PRIVATE BUS SERVICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20481, 5 February 1930, Page 9

PRIVATE BUS SERVICE.

BLOCKHOUSE BAY ROUTE.

APPLICATIONS TO BOARD,

OBTAINING RESIDENTS' VIEWS.

Two applications by private bus-owners for tho acquisition of tho eervico to Blockhouse Bay, at .present being run by tho Auckland Transport Board at a loss of £4273 a year, were received by the board yesterday, : •' The official attitude on the trahsfer of the sorvico to private enterprise was expressed by the chairman, Mr. J. A. C. Allura, in tho following words: "The hoard is perfectly willing to harid Over tho service if tho residents desire it, lit fact, I think I inay say that we will bo glad to hand it over. Wo must know the will of the people, however, and it therefore, seems to me desirable to dofer these applications until wo have called a meeting of residents, say next week at the latest."

A resident of Blockhouse Bay, Mr. W. Pondlobury, was present to support a resolution passed by a meeting of residents held on December 18 requesting the board to hand over tho service to private enterprise. On tho other . hand, a. petition, signed by 98 residents, asked that tho board's service should bo retained.

Support lor Board's Loan

" We feel that being under a permanent and stable body, our interests can thus bo efficiently and reliably attended ' to," the petition statod. " Not tho least of reasons is tho fact that those, who are ratepayers signing this memorial have already pledged their several properties by voting for the board's loan of £526,600. Thoy, therefore, feel that if severed from the board's;area their interests would bo at tho mercy of private enterprise. There is also the danger that the feeder service from Avondale to Mount Albert would cease. Wo consider that this would be a calamity." Another petition, signed by 29 residents, claimed that the meeting of residents at which the resolution was passed, was neither representative nor adequately advertised and was very poorly attended. A transfer to private enterprise would not bo in tho best interests of tho district.

Mr. Pendlebury said that the meeting was widely advertised and 70 to 80 people attended. The resolution was passed by 27 votes to sevon, a large number of people refraining from voting. Faster and Cheaper Service.

Mr. E. 11. Potter urged that tho applications of the bus operators should immediately bo considered. He believed that they could give a faster and a cheaper service than the board was giving. Private enterprise had proved satisfactory afc New Lynn, where six new buses were being put on, and in the eastern suburbs privately-owned buses were giving every satisfaction. Blockhouse Bay and Avondale were both causing tho board losses and should be dispensed with. , . r >

When counsel for the two applicants were invited to speak, Mr. A. M. Colliding, for Mr. M. W. Karews, asked whether, if the public meeting resolved in .favour of tho Iransport Board and the service was retained, the board was prepared to go oil losing money every year? Mr, Allum: I think I must ask you to support your application and not enter into transport politics. Mr. Bryce C. Hart, for the Auckland Bus Company, said that his- clients were improving and enlarging their fleet of buses and could take over the Blockhouse Bay service at half-an-hour's notice if necessary. + It was decided to accept the chairman's suggestion and defer the applications until the nest meeting, a meeting of residents being summoned meantime to obtain a fair expression of opinion.