CATERING FOR TOURISTS

Taranaki Daily News, 24 November 1934, Page 17 (Supplement)

CATERING FOR TOURISTS

AUCKLAND AND TARANAKI

THROUGH MOTOR RUN WANTED.

AUTHORITY ADJOURNS DECISION.

Road transport matters of importance to Taranaki, particularly as affecting the Auckland-Taranaki passenger 'service, were discussed at New Plymouth yesterday, when the Central Transport Licensing. Authority (Mr. J. A. C. Allen) held a sitting. The principal business concerned, an application from Gibson’s Motors Ltd. to be allowed to run through to Auckland instead of only between New Plymouth and Hamilton as at present. decision was reached on this question, which has been before the authorities on several occasions, the central authorities yesterday deciding to adjourn the matter to Rotorua, where the question of co-ordinating the timetables of various North Island services will be discussed.

There being:no opposition the application for ,the transfer of the license of E. Innes-Jones to Gibsons Motors Ltd. was granted. Decision on an application by Gibsons Motors for permission to amend the time-table to allow the New Plymouth-Hamilton bus to depart at 1.30 pan. in lieu of 11 a.m. was reserved. '■

Mr. H. Baily appeared for Gibsons Motors,' Mr. L. M. Moss for Mr. E. InnesJones, and Mr. F. H. Haigh for Markeys Motors Ltd. Newby’s Motors Ltd. were also represented. In support of .the application for the amendment of the time-table to allow of the bus for Hamilton leaving New Plymouth at 1.30 p.m. instead of 11 a.m., Mr. Baily," secretary for Gibsons Motors Ltd., said the alteration would benefit the travelling public as it would give five and a-half hours’ interval between the two services as against three hours at present. - It would thus give travellers or tourists arriving at New Plymouth the previous evening additional time to do their business or visit the scenic resorts and. then travel on to Auckland the same evening.' Moreover, it would co-ordinate with the railway services, as passengers arriving by the fast Wanganui train at 1 p.m. at New Plymouth would have time to have their lunch and catch the bus, which it was proposed should catch the fast Auckland express at Frankton Junction at 8.17 p.m. and arrive at Auckland at 10.54 p.m., OBJECTION TO CHANGE. Mr. Haigh said that Markey and Newby opposed the alteration as they saw no reason why the service should not connect with their, bus as at present. .Mr. Baily said he understood Mr Sterling would support the proposed alteration, .which would link up with the railway services, though he had no authority to say that the Railway Department wanted the service. It would, however, provide that passengers leaving Wanganui at 8.20 a.m. would arrive at Auckland the same night. Mr. Baily Said they were prepared to nin their cars to Frankton Junction and return to Hamilton. The service would not conflict with any other road service. It would mean that passengers would go from Hamilton to Auckland by train instead of by Markey’s and Newby’s cars. The only connection that would be missed was the one to Rotorua, and passengers for Rotorua usually spent the night at Waitomo Caves and could go direct to Rotorua by the White Star., service next morning. No mails were affected.

Mr. Haigh pointed out that passengers would arrive at Auckland much later than at present, which would be unsatisfactory. The companies concerned in the'.Rotorua connection should also have been’given the opportunity of being represented, as they were vitally affected, t The authority pointed out that the journey would be speeded up, as passengers would leave New, Plymouth two snd a-half hours later and arrive in Auckland only one hour and ten minutes later, saving almost an hour and a-half.

Mr. ‘ Haigh said the service had been in operation for a number of years and an alteration had not been asked for.

