SUBURBAN TRANSPORT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19806, 29 November 1927, Page 14

SUBURBAN TRANSPORT.

CITY COUNCIL SERVICES. PROTEST AT MOUNT ROSKILL. ALLEGATIONS OF HARDSHIP. A meeting to discuss suburban transport services was held in tho Methodist Hail, Greenwood's Corner, last evening, Mr. PL F. Jones, chairman of the Mount IvQskill Road Board, presiding. The chairman said tho Mount Roskill Road Board was doing its duty to the ratepayers and residents in tho district, in endeavouring to improve the transport services, it had written to the 1 lime Minister and other members of I'arlia ment, relating the disabilities under which tho residents were labouring. Influenced by the high fares, and tho infrequent service, people were actually leaving the district. Mr. S. I. Goodall said the City Council had promised Parliament to maintain an adequate service, if given complete control, and not to increase fares, but both undertakings had been broken. He was a member of tho deputation which went to Wellington to interview the Prime Minister and Minister of Public Works. The deputation suggested a modification of tho Act and tho formation of a transport board, on which the suburban local bodies would bo represented. When Mr. Coates urged that tho Act had been passed only after careful consideration, the deputation suggested leaving tho field clear for private enterprise, but it saw at once that it would tako great pressure to induce the Prime Minister to consider that. He rather favoured a control board, without owning tho trams, and the deputation urged that immediate redress was wanted. , Profits of Private Buses. Mr. W. L. Titchcner, chairman of the Xew Lynn Town Board, said the Omnibus Act was tho most iniquitous in the British Empire. The last census gave New Lynn the largest percentage of increased popu lation m tho Dominion during tho previous five years, largely owing to its improved transport facilities, but the annihilation of those facilities had resulted in more empty houses than there had ever been. The City Council's bus service was so loaded with overhead charges that it cost Is 6d a mile to ruu, whereas the old bus companies could make a handsome profit on gross takings of less than is a mile. The soundest business policy was not to reduce the overhead expenses by cutting tho services, but, to increase the earnings. -

Mr. L. A. Tozer related the conditions under which the City Council suggested it mighl extend the tram service to Mount Eoskill, that district's share being £4OOO a year for three years, to cover the estimated loss. He thought it absurd to entertain any such proposal, for it would absorb half the board's general rate, all for I 3 miles of track, which would touch only the fringlo of tho district. Mr. Tozer quoted the leading article in the Herald of last Tuesday, and supported tho argument that the council should con fine its operation to the trains and leave tho buses to the outside local authorities. As one of tho deputation which waited on the Pruno Minister, he declared the latter has not yet received a reply, after a lapse of ten weeks, to a letter 110 had sent to the Mayor of Auckland. 'J he letter contained live cardinal points and suggested tlio formation of a transport board. The lack of transport facilities entailed stagnation, and people were crowding back to tho city, instead of settling in the healthy suburbs. Suburban Progress Checked. All'. A. E. Roxburgh said the legislation to prevent tho motor-bus services iroin functioning had been prorrioted by the Government and the City Council, 111 Order to protect their investments in railways and tramways. This immediately put a stop to the progress of the suburban areas, which had been brought about by tho buses, and tended to bring about congestion in tho city, through driving away from the Suburbs those who could not afford the excessive costs for them selves and their families. Values were coming down, people were leaving the dis trict, and building was at a standstill, all for want of transport. The time had now come when they must inform the Prime Minister that as he had brought about this legislation the people looked to him to remedy the position. Mr. Tozer was asked how the council could reconcile the estimated loss of £25,000 in Mount Eden and Mount Ros kill with the expectation that the proposed extension to A von dale would pay at once, seeing that the latter had ail the disadvantage of railway competition. Mr. Tozer said he could not explain the anomaly. The following resolution was carried unanimouslys 'That this meeting protests p.gainst the inadequate bus services provided in the, suburban areas generally, and Mount Roskill in particular, also against the ill-judged curtailment in some directions and the withdrawal of workmen's concessions, while waste is allowed to proceed anace in other directions; the present inadenunte r>n«senrer services ar<inflietintr creit har f 'sV>in on the stihn'-han res-dents, and tho meeting urges the. Om«»rmenf. to hrincr pressure on tho fitv Ccuncil to honour lis public nndor*o'rinr to maintain adequate services "without increase in fares."