NO LICENSE FOR A FOURTH BUS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18640, 18 December 1928, Page 4

NO LICENSE FOR A FOURTH BUS.

COUNCIL REFUSES APPLICATION FROM NORTH BEACH LINE. There was a lengthy discussion at the meeting of the City Council, sitting last night as licensing authority of the No. 10 omnibus district, when an application was received from the InterCity Motor Service, Ltd., for a license for a fourth bus to be run at peak hours and holidays on the North Beach route. A motion that the application be declined was carried on the voices’, Councillor Lyons asking that his votfe against the motion be recorded. Mr W. S. Bussell, on behalf of the Inter-City Service, said that the application had been before the Appeal Board last September, but the application had been turned down because he was not able to supply figures’ as to the increase in traffic on his bus route to North Beach. The trouble at present was that his service could not carry' all the passengers offering at peak hours. On one Friday recently' one of his buses had to leave thirty-five people behind in the Square. They could not cope with the traffic with the plant they' had at present. They' could not leave people on the road, especially in wet weather. It was essential that his company should have another bus. Mr J. D. Hutchison, on behalf of the Tramway' Board, said that Mr Bussell’s argument with regard to an extra bus for peak hours and holidays was not sound, because, if the license, were granted, the extra bus would probably be used at all times, and not only at peak hours and holidays. Mr Bussell’s service was mainly' for the benefit of the Wainoni district, and was notintended for competition with the Tramway Board for the North Beach traffic. Mr Hutchison contended that the main reason for the proposed fourth bus was to enter into competition with the trams. The Tramway Board was doing its best to grapple with the North Beach traffic, and it would probably embarrass the board if the application were granted for a fourth bus. The Mayor: Do you think there is congestion on Mr Bussell s service. Mr Hutchison: I do not know. Mr Bussell said that his service always ran up to time-table. At the same time, if possible, they took outside work, such as picnics. ADEQUATE TRAM SERVICE. Councillor Elizabeth M'Combs moved that the application be refused. She said that the bus licensing legislation was framed with the idea of taking cognisance of the protection of public services. There was now a thoroughly adequate tram service to North Beach. Councillor J. W. Roberts seconded the motion. He said that the Tramway' Board was now catering for the people of North Beach, and the application was for a bus to cut in on that service. The Mayor said that one f<3 the things they' had to consider was whether the tramway service was sufficiently efficient to satisfy the residents. He was much impressed with the figures quoted by' Mr Bussell, which showed a very substantial increase in the number of bus passengers, notwithstanding the improved tram service to North Beach. He considered that it was’ not the function of the licensing authority to penalise Mr Bussell, but that it should insist on the Tramway Board buying him out. Why did not the board buy him out? Councillor E. H. Andrews: Because he won’t sell out. The Mayor remarked that he considered it would do the Tramway Board good if the extra bus was granted, as it might make the board get busy in buying out Mr Bussell. „ EXTRA BUS NECESSARY. Councillor T. H. Butterfield cbntended that the extra bus was necessary'. It seemed to him that the people were served better by Mr Bussell than by the trams. He was going to support the application. Councillor 11. T. Armstrong said that on the figures he did not think the licensing authority' would be justified in granting the application. Mr Bussell wanted an extra bus for only' a 10 per cent increase in passengers. The Tramway' Board had been trying for a long time past to buy out Mr Bussell, and he was not going to be a party' to holding a pistol at the board’s head and Saying that it must pay whatever price Mr Bussell asked for. Councillor A. W. Beaven .said that, for the benefit of the Wainoni people, he thought the application should be granted. Councillor Clyde Carr, M.P., said that when the North Beach tram service was discontinued it was on the grounds that the track was in a bad state of repair. Councillor Beaven: The ratepayers of Christchurch decided to close the line. Councillor Carr said that the ratepey'ers were asked to vote for the proposal on the grounds he had mentioned. He added that the trams were now running again, but the tracks were still in the same condition. He wanted to know what was going to happen when the tracks were completely worn out. On general principles, he stood for public services, but he did not have much sympathy for the Christchurch Tramway Board as at present constituted. Councillor R. M. Macfarlana said that if the licensing authority granted Mr Bussell a license for another bus it was only adding to the cost the Tramway Board would have to pay , when buying out Mr Bussell. They had to remember that any' deficit on the tramway' system had to be borne by the whole community'. Councillor J. W. Beanland opposed the granting of the application. Councillor M. E. Lyons said that they' had to recognise that the time was coming when they must be prepared to make losses on their tramway service, because of the increasing popularity of the more mobile motor transport. He questioned whether it was a legitimate service that the Tramway' Board was running to North Beach. There was a remarkable disparity' between the fares charged on the North Beach line and on the Sumner line. The board was simply out tu crush Mr Bussell out of existence. PUBLIC V. PRIVATE ENTERPRISE. Councillor I'. R. Cooke said he stood for public service all the time. The applications of Mr Bussell for bus after bus were building up a private enterprise against a public enterprise, and he was not in favour of this. Wainoni was fairly well served by the trams. He was against any increase in private business, when it was competing with public enterprise. Councillor E. 11. Andrews said that the Tramway Board was providing more than an adequate service to North Beach. The board had made many' attempts to buy Mr Russell out. They had made Mr Bussell a reasonable offer, but he had turned it down. The Mayor: If the board had made Mr Bussell a reasonable offer, the matter would have been settled. Councillor Andrews contended that the offer he was referring to was reasonable. Continuing, he said that the

board was considering various alternatives to the present tram service to North Beach. There was a possibility of trackless trams. It had been proved beyond doubt that the cost of carrying passengers on trams was cheaper than on buses. It had been said that the North Beach trams were not] paying, but it was a fact that none j of the tram routes were paying bevond the 3d section. He contended that the North Beach tram service was adequate for the amount of traffic offering. He was not talking about Wailioni. It was not served by the trams. Councillor M’Combs’s motion was carried on the voices.