WAKARI BUS SERVICE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26543, 19 August 1947, Page 6

WAKARI BUS SERVICE

DEPUTATION TO CITY COUNCIL NEW TIME TABLE ON TRIAL Although the new bus service between the Octagon andWakari, instituted yesterday, appeared to be satisfactory, a deputation from the residents of Wakari, which waited on the City Council last night explained that it was under an obligation to present a petition bearing 663 names and praying for the reinstatement of a through service between the Octagon and Wakari. . During the last fortnight the service to Wakari had been impossible, causing inconvenience, confusion, delay, and frayed nerves in Wakari, said Mr G. Winter, who, with Messrs R. Neill and G. Mawhinney, comprised the deputation. The feeder service had been unsatisfactory, Mr Winter added, and the women of Wakari considered that they had had “ a raw deal.” Mr Winter, replying to the Mayor, Mr Cameron, said that the residents were prepared to give the new service a fortnight’s trial. The petition' had been drawn up' and signed before the new system was introduced. Mr Neill said the new service, yesterday had appeared to be satisfactory. When the deputation had withdrawn and the council discussed the matter, Cr McCrae said that he had had to bear a lot of criticism in the past three weeks over the service to Wakari. The transport manager tried to force on the Wakari people a service which was totally unsuited to that district,” Cr McCrae added. “I was reluctant to interfere, but the position got worse, and has been awful in the last three weeks. “On Friday last, very reluctantly. I was forced to intervene to try to get things straightened out. The Wakari people now have a service which will suit them,” Cr McCrae continued. He added that the secretary of the Wakari Improvement Society. Mr T. W. R. Gibson, had expressed satisfaction with the present service. “Wakari residents now have the through service that they should have had three weeks ago, and my sympathy goes out to them for what they have undergone in that period,” Cr McCrae concluded. The petition was referred to the Transport Committee for a report.