BUSES ON RACE DAYS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20375, 2 October 1929, Page 14

BUSES ON RACE DAYS.

"EATING INTO REVENUE."-

BOARD EXPRESSES CONCERN.

PRIVATE OWNERS' DEPUTATION

Private bus-owners attended a meeting of the Auckland Transport Board in force yesterday to debate their right to carry passengers to and from the Ellerslie and Avondalo racecourses and the trotting courso at Epsom on race days. The board recently notified the owners by circular lotter that, according to a Supreme Court judgment delivered by Sir Alexander Herdman, the practice was illegal and that authority to engage in such services had first to be obtained from the board as licensing authority. Acting oil the intimation, seven busowners formally appliod to the board yesterday for permission to run race services. At the last moment, however, six of them changed their tactics, withdrew their applications and challenged the right of the board to deny them the privilege they had enjoyed for so long. Jurisdiction Not Admitted. "We think that your circular was sent to the bus companies under a misapprehension," said Mr. V. R. Meredith, who appoared for several of the applicants, "These companies were issued licences by No. 1 Licensing Authority and wo decline to admit the jurisdiction of the board to interfere with them. They have been accepted now for over a year and aro preserved by the Auckland Transport Board Act, 1928." "That is not admitted," interposed the chairman, Mr, J. A. C. Allum. "I wish you to know that the board does not approach this matter in any unfriendly spirit. We wish to act in a mannor which will appeal to you as being fair and just." Mr. Meredith: Quite so; I assume your circular was issued in an entirely friendly spirit, in order to direct our attention to Sir Alexander Herdman's decision. Mr. Allum declined, however, to admit that tho companies legally held licences to run race services. Legislation Pending. At (bis point Mr. L. W. G. Grieves, one of the applicants, intimated that he wished his application to lie gone on with. Mr. Allum: May I suggest that you withdraw your application too. Otherwise I shall have to move that it be declined on the ground that it will operate in opposition to tho board's services. Mr. Grieves declined to withdraw his application, whereupon Mr. Allum moved that it should bo deferred for a month in view of the fact that a bill proposing tho appointment of new licensing authorities was at present beforo Parliament, Mr. Meredith said it was felt that more vehicles woro required to deal with race traffic than the board coultl supply. Sullicient rolling stock was not available, and in the interests of tho travelling public outside companies should be allowed (o assist.' It was not right that the Transport Board should have a monopoly of this traffic. Many of the busowners were ablo to maintain unprofitable suburban services at reasonable fares only because they could make good tho loss during holiday periods. Bceauso their participation in race traffic made inroads into tho board's revenue no doubt the board disliked such applications. Mr. Allum: I cannot allow you to say that. Tho fact that tho board has services of its own will not affect its judgment. The Manager's Opposition. Tho manager, Mr, A. E. Ford, opposed the applications on the ground that the board already provided a reasonable servico to Ellerslie. Owing to the interference of privately-owned buses the board had been obliged to cancel a number of its own bus services to Ellerslie. Trams were running comparatively empty and the race returns were very much below what tliev used to be. "I think this is an appropriate time to say that the Auckland Transport Board is not. owned by (ho members, but by the public," said Mr. Allum, "and regard must bo paid to the public interest and public ownership. While we intend to deal fairly with the private owners I cannot see that they have any right to eat into our revenue unless it. can be shown that we aro not giving an adequate service. Mr. E. H. Potter: I would 'ike to know what interference is effected to the outer suburban services on race days by reason of the fact that some of thoso services are withdrawn in order to augment the race services. Mr. Ford replied that race-loading was not coincident with the usual peak-load-ing periods and all suburban services wore maintained at their usual strength for the time of day. Mr. F. S. Morton: That statement does not ring truo as far as traffic in Manukau Road is concerned. When races aro on at Alexandra Park the regular servico to Onehunga is held up. Mr. Ford replied that extra cars were put on specially to maintain a good servico to Onehunga when races were in progress at Alexandra Park. It was an arrangement about which the management was particularly proud. Consideration of the applications was deferred for a month.