NEWCASTLE'S CITIZENS SUPPORT THE MUNICIPALITY'S BUS BILL.
Page 63
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
CONTR ARY to general expectation, citizens of Newcastle have signified their almost complete approval of the elaborate new Bill which the local municipality has prepared for submission to the present session of Parliament. Ratepayers were given an opportunity of expressing their views on the corporation's proposals, at a town's meeting held on Tuesday last, and whilst certain opposition was met the two resolutions put before the meeting were carried by overwhelming majorities.
The provisions of the newBill have already been described at length in The Commercial Motor, and, briefly, they seek powers to enable the municipality to run buses anywhere within a 21-mile radius of the city in the County of NorthiimberIand, upon seeurina the consent of the local authoritieT concerned; to replace trams for buses as may be found desirable ; and to operate buses for private-hire work.
At the town's meeting the chairman of the corporation transport committee, Alderman R. Mayne, said that the object of the Bill was not to enable the corporation to set up as motor omnibus proprietors, but simply to preserve the local municipal transport system. The municipality wanted to give the cheapest and most efficient form of transport, whatever it might be.
Objection was forthcoming from Mr. Septimus Ward, of the Newcastle Branch of the National Citizens' Union, which has in the past, on numerous occasions, championed the cause of private enterprise in its battles with the municipality. Mr. Ward contended that municipalization, like nationalization, had failed, and urged that healthy competition was productive of the best results. "The Bill," be added, "is an attempt to secure a monopoly. The corporation would only be wasting time and money in going on with the Bill, because the Municipal Corporations Associations WLIS now preparing a Bill which dealt with the question nationally."
When the resolutions were put to the meeting only 20 persons recorded their opposition to the corporation's proposals.