BUS PROPRIETOR MAKES COMPLAINT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18992, 11 February 1930, Page 9

BUS PROPRIETOR MAKES COMPLAINT.

SAYS COUNCIL HAS NOT TREATED HIM FAIRLY. A complaint that he had not received equitable treatment from -the City Council in connection with its decision to abolish omnibus stands in Cathedral Square, was made to a reporter this morning by Mr G. Lowis, who conducts several observation tours. Mr Lowis said that he did not ask for any favours in connection with the matter, but seeing that the council had decided to issue special permits to the Tramway Board and the Inter-City Motor Services, Ltd., to start their observation buses from Cathedral Square, he thought that it was only right that he should be granted a similar privilege. As a result of the council’s decision he would be compelled to start from Victoria Square, which would mean the 4 ruination of the business he had built' up during the past few years.

“In order that I should be able to use the stand by the Government Life building, which the council has now decided to abolish, I purchased a twentyseater observation bus at a cost of £1200,” said Mr Lowis. “My business is not the same as that of the ordinary service cars; it is very largely a catch business, and unless I am allowed to have a stand in a central position I will probably lose the bulk of the patronage. I feel that by being forced into Victoria Square I will be forced to give up altogether, as an important factor in the success of a business such as I run is that the bus should start from a central position, and should be seen by visitors to the city.” Mr Lowis said that as the council had granted special permits for the Tramway and the Inter-City observation buses to start from the Square, he thought that it would be a fair thing to allow his buses to start from outside the Government Tourist Bureau. The officers of the Tourist Bureau supported him in this request, as they considered that there would be difficulty in directing visitors to the city to the starting-place in Victoria Square. All he was asking for w’as to be allowed to stop ten minutes on this stand before the commencement of his trips, and in view of the special treatment given to the other observation services he thought that that was a reasonable request to make.