Mr. Moss said representatives of the 1 Taranaki Chamber of Commerce and various public organisations at New Plymouth were prepared to give evidence in support ■of the application. Inquiries at New Plymouth, Stratford and Hawera showed that the change was favoured. It was considered that 11 o’clock was an odd time to depart. Passengers who wished to leave early could either take the night train or the early morning bus. Mr. W. C. Weston said that the Chamber of Commerce, had not discussed the proposed change or the time of departure. He felt that he could wholeheartedly, support it as the present departure time was a “no . man s time, being either too early or not early enough. Representing the New Plymouth Borough Council, Mr. P. E. Stainton said he had personally found 11 a.m. unsatisfactory as it was a sort of odd time. He was present there as representative of the borough council to support the through service to Auckland irrespective of who ran it. To the Licensing Authority: The 8.20 train from Wanganui is a very valuable one to New Plymouth. To Mr. Moss: The alteration would be in the public interest. Mr. Vai Duff as representative of the Tourist Department als' gave evidence in support of the application. He considered there was a demand for the alteration. Mr. Haigh submitted that there was no demand for it. That concluded the evidence and decision Was reserved. REHEARING NOT WANTED. At |the outset the authority made it clear that he did not want the application to develop into a rehearing of previous applications, which had been dismissed. He asked that evidence be . confined to what had followed the refusal of the application last December by-the former Central Authority. Mr.. Baily submitted that since then the whole of the traffic had been reorganised and the connection with the 7.30 a.m. cars from Auckland at Hamilton had been condensed into .one service from Hamilton to New Plymouth run by Gibsons Motors Ltd., the only service between Hamilton and New Plymouth, and Gibsons were now applying for the right to run right through from . Auckland, leaving there at 8 a.m., and to Auckland, leaving Hamilton at 3 p.m. The service if reinstated would carry 'only passengers holding their own through tickets and so . would not enter into competition with the railway or any other service. It was solely for the purpose of making a suitable through service for direct traffic without changing between Auckland, Waitomo Caves and New Plymouth, on which _ route there was no other through service. The service, originally instituted seven or eight years ago, had been run successfully. Thousands of tourists and through passengers were well pleased and mostly considered it one of the most comfortable and pleasant trips in New Zealand, as well as an excellent tourist one. Figures regarding the traffic showed that from February to October, 1934, 5030 passengers, had been carried, averaging 9.16 per trip, of whom an average of 2.52 on the upward trip and 3.0 on the downward trip were handed to or received from Markey’s or Newby’s Motors. In September, 1933, the average was 6.03 against -7.65 in September, 1934, and in October : the figures were 6 and 8.61 respectively. In 1932 and until the service was co-ordin-ated they had averaged five passengers per trip through. Tourists and sightseers were most em-phatic-against changing from one service to another so soon after their departure or so close to their destination,, and that prevented many from making the trip. The co-ordinated service was, he held, having the effect of driving the tourist traffic into the hands of taxi proprietors, who went round and induced them to use charter cars.

The Licensing Authority: I wonder you have hot followed that up. Mr., Baily: Have we the. power? Mr. Baily said that the early, hour of departure from Auckland : was having the same effect. He pointed out that the Railway Department had never objected to the reinstatement of the services. He made it clear that Gibsons did not intend to cater for.tie passengers between Hamilton and Auckland. Moreover, a very detrimental feature was that the present connections with Newbys and Markeys did not in ; any way advertise the attractions of New

Plymouth or the district and, moreover, the present 7.30 a.m. cars from Auckland had to cater for their own daily local services as well as Gisborne, Napier, Rotorua, Hamilton, Waitomo and New Plymouth connections. If the' service were reinstated, even on the present small number of passengers carried, Gibsons Motors could carry it on at a financial profit, as the overhead expenses would not be increased, whilst their Auckland office could be used for propaganda work to attract more passengers. SERIOUS ASPECT., The serious aspect was that- under coordination they were losing the tourist traffic, not only on the road, but also for trips to tjie mountain and other services in the district. That wa: a serious detriment because they, had to maintain a large fleet of efficient vehicles available at any time for the carriage of large parties. They maintained that they were entitled to travel right through to Auckland, where tourist propaganda could be successfully used instead of having to rely on their opponents for passengers. They had for several years worked- successfully to. secure that traffic and still believed it could be secured if they were in a position to effectively canvass. Admittedly Auckland was the best city for. tourist propaganda. They had initiated a good service, yet today they were practically cut out of that traffic. The Authority: You say that the result of the co-ordination has not been what was anticipated and you ask that that your service be reinstated. . Mr. Baily said they had carried on the service successfully for. years and if successful in their application he was certain they could do so again. The authority said that a telegram had just been, received from those operating in the No. 4 district asking that the time-table be amended to provide that the btts ior Napier and Gisborne leave Auckland at 7 a.m. so’as to provide a more-suitable connection at Rotorua. That, he . said; would make the New Plymouth position , worse. Mr. Baily: Yes; you’ll have to grant us our 8 o’clock service. • ■ _

