BUS SERVICES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19799, 21 November 1927, Page 12

BUS SERVICES.

Si r ,—Owing to • the widespread discontent, evidenced by the hundreds of letters appearing in the daily papers and the thousands who are unfavourably discussing the Tramways Committee's policy in regard to the buses, I would suggest that a public meeting be called and the Tramways Committee be asked to resign their seats and" contest them again on the question of whether we are to have both buses and trams or trams only. I feel sure there would be an overwhelming majority for the running of both trams and buses. Instead 6f the council giving the buses a show, they are putting every obstacle in their way. I consider it most unfair to do away with concession tickets and workers' tickets on the buses, raise the fares to a prohibitive price, and then say the »buses are not patronised and are not paying and must be taken off. Already on the Buckland Road route there are 20 houses to let, and other tenants are getting out as soon as their leases expire, as a result of the council's drastic proposals in regard to the bnses. Property in the suburbs ot Auckland is rapidly being depreciated and something will have to be done. Citx Ratepayer.

Sir, —I would like the people of Auckland to know how we are being treated on this route by the Auckland City Tramways Committee. It has threatened to take off our bus service on the ground that the "buses are not paying, but it is not going the right way about trying to make them pay. Anyone has only to stand in Queen Street of an evening when workers are trying to get home, and see the struggle to get into the pokey buses which have been ailotted to us. By the time they reach WellesTey Street every inch of standing room is taken up and there is no chance for anyone at St. Paul's or the Grafton Bridge. Workers' tickets have been discontinued this week and we hear the pitiful allowance of 13 to the dozen tickets is to be taken away from us by the abolition 1 of concession cards on this route. The whole of Auckland is seething with discontent over this motor-bus suppression question. While the Motor Omnibus Act was being promoted in the House 70,000 people in Auckland, practically the whole of, the adult voting population, signed a petition in favour of the buses being kept on, and in spite of this the people were beaten in this matter. I suggest that committees be formed all over Auckland, and that candidates for Parliament ,at the general election next year be asked to pledge themselves to vote straight oat for the repeal of the Motor Omnibus Act, and upon their answer the 70,000 Aucklanders who signed in favour of the buses will know how to vote. All honour to Mr. Potter, who has championed the cause of the people in Parliament in this connection. A public indignation meeting should be held, and I venture to say the Town Hall would be heavily taxed to hold the crowd of discontented Ancklanders opposed to the preseno Motor Omnibus Act, and the sole control of transport by the Auckland City Council. 1 have no connection with any privata bus people, in fact I do not know a single one of them. I am merely an Epsom resident, living in a part where thn trams do not run, and in company with thousands of others, ask for the proper transport to our homes. A. T. Lokq.