TRAMWAY REFORM.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 573, 30 July 1909, Page 9

TRAMWAY REFORM.

'CONSIDERATION OFFARES AND : : : feVv SECTIONS,/ •■■i;.;>.^: : '': ; .■■■■ 'CHANGES PROPOSED, v/: !! -;/ An important report on tramway/fares and sections was submitted'to last night's' meeting: of .the-City Council by Mr...Stuart 'Rich-: ardsbn, : City Electrical Engineer. . The report : bears on '■: the whole ; , system/of., sections >and the scale oi charges now force,and covers a/'comprehensive rearrangement ;of- sections. //Mr.-/Richardson stated that,' after 1 giving' careful, consideration to various schpmes in.-" volvirig'radical''alterations'in the sections, ho was of .the; opinion that no. schemo.based on ;such'. : alterations;; would b'o free from 'on the. present sections, ; 'which, have been in ; existence since the-inception of the' service,' because the pay-' ablo traffic ; how'eiisting 1 on,.the.main^lines. would be diverted from its present: channel i with 'an'; undoubted probability of ;inconvbnibnco '.tpiiho.grcq't' majority .of citizens, .:'ahd' a. : grayo;'risk;.of li sqriously/.reducing,the'revenue, Exairiinatibn'..of, such'schemes had shown the ,difficultv.'','tha't'.;cxi r sts ii in. urr'angiiig-'.sections of anything like'equal length; oil the different | routesj'.'anu'dt tho same .timc' : placing, section 'points •iiv : tho:greati'centres of' public aetiriiy,' so,:.as not : to '..interfere . frith [ the natural. flow-: of, traffipr.betwMnrecbgnised; points, in the city,;-.Fbr i-thtso ■ reasons,;; tho /Engineer'.: be-,, lieve'd.'it .would- be very inadvisable to alter, 'the.existing, sections'. ;-,lt- must, howover, bo recognised that : 'rluc consideration should', be. given: to : thc:'claims/of*tho public resident; .in \thosc,-parts', of 'the city'where tho. sections, .showj mi/ anomalous: position 'in/respect' ; to ■^^>;-^'; ; .u>' ; ord6r,"'toV'prbvido\,'for'.:a''-r.easdn-' able .adjustinerit',; and.'to';bririg, as far as practicable, ■■'■. the 'suburban, residents. under .equal conditions, : he - recommended ■'. the '■: following .bchenio" 'for'.:tho: committee's'faybimiblo con--sideratio'n. , ''TJndertthis scheme, h'o.alteration : ■whateveris made ift ; the present sections, tho inequality in :fares being met ;by tho sale of ;tw.enty T f ouf-trip \ tickets; issued', at a. discbunt, on : tho :o'rdinary.; : fares.-' Tho■' sec'tions: over•: which -these', tickets: should;be vavailablo,' and ~toVbo. charged; -are -a 6 follow I--';:':;.:;;.;;.', <■';/'.' ■■■?., .//<;■'' : ; /-//'■///. -./:/■ '-/./■'-'■/■/,! .24-ridaticket. -S- f: i': ' :; '--vV !i - '- ///: Present -Per' Per / ..°°v■" ■-':-■ : Bc ' w ?Dn; v ;.;./..;,.:fare..;- ; ,-ride;' ticket. 'Hand. -///// ;' ■^■J:. , J:/-.'lsland. : .'Bas;''ahd''Co'nr- ■";.''.."■'' va.;'-'i-.tenajy.Pla'ce. .\.;';..:V3d.\; > -2J /45.6 d: ; ;^;.: . : Luxford.;.St;,W.-;and, v* .■.''. •':'■'. - - ';/y, //;/Y:.Cobrteriay,Placed -2d." ;"" IJV- '. : .3s. ? od,'" ;;;-';,; Islanrt'BayaridiCov-'//;/;'.,.'-. : , ; -...-;•'..' ;K;;y:2;;:6riiment(Lambton);c ;|;; -/ ■ ■/.:.'•■ ">•' ."/' '':■ - ■;■' //V/ ;;/Station ; / :Vr«i.ii"-«,: 3d./; ;';-' : : 2| . 6d i; ; *Newtow'n—•i/'/v';--.-';'- '. ..-;'y": •/;.';'.,-'•:'■'/;.', ;' 1 . ; .,-/V:-,:-';- ■■■'' '■'•■ TinakbrirßoadMandC-: '/>.'■ '■'. ~';.'!.-■.■' // .:' ; ( ':;;;/;,;Kdburne/tra^^ 'Oriental Bay- 2 -/::///'/;;;:'•£v5{J;.' '':'■ ;./■;.;_//v :.":: ..Tliorhdon Quay, aiid-:":'-//:'/:/ ' ';/ ?,- // tranl--;yi .2d..', 'i/'li;/..,35.0di; : ;Ara-Strcet-^/;r^ •;:.b. ; !J)-.Aro'' Street; arid-'Kel- ; -> ; j/;/•.■■'■' : /- I '-/ ': ;;;.;{•.:;•■ burno 'train: ;~...-.. : , -2d.--.-/"-.:.' ; - -.lj".'; 3s, Od.. '.l*Brbpklyn—/':■' /•'.;'.' 'O'-M/-' '/-v-' ■.'-■:, -).';'-'.'■■' ■ ';>/■/Brooklyn /and'-Man-'-^.':'.-" ''•'•■' '/v' /:■ ;vv;;.":;'.ners; Street :j.;.;i.U»'..11d.;:;-':ii: r 3s. Od,-. . ,r" T ,.''. ■'!?'■ ....X:':^'-^'''''-■"..;-' :: .' ;// • : l.t'j City/ ;,:•;/'/!//,; '■/y://-/--■^,M;,.'"Governin«ht(Lamb^'r : .,';::'^;';'-.':;!; :; : -- : ■;:■< .■■::■ toh):.Stn'tiori::;.;.:;....:: 3d;:-.: ; '--:'2i'.:: sslod. rV- v i< **Kiibirhie -Sr. :arid '■■ : :':y" , \ ■■'"' ''';,; ..'":; :'Courtcnay : ';.:.Place .'IJd/'. : ! lV ': 3sJ'od.' ;..;';,:;.■:*»Aos , tiß-'.Street.and'•'.;, ! :v: .;- ; - ' ?';■::. 'ft-•'■'r.Go'verniherit i (E-amb-.' : -. 1 "' l\-\ v'P■'■/■'■>ti. ■-■ ;;,;g:,;:; : ton);;. Station:;::: . 14"-: \Ss:W: .!-' ; *Th«; lid'.:; fata; is I'.at l-'present, applicable; : to -Karon -passengers :ohly,)on^combined Karori arid; city "cash faro ticket. V ■',:.;. ; ; :; '■ : : '<■■ : ■ ( •■;' •■ ; y'^lThese.are ASAL sections .by'coupon.;'..

