The Tramway Election.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20092, 22 November 1930, Page 14

The Tramway Election.

There was much in the policy outlined by the Citizens' Association candidates for the Central sub-district of the

Christchurch tramway district last night that should commend itself to the electors. What the electors want is that the tramway undertaking should be so carefully and efficiently run as to pay its way, as a business should; and the last thing, therefore, that the electors can afford is to entrust the tramways to controllers whose principles and theories, though recommended by vote-catching promises, would ruin any business in very short time. The Christchurch tramways are in no state to stand such risks. In the present financial position, the danger of incompetent and rash control is specially serious; for the Board has found by experience that the tramusing population of Christchurch is declining, and that no reduction in fares will bring back to thp trams people who have ceased to need them. The effect of such reduction simply is that transport is being provided for tram-users at less than cost; but if the tramway undertaking is to be selfsupporting, as it should be, the users must provide the revenue to maintain the services they enjoy. Though anyone who wants votes can make rash promises to reduce fares and give other concessions, those promises can uever be redeemed unless costs are reduced; and there is no hint of that. Electors will therefore be wise to support candidates who declare firmly and J without reserve for a sane, economical ! policy; and the Citizens' Association candidates have taken the right stand.