MOTOR-BUSSES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 21, 25 June 1913, Page 5

MOTOR-BUSSES

A QUAINT ANOMALY. Per Press Association. Wellington, Last Night.' As the law now stands, according to the interpretation of authorities like Mi\ T. P. Martin, solicitor to the Municipal Association, and the majority of city solicitors, a local body or municipality has no power to establish a motor 'bus service in its own streets. It has power to run tramways, whether they are electric, steam, compressed air or merely horse, but whatever means of traction is used, it must run on rails. That is the interpretation of the law. At the same time, there is nothing to prevent a private company, or any persons or syndicate from competing with the established tramway system by means of a motor 'bus service run on the streets which the ratepayers' money maintains. The case is exemplified to the full by the success of the London motor 'bus companies, who in recent years, have cut away nearly all the surplus from the huge expensive tramway system built by the London County Council. It was' a fear of similar consequences to a heavily capitalised municipal tramway system in the Dominion that prompted some of the arguments over the motor 'bus question at the conference of the Executive Committee of the Municipal Association, held in the Town Hall to-dav. Mr. Stewart, Mayor of Duncdin, moved the following motion, which was passed:—"That the Government be urged to amend the Tramways' Act in the direction of giving specific power to any local authorities, borough council, or town board, whether ownfng or controlling a tramway system' or not, to run motor 'busses or viiv other description of vehicle as feeders 'o such a system or otherwise."

Mr. Fletcher then moved:-~'Tliat the Government he asked to intiohiee legislation to provide that no private person or person* or comr.an-'-be allowed to rim motor 'buws in anv citv, borough, or town district without the permission and !ice Use 0 f tlie controlling local authority." , b The motion was carried.