THE BUSES.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 16 June 1926, Page 8

THE BUSES.

DISCUSSION IN THE COUNCIL. PROSECUTIONS TO BE LAUNCHED. At the meeting of the Borough Council last night a protest signed by seventeen taxi proprietors ot ulnaru was received against what were described as tlic unfair actions of the proprietors or the private buses at present running in Timaru. These tiuses, it was saiu, picked up passengers at any place and set them down at their required destination, lor bus fares. The taxi proprietors were all Timaru residents, many of them ratepayers ol long standing. They conlormed to the requirements of the Council in the matter of paying license tees and submitting their vehicles tor inspection, and they iolt it an injustice to have to meet unfair competition from these buses, which, tney unI del-stood, were not licensed to jily for j hire ill the Borough of Timaru. j The Mayor said the protest was fully ! justilied. The bus proprietors com- ! plained of bad not submitted their I time-tables, they were not licensed, and they could bo prosecuted. Councillor Glnttock spoke in support of the protest, as did also Councillor Kelly. The latter moved, aud Councilor Hunt seconded, that the bus proprietors complained of be prosecuted immediately. This was carried unanimously. THE BUS STAND. Councillor Chittock drew attention to the need for defining a stand for the municipal buses. At present the private buses were taking tip tho street i where the municipal buses should stand, j He moved that that portion of Stafford j Street from George Street to Herbert’s, i on both sides, be proclaimed a stand, for the municipal buses, and that no other buses be allowed to stand there. This was seconded by Councillor Tutton. ■ Councillor Benstead raised tile question as to whether the Council had power to proclaim a stand in this way, and lie moved as an amendment that tho opinion of tlio solicitor to the Municipal- Association be obtained on the point. The Mayof said that he believed that in Dunedin they had been unable to keep buses off the municipal stand. The amendment, seconded by Councillor Yinnell, was carried. NEW BUSES. Councillor Sattcrthwaite stressed -tho importance of going fully into- the question of new buses before they actually spent the loan money, and said that the matter was sufficiently important to warrant the holding of- a special meeting of the Council for the purpose, i ■ ■■' ' Councillor Chittock spoke of the futility of spending any more money than was actually necessary on the old buses, and he proposed that; the recommendation of the cbmmittee (that a certain tender be accepted) be referred back to tho committee for further consideration. He was anxious to see the three single-deckers made up to date. • . Councillor Hart said that ho would ! oppose to the utmost of his power the ' expenditure of any more money on the old buses. The Mayor said that they wou’d re- ' quire twelve buses to run a fifteen, minutes’ service, and with tho loan money they would only bo able to pur- . chase nine new buses. No matter what . the cost- might be. they were compelled to comply with the Government regulations, and this being so they must spend some money on some of tho ; old buses. , Councillor Vinncll sugges+ed that they should have more e’astic rules that buses need not stop at stopping places when there were no passengers to pick up, and it ought to be possible to get the buses stopped on request. Councillor Kcllv, as a member of the Bus ; Committee, said that, tliev could do nothing definite until they had decided how manv new buses they would have to deal with. On a vote being taken. Councillor. Chittoek’s motion was lost on the casting vote of the Mayor, who said that the hack entrance must be nut in the buses to comply with the Government rcmi’ntioes. . . Councillor Kcllv asked what was the position in regard to those buses which were plving for biro without a license. Were tliev. like Mr Mieawber, waiting for something to turn mi? The Mayor said he took it that the Council could not do anything until the Appeal Board was set ill). Councillor Kelly said they sho.uM not fake the matter lying down. - They had the Government regulations, and he considered tliev should act upon them, and not bo guided bv what was being done elsewhere. If he had his war fip would prosecute. Councillor Hunt endorsed this. An invitation was received from Anmi'i Motors Ltd. to inspect one of fbpii’ buses which is onerating in Christei'ureh. Tfiev offered to convey Cenne ; 'lnrs to Christchurch. S ; x Councillors and the Mayor agreed to on on Monday next. A ’ette-n from the TVes* Fnd Ratonavers’ Association embodied tbe Mlowinc- resolution :—“That tin's Association stroprdv sunnorts the Council in the attitude it has tat-cn up with regard to tho opposition of private buses.”