Mr. Baily asked'permission to put in a letter from Thomas Cook and Sons pointing but that the ,7.30 a.m., car was too early and was encouraging chartered cars.' • Mr. Haigh said it was the same old story and the same old cry. He objected to the . evidence, unless it was possible to cross-examine. ’ • The- authority agreed that if there could not be cross-examination the evidence was of little value, but Mr. Baily might be . able to submit the relevant evidence through Mr. Duff. The letter from Messrs. Thos. Cook and Sons stated that departure at 7.30 a.m. was too early for tourists who were visiting New Zealand for pleasure. Moreover,, tourists did not like changing cars. Those might be minor matters but they made all the difference between satisfied and dissatisfied visitors. There had been a marked increase in the number of hired cars, so that it was obvious that the efforts 'of the authority to reduce the number of cars had not’been effective. It was very hard/ they said, to get' visitors to. visit districts where there were'.so many, changes, and the change at Hamilton certainly did not help. them.. . ' Valentine Duff,, whose firm is the- representative of .'.the Tourist .Department, said, that the department did not like changes ,of ; cars, as passengers did not like, to change with the possibility of an inferior seat. •

The Authority; That complaint is general.

Mr., Duff said he .was authorised to represent to the department that this service was, the only through service between Auckland and' New. Plymouth, via Waitomo. It gave passengers for New Plymouth the opportunity of arriving at Waitomo for lunch and spending the afternoon and evening at the caves, though the return trip , was mot so suitable, As far as the department was concerned the through service provided a good service, taking the passengers from their hotel in one terminuus to, their hotel in the other.

The Authority: Some people like that, but the first man in the car does not like'calling at various places, and there have been complaints.

Mr. Baily: We pick the passengers up with a different car. Witness said the department was definite that the through service was a distinct advantage from a tourist point of view. He added that the cars on the Taranaki portion of the route were really first-class and could not be beaten anywhere for the standard of comfort.

Replying to the authority, Mr. Duff said he was not in a position to judge what egect the opening of the railway had had, as his firm had only taken over the agency since the railway had opened. Mr. Baily considered that the firm interested in the Waitomo traffic should also have been ' consulted.

Mr. Haigh held that it should have been represented if it wished to give evidence.

PASSENGER’S EXPERIENCE.

Mr. G. H. Saunders, general manager of picture interests at New Plymouth, said that prior to the abolition of the through, service he used to travel to Auckland by the service every month to attend a meeting of directors on a Monday. He travelled on Sunday and returned on Tuesday. Since the changeover he had travelled only twice by the service car. The reason was that on the first occasion in March he found that 'instead of the usual comfortable trip he had to change over at Hamilton, where he arrived at 2.45 p.m. and left again at 3.25 p.m. Instead of his usual comfortable seat he was crowded into a much smaller seat and had a woman and a boy as well as the driver also occupying the front seat. He reached Auckland at 7.5 p.m. instead of 5.50 p.m. Gn the return journey he left Auckland in a crowded bus at 7.30 a.m. and had to wait at Hamilton half an hour. He noticed that six children between Rangiriri and Hamilton had to be left behind because there was no room. He had considered writing to the Transport Board but thought that it would be futile. Since then with one exception he had travelled in his own car.

Mr. Haigh asked why the matter had not been put before the authorities? Replying to the authority Mr. Saunders said that if the meeting were held on Tuesday he would still go by his own car in preference to the train, as he preferred to travel during the day. Mr. Haigh: As a business man do you say that you would prefer to waste three days in preference to one day and two nights by train if the meeting were held on a Tuesday? Mr. Saunders: No ifs came into it: The authority said it Was understood that the business men as distinct from the tourist would prefer to use the train. CATERING FOR TOURISTS ' Mr. Weston said that the Chamber of Commerce whole-heartedly supported the application for a through service. It was recognised that the tourist preferred to travel by day and the chamber had complete confidence in Gibson’s service. It was considered that as the result of the abolition of the through service New Plymouth had lost a number of tourists. The chamber was very sympathetic towards the railway but recognised that the service in question was primarily a tourist one and the chamber felt that the abolition of the through sei-vice meant a great loss in the number of tourists. As far as the business people were concerned the train service meant a saving in time. Replying to Mr. Haigh, Mr. Weston

