for the tourist portion of its traffic alone. The third application lodged -was that of the Marine Suburbs Bus Company, Ltd., of which Mr. Roderick McLeod is manager. with respect to a service on Sundays and holidays from Birkenhead to Milford Bench and the outlying bays, and on raccdavs to the racecourse at Devonport. The board was assured that the company had no intention of competing with the tramway, and: when passing through Takapuna. would not pick up passengers withm the borough except for the racecourse trips. The buses charged a minimum fare of a shilling. Mr. Brown : 11; at would meet any possible objection from our point of view. The Mayor said he could not see any possible objection to the application. The final decision, however, was deferred until Monday's adjourned meeting. COMPETITION WITH TRAINS. BAN ON BUSES REFUSED. RAILWAY BOARD'S REQUEST. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] WELLINGTON. Thursday. Surprise was occasioned at a special meeting of the Wellington City Council to-day when the chairman of the By-laws Committee announced that a communication had been received from the Railway Board by the committee, as the body representing the licensing authority under the Motor Omnibus Traffic Act. requesting that as an adequate railway service between Wellington, Petone and Hutt was in existence, the applications of the proprietors of the present bus services which competed with the railways lie refused by the licensing authority. After considerable discussion the council supported tho committee's refusal to accede to the Railway Board's request.