BUSES V. TRAINS

Southland Times, Issue 20495, 25 May 1928, Page 8

BUSES V. TRAINS

TRANSPORT OF SCHOOL CHILDREN. QUESTION RAISED AT BOARD MEETING. The question of the relativements of bus and train travelling and the effects of bus competition on the heavily capitalized railways has for the last two or three years engaged the serious attention of all thinking people in New Zealand. The war was carried a further step forward at last night’s meeting of the Technical College Board when Mr. J. D. Trotter drew attention to a letter received from a parent of a country pupil, requesting that steps should be taken to get free passes on buses as well as on trains for country pupils attending the college. “I feel sure that many more pupils would be enabled to attend if these passes were given. To nearly everyone in the country, the buses are more convenient than the trains. They have come to stay. I move that the Department we asked to give free passes on buses.” Mr. Thomas: That’s all right as long as they are only available where buses are more accessible than the nearest station. Mr. Reed: Y’ou’re opening up a big question. Mr. Stewart said that he did not think there was much chance of the application being granted. The Department was already tightening up the free passes. A boy gets a free place now only if he attends the nearest school to his home. The chairman (Mr. Reed) : I think we should leave the matter till the next board conference in a few months.