said he considered the change at Hamilton was detrimental, to, tourist traffic. The' Hpn. James McLeod said he had been actively' identified with the Tourist League, which had assisted to build up a tourist business to' the district. Something like £15,000 had been expended on a hostel which had been handed over to the Mountain House Committee. As a result of the activities of the Tourist League and of Gibson’s Motors, Ltd.. Jn advertising local attractions and getting into close personal touch a number of overseas tourists had been attracted to New Plymouth • during the last few years. This year there had been a falling off. The authority: It was chance that the result of the co-ordination was not what was expected. Mr. McLeod said that statistics would show that there had been a very, considerable falling off in the tourist traffic. It was surprising that the bulk of the traffic now came from Wellington and not from Auckland, due, he thought, to the Auckland traffic being diverted. CHARTERED CARS’ INROADS. He had not known anything about contract cars until four or five months ago, but since then he had attended various conferences at which the subject had caused considerable concern. He felt that the chartered licensed car was doing considerable damage to the tourist traffic to New Plymouth, as such cars preferred round trips instead of Long ones. There appeared a clear indication that the Tourist Department had a leaning towards that class of traffic at Auckland, which was making serious inroads on the rights -of schedule services. As one of those accustomed to meet distinguished overseas visitors, he recognised that last year was the lightest experienced at New Plymouth for 20 years. On the other hand shipping statistics did not show that the number of travellers was the lightest. He considered the tourist considered comfort first. Mr. P. E. V. Stainton said that after full consideration the council had passed' a resolution affirming that a through service was desirable without supporting any particular firm. The authority:. What has arisen since the application ' was refused to justify this application? Mr. Stainton said that .councillors had given personal experiences where visitors from Australia had decided not to come to Taranaki because of the change in cars. His own famliy had decided to travel by train on account of the necessity for changing. His experience was that the train service was used by the business men who wished to save time but that the tourists preferred the car, though they objected to the change. Mr. E. Innes-Jones gave evidence that a through service was preferable. He knew that because his passengers were pleased when the co-ordinated services obviated a change at Te Kuiti. Mr. Haigh: Last year you gave evidence that the change over was perfectly satisfactory. Witness said he did not remember saying so, but if he did say so it was because he had to stop at Hamilton.

Mr. Haigh said that it had not been proved that the change was necessary in the public interest. Th a vital test was whether the existing services coped with the traffic reasonably, and they had failed miserably to show that they did not. All the arguments submitted had already been threshed out time and time again.

The authority: I am asked to consider the application in the light of the experiences of the co-ordination. Mr. Haigh: They have only said that what they feared would happen has happened. The authority: It is alleged that the co-ordination has proved unsatisfactory and that people in order to obviate the change over have chartered cars. Mr. Haigh said there had been no move to report that; nor had Mr. Sanders reported his complaint. The authority said that operators should not allow matters to develop but should make representations with a view to stopping complaints. “THE ECONOMIC WAY.” Mr. Haigh submitted that co-ordinating all the services as was done at present was the economic way of running. The evidence had only given generalities and not definite figures to show the actual falling off, which should have been of paramount... importance. . Indeed Mr. Bailey’s figures showed an increase rather than a decrease. It was clear that Gibson’s service had been killed by The railway, a matter on which Mr. Bailey naturally used the soft pedal. He had been told that there had been a falling off of 50 per cent, since the railway was opened. It was a poor compliment to the attractions of New Plymouth to say that the change over at Hamilton prevented tourists from viewing them. Newby and Markeys carried an average of only two passengers for New Plymouth, and he doubted if that number would be increased in the event of a through service. He thought the chartered car could be stopped. • Andrew Markey said that he had had no complaints regarding the change at Hamilton. Gibson’s Motors had never made any complaint regarding the early time of departure. If that had been done representations could have been made to the authority to alter the time of departure from Auckland. The chairman: That would not suit the Napier and Gisborne services. Mr. Markey said that if the Napier services were to leave Auckland at 7 o’clock they would then apply for the next service to leave Auckland at 8.30 a.m., instead of at 10.30 a.m. Mr. W. A. Newby also objected to the application. He submitted fiures showing that for some months he had carried an average of 1.9 through passengers per day between Hamilton and Auckland, their fares averaging 19s 7d. Between Auckland and Hamilton he had carried an average of 2.2 per day, the fares averaging £1 2s 9d. On those figures a through service to Gibson’s, Ltd., would show a loss as the firm could not run a big bus 164 miles at 3d per mile. He had never heard a complaint

regarding the change. The opening of the railway had meant a difference of 75 per cent, to the bookings at the Hamilton office. The authority asked whether Gibson’s Motors had considered leaving Hamilton after the arrival of the 9.8 a.m. train from Auckland. Mr. Catley said that after allowing time for lunch that would land passengers at New Plymouth too late for dinner. The authority said that the position was not so easy of solution as it might appear. There was the question of the coordination of the time-table for all other centres from Auckland. He had therefore decided to adjourn the matter to Rotorua at a date to be decided on. All interested parties would be notified, and possibly an informal discussion would first be held with a view to arriving at some time-table suitable to all districts.