PICNIC TRIPS TO COUNTRY

Taranaki Daily News, 7 February 1928, Page 9

PICNIC TRIPS TO COUNTRY

USE OF MUNICIPAL BUSES TAXI PROPRIETORS COMPLAIN. UNFAIR COMPETITION ALLEGED. Whether the New Plymouth Borough Council is justified in running its buses for picnic and sight-seeing trips outside the borough was debated at a meeting of the council last night. Cr. F. D. Payne strongly objected to the policy, maintaing that in the first place the tripe did not pay and in the second place the buses should not be thus allowed to compete with private enterprise. He found no support from the rest of the council in his submission that the council had no right to compete with private enterprise. As regards the other aspect, Cr. S. G. Smith (chairman ol the tramways committee) assured him that the trips did show a profit. Having no support, Cr. Payne finally consented to withdraw his motion. The question arose through the receipt of a letter from eight taxi proprietors of the town, who drew the council’s attention to what they considered wae the very unfair competition of the tramway department. 'They submitted that in carrying passengers over the side routes at the extremely low rates they had charged recently, the department was severely penalising the taxi services. In doing this the department was using machines towards which the taxi proprietors paid taxes, and travelling on roads on which the taxi' proprietors paid heavy duty licenses. The Mayor (Mr. H. V. S. Griffiths) said he felt sure the council did not wish to antagonise the taxi proprietors, and as ratepayers the latter had a right to air their grievances, Accordingly, it was resolved to invite the writer of the letter to meet the tramway committee in conference on the matter. TO INCREASE REVENUE. Councillor Payne asked under what authority the tramways committee had permitted' the borough buses to run outside the borough boundary. Councillor S. G. Smith (chairman of the tramway committee) said that the engineer was doing his best to increase the revenue of his department, and that was one of the methods. The speaker was satisfied that he was not running the services at a loss. The price charged was sufficient to pay the running costs, plus a little profit. He did not think it was doing the taxi proprietors much good thus to advertise the big difference between their fares and the borough charges. Councillor Payne: There is a 1c... on the tramway and bus operations this year. The council should not let the buses go outside their usual routes, and should not take people to picnics. Is it true that buses went out to Urenui yesterday, at 2s a head? Councillor Smith: Yes. Out to Urenui, but not at 2s a head. Councillor Payne: It is not right. Do you pay heavy traffic licenses? Councillor Smith: Yes! Councillor Payne: In Taranaki I mean, not the borough. Councillor Smith: Yes. In the Taranaki County. Councillor Payne: It is not right. They should not compete with private enterprise outside the borough. The buses are supposed to be run as feeders to the trams. I guarantee the trips don't pay at the prices you charge. Councillor Payne accordingly moved that the .council give instructions that in future the buses be not permitted to run trips outside the borough. After a long silence Councillor P. E. Stainton seconded pro forma. Councillor Smith explained that they were only carrying on the policy of those who preceded them. He was quite willing to abandon the practice if the council thought fit, but the engineer assured him that the trips paid. Councillor Payne: Come on. Let’s know the price. Councillor Smith declined to quote figures in this connection, maintaining that it wag the department’s private business. Councillor J. Brown said he could not see eye to eye with Councillor Payne. The council ran trams and buses as a commercial _ nroposition. It was no fault of the engineer’s that the department was not going to show a profit this year. He was out for business. An important reason for the tramways not paying was the effect of private enterprise. The taxi people talked about the council poaching on their preserves, but did not think to mention how they competed with the council by taking passengers along the tram routes. The taxi people had had the opportunity fcr years of taking passengers out .to the Meeting of the Waters, and because the enterprising tramway department opened up the run, the tax-i people began to complain. He agreed that the buses should not be run outside the borough if they did not pay. Councillor Stainton suggested ‘hat if the taxi proprietors were reminded that they were once invited to meet the tramway committee to discuss such mattery though they did not avail themselves of the offer the invitation still held, it mi’ht give them the opportunity of reconsidering the matter and meeting the tiamway committee. He moved that the taxi proprietors be informed accordingly. Councillor Payne agreed to withdraw his motiofi, for which there was no other support, and seconded Councillor Stainton’s motion, which was carried unanimously.