CO129-454 - Acting Governor Claud Severn - 1919 [4-6] — Page 65

FIT

62

against your Petitioners and the acknowledgment

of their right to preferential treatment no justifable grounds existed for not accepting the

tender of your Petitioners save some reason of

public policy of the nature of which your Petition-

ers are unaware.

(o) That your Petitioners maintain the successful

tenderers cannot possibly make the services pay

and one of three alteratives appears to be

inevitable viz :-

(1) That the successful tenderers will petition

the Government to allow the fares to be

increased, or

(2)

To consent to the monthly rent being reduced,

or

(3)

That they will be unable to maintain the

Ferry Service,

(p)

(a)

Your Petitioners know that the loss on the present

running is considerable.

That no real consideration was, in fact, given to the undeniable and admitted claims of your Petitioners; no reasons were given why their claims were overlooked; no reply to their representations

was received.

That no injurious affection of the interests of the travelling public could have arisen, and none were ever suggested as possible to arise, if the request of your Petitioners had been acceded to. (r) That it is clear the Goverment must have had some

ulterior motive in over-riding the claims of your Petitioners and, though your Petitioners do not

-6-