ST. HELIERS BUSES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 674, 28 May 1929, Page 11

ST. HELIERS BUSES

deputation asks for LOWER _FARES RESIDENTS’ GRIEVANCE

* UnI J SS Mr ‘ u' J * Ke * s »s able to make a substantial reduction in his fares we ask the Auckland Transport Board to provide transport facilities for the district.”

THIS was the text of a petitinn signed by 1.244 residents of s? Heliers Bay and Kohimarama, and presented to the Transport Board this morning in furtherance of a request made a. fortnight ago by a deputation that the board should require Mr Keys to reduce his scale of fares’ which was “bankrupting the districts” Representations of ratepayers and residents’ organisations, headed bv Air R. E. Fawcett, and Mr. Keys, who was represented by Mr. V. R. Meredith were called before the board today to state then* respective case? In a lengthy statement of residents complaints. Mr. Fawcett said s? Heliers and Kohimarama were served by boats until November. 3 924 "when the ferries were "run off” by Mr Keys who had begun competing in 1915. Iri 1924 Mr. Keys was charging 4s 9d a week for concession tickets. 9d single and Is 6d return. Subsequently he raised the rates to 5s 6d, and later the weekly fare to 6s 6d. Last year when the petrol tax was threatened, he announced an increase of is on most concession tickets and 6d on others N 0 increases were made in the ordinary fares, but concession ticket holders had to bear the whole burden. EFFECT OF FARES

Mr. Jawcett claimed the high scale had resulted in people leaving the district in wholesale fashion. Houses were empty and could not be let at reasonable rentals, and the school :J----tendances had dropped considerably Mr. Fawcett quoted comparative figures showing Mr. Keys’s scales in relation ro those of other services. The charges in pence per mile are shown as: Re- ConSingle, turn, cession. Wkly. F a * * e n ger Trans oTt Co.. Ltd. . 1.08 .91 .79 .54 All other service as per table a ttached . . 1-12 .97 .SI .51 Keys . . . 1.44 1.44 1.19 .77 “There is a distinct feling that balance sheets should be produced for each year for the past four and a-half years, and also that L. J. Keys. Ltd., should produce a budget for the current year showing how much has been allowed for depreciation.” Air. Fawcett stated.

“If Mr. Keys made a loss during the time ho was fighting the ferry competition that loss should not be collected now. as he attempts to do. on accoun of his having a monopoly of he service and being able to fixe his own fares. • It is certain that if he is writing off -depreciation now on buses which he has had over four years, lie is charging against the present residents amounts that should have been written off before.”

When invited to reply, Mr. Meredith remarked that Mr. Fawcett’s observations contained a lot of generalities about eft)ty homes and school attendances. But there were also a large number of figures, and it was impossible for Mr. Keys to answer them forthwith. Mr. Meredith asked time to prepare a detailed statement for submission to the board in reply to Mr. Fawcett.

To Mr. Meredith, the deputation stated that apart from the fares, the residents were quite satisfied with Mr. Keys’s services.a TIME FOR REPLY

Replying to Mr. J. A. C. Allum, chairman of the board. Air. Meredith said he could not accept Mr. Fawcett’s figures without opportunity to verify them, but ho did not necessarily say they were incorrect. The general matter of fares would be dealt with in • Mr. Keys's reply. “It will be shown that the margin on which he- is working is exceedingly small, and any alteration of fares approaching what the residents ask for will turn that narrow profit into serious loss.” Mr. Meedith declared. To a question as to Air. Keys’s attitude on the petition that the board should take over his services, Air. Keys >aid he would like to sign it. Mr. E. J. Phelan: He wants compensation as was paid for the trains.

Air. Meredith: I think it can be expected that he should not hand over his vehicles without compensation. The deputation had requested that Air. Keys be not allowed to control a service along the new waterfront road unless he was prepared to grant a reduction in fares, and this aspect was left over pending settlement of the other questions.

Regarding the suggestion that bal-ance-sheet& and other private details should be disclosed. Air. Allum said it was not the wish of the board to investigate the affairs of private persons. "We are determined to do what is right, and any investigations shall only be made with the sanction of the board.” Air. Meredith asked for a fortnight in which to prepare an answer, but Air. Allum considered the matter ought to he finalised at next week’s meeting. Air. E. J. Entrican: I know that lawyers cannot do anything in less time, than a month. Mr. Meredith was given a fortnight In which to submit an answer.