:;//The.'nutul)er/of/ t fiections./bn:,the' : ' various 1 '.' routes'^.as ■ above,'; with'..;the- length 'in' dho/ins ; given /in ; 'Bay /-to; / ;Oourtenay,,Plaw,;,'3. Q!97).;,Luxford Street to /Courtenay;: Place,'/.2 r ''(l67); \ Island/-, Bay ■■■ ;to ;tjov©nMent/;S^tion,i Newtown, UJ. /(154) ;Cft7!i; "Aro/Street,•; .. :liV(H0) ?; ;Brfl/6klyn,,/li ,(133); Kilbiihi<fttb city .'bpundar'^i.^nd;Government Station,"' '3 ~(354);: /Kilbirnie ,';to.^;Cbu^eiiay/'Place, .V;!'}' 1 •(176); ; '>Vustiiv/St : reot-. ; arid ; .-Govcrriment'■•.Sta- ;:;,:. /V,.^The/twehtyrfpUr-trip .'tickets /"flre,/ proposed /contingent .on'/the: discontinuance : of.-the 6d.; ~ :,roturn -tfansfers.'¥nd. the ,ld. .and iljd; .coti;pbiis now /in usc./MiTho'.departmental v expcri- : ence'/bf thc ; 6d,/traris'fer.;proves it to'-lie open' ' )U>; grave,• abuses, ■•'astefficien-t' check]is;diffi-. ;cult;'with. so buinbersome/a iform:: or'ticket;;:it';alsO;'gives an.extraordinary/ conccssio'n'■ : to ;oasual/travpllers, /which' is not:.warranted//. ;/ ; The/.:present /:; coupon ;sales/ makestlie; /work- , '..of"'.cinductorß/uDneccssarily:.dilsßult,/"and;.in-.' 'Creases .the 1 cost/of ./rrt-ir.iting/andibflice/check:'. /yory /avnsiderabjy./-'The/'abolitipri :bf / .'cpu-' pons /would materially .'lesseii'.the'/ shortages ■ ;niad.o:.by../the,:.cbnductprs, /.facilitate /their ■ cashing.:upland:^^enable, the;cashiers/to /com-/ :'ple/t.o')the : cbnductors'j.ttccqurits/as'thcy ;pay' /with the sale .'of. tho. tweiiity-fbur-trip/ticket',; it 'must; be .understood .that■'. it, us, /not/.practicable for'cpnductors to sell- them, /on.iithe'/cars/'for