No Decision Yet On Offer To Take Over City Transport

Wanganui Chronicle, 25 February 1948, Page 6

No Decision Yet On Offer To Take Over City Transport

COUNCIL DEEMS IT UNACCEPTABLE IN ITS PRESENT FORM

By seven votes to six, the Wanganui City Council, at a special meeting last night, carried an amendment to the effect that an offer made by Mr. S. A. Crichton to take over a portion of the municipal transport system, beginning with the Wanganui East route, was not acceptable in its present form. In terms of the amendment, moved by Cr. R. P. Andrews, and seconded by Cr. G. P. Hawkins, the question has been referred back to the Transport Committee, which is to consider the basis on which the eouneil will invite offers for taking over the transport system as a whole. The amendment was fully supported by the Mayor. Hon. W. J. Rogers, M.L.C., and all Latour councillors. Cr. T. N. Dickson (Citizens) voting with Labour. This decision means that no finality has yet been reached regarding the future of the city's transport system.

Several speakers in support of the amendment held that the referendum of ratepayers and electors was in favour of the whole of the transport system being operated by private enterprise in preference to municipal control, and that to hand over only a portion of it was not in keeping with the spirit of the referendum.

Last night’s meeting followed a special meeting s week previously when Mr. Crichton and his solicitor, Mr. B. C. Haggitt, were present for discussions with the council. Mr. Criehton had tentatively offered to begin a service with buses to Wanganui East, and also to Upper Aramoho, via Dublin Street, if the council preferred, by June 1, 1948 After a sitting extending over a period of three hours, however, the meeting last week was adjourned before any decision war. reached.

When the meeting was resumed last night the chairman of the Transport Committee, Cr. R. E. Jack, moved that if Mr. Crichton’s offer were accepted a start be made with Wanganui East. Much discussion followed, and Cr. Andrews later moved his amendment, which was carried on a show of hands.

Cr. Jack said at the outset that the council should first of all decide such questions as routes and waiting sheds. He moved, seconded by Cr. H. S. Delves, that if the offer were accepted, the commencing route be to Wanganui East. If it were satisfactory for a through route to be established between the city and Upper Aramoho the council might gladly avail itself of this. It was plain from the offer, however, that if privately-owned buses ran to Upper Aramoho they would compete with the existing tramway system between Kaikokopu Road and the city. Cr. Jack emphasised, however, that this decision would be provisional, so that later, when discussing the question of accepting the offer or not the council would have something to go on. Cr. W. G. Price sail that there would not be any need for competition on the Aramoho route. The buses need not pick up or set down passengers between Kaikokopu Road and the city. The Wanganui East route was the council's most paying proposition, said Cr. G. P. Hawkins, who added that he did not altogether agree with the motion. He suggested that Mr. Crichton be asked to take over the St. John’s Hill bus route in conjunction with Wanganui East. The present council buses could then run to Upper Aramoho and the trams need not run north of Kaikokopu Road. The tracks were in a deplorable condition and with the overhead gear could be scrapped and dismantled. “We must see that in handing over the transport system, private enterprise will be in a position to carry out the requirements of the council.’’ Cr. Hawkins added.

In reply to a question, the Mayor, Hon. W. J. Rogers, M.L.C., said that Cr. Jack’s motion was to the effect that the council provisionally approve of or reject the Wanganui East route being taken over. If carried it would not. mean that the council actually approved of the 'erms of the present offer. He believed, however, that the council should discuss all related aspects. “AMAZING!” Cr. J. C. Batt described the offer as an amazing proposition. The council was asked to nand over the plum of its transport system and agree to certain clauses which would enable the company to hand it back to the council two years later if it were not successful. Cr. A. J. McFarland said it was not in accordance with the wishes of the ratepayers and electors to hand over a portion of the system. The people had voted for the whole of the system being taken over by private enterprise. If a private company were to start it seemed sensible for them to begin on a route where transport was most needed, said Cr. R. N. Wilson, who added that he was in favour of the idea. Cr. Delves said that al! questions asked by the council regarding timetables, fares and continuity of service had been answered by Mr. Crichton. The city engineer (Mr. L. F. Row), to whom the council looked for guidance, had stated that it would be most unwise to allow two services to operate concurrently on the same route. "My feeling is that the council should make haste slowly on this transport question,” said Cr. T. N. Dickson. The present offer fell short of handing over the whole of the transport system to private enterprise. He believed that Mr. Crichton’s offer to take over the system piecemeal should be declined. The ratepayers wanted to be relieved of the heavy burden created by the existing system, but if Mr. Crichton’s offer were accepted-they would not be given any such relief. Statistics produced by Mr. Row had shown that the Wanganui East route was obviously the best operated by the council and It —mild not be good business to hand it over. The whole question required more and careful consideration, even if 12 months elapsed before any decision was reached. The matter should go back to the Transoort Committee. said Cr. Dickson, adding that he must oppose the motion. In reply to a point raised by Cr. Jack, the Mayor said that the question of route was related to the offer In general. The council would make more progress by discussing the whole question. The people had decided by an overwhelming vote that the council was to cease operating the transport system and hand it over to private control, said the Mayor. He had never thwarted this decision of the electors, hut he agreed with Cr. Dickson that the question should go back

to the Transport Committee in an endeavour to arrive at a decision winch would mean the wishes of the people being implemented and the whole of the transport system being handed over to private' enterprise. HAS DOUBTS Cr. R. P. Andrews said that he also had doubts as to whether the handing over of only part of the system would mean giving effect to the wishes of the ratepayers. Seconded by Cr. Hawkins, Cr. Andrews then moved that the question be referred back to the Transport Committee. Cr. Jack said that Mr. Crichton had asked for a decision by the end of the month. “I am prepared to move the major issue so that he will know where he stands.” Cr. Jack added. Cr. Batt said he could not agree to any proposition unless the company concerned had a five-year plan for taking over the whole of the city’s transport. On the suggestion of the Mayor Cr. Andrews agreed tc altering his amendment so that it would read: “That as Mr. Crichton's offer was not acceptable in its present form the question be referred back to the Transport Committee.” Cr. W. S. N. Rennie said the council should make up its mind as to what it wanted. The council was constituted to decide its policy. Much had been said aoout “plums,” but he had yet to see them in a transport system. Cr. Dickson had suggested that by handing over the Wanganui East route the council would be losing £2500 over a period ot two years, but he did not see how these figures could be substantiated, Cr. Rennie added. The council should decide its policy now and make up its mind as to whether it wanted something done now, or whether it was prepared to allow the matter to drift till in all probability nobody would be interested. A considerable time had already elapsed since the question was first discussed. "It is our job to clarify the matter in our own minds and say that we want to do certain things,” said Cr. Rennie. “Even if It were not stated in the referendum, I believe it was understood that we wanted to start with Wanganui East as a basis for a change-over.” Mr. Crichton’s offer provided for a service to Wanganui East or Upper Aramoho, or both if the council desired. He was prepared to begin operations by June 1 and the council should reach a decision one way or the other that night. It would not be fair to leave the onus of such , an important decimon to the Transport Committee. Reviewing all the steps taken by the council since the referendum, the Mayor expressed the opinion that fairly rapid progress was made Cr. Andrews suggested that the Transport Committee, together with the whole council, could tackle the question that night and formulate a possibility. MUCH PUBLICITY • Cr. Izard said that much publicity had been given to this matter and he believed that if any persons had been interested they would have come forward. Mr. Crichton’s proposals were reasonable and he was following a scheme suggested by the city engineer which would mean a gradual replacement of the whole of the transport system. The state of the trams and tracks generally was such that it was obvious that something must be done soon. "I have no reason to doubt Mr. Crichton’s ability to take over the whole system,” Cr. Izard added. “He should be given an opportunity of going ahead and the council, in view of the ratepayers’ decision, would be failing in its duty if it failed to allow him to do so.” “Although I would prefer to see a company with the necessary resources to be assured in advance of taking over the whole of the city’s transport, I think it extremely unlikely that this could b? obtained, in view of the very poor response to our advertisements and of the deterioration in the industrial situation and the transport Industry since the council first called for offers,’’ said Cr. Jack. SHOULD BE GIVEN A TRIAL "The citizens want a privately operated transport service, and I think there is a much better chance of our giving it to them if we start with Mr. Crichton’s proposal than if we throw it overboard in the faint hope of getting any person or company to provide the large amount of capital required to guarantee taking over the whole system without a trial period—a trial Mr. Crichton Is prepared to undertake at considerable risk to himself.

"We must accept the fact that, if we accept Mr. Crichton’s offer and he does not succeed in expanding to take over the whole city, then we shall he scourged from armchair and soapbox for not having accepted his proposal (even though the city has very substantial protection in the meantime). If we turn down his offer and then (almost certainly, as I think) fail to get any private system at all. then we shall be similarly scourged for turning down the one offer we have. Eut tha* is one of the -ewards of public office at which we must not wince.”

Cr. Jack added that his mind was dear, and while opposing the amendment he proposed giving notice that he would move that Mr. Crichton’s offer he accepted. Cr. Dickson said that this was the only offer received by the council, which had been under consideration almost since the present body was elected. There was always a possibility that another would be made, and till the council was certain that

none other would be forthcoming it dare not accept Mr. Crichtons offer because it would be gambling with the ratepayers’ money. Mr. Crichton was quite at liberty to gamble with his own money, out the council would not be justified in gambling with the money of the ratepayers. The council should go further afield and advertise in New Zealand, Australia and Great Britain, said Cr. McFarland. In reply to a question, the Mayor said that if the amendment were carried Mr. Crichton would be advised that his offer was not acceptable in its present form. The question would go back to the Transport Committee, which would then consider the basis on which the council would invite offers for the transport system being taken over as a whole. The amendment was carried by seven votes to six. For it, when voting was taken on a show of hands, were the Mayor, and Crs. Hawkins, Anjrews, Price, Batt, McFarland and Dickson. Against the amendment were Crs. Jack, Rennie, Wilson, Delves, Izard and Gilberd. “I endeavoured to lead the council to water, but the council would not drink,” said Cr. Jack, asked by the Mayor if he would prefer a meeting of the Transport Committee immediately. "I would rather give the matter further consideration,” he added. The meeting then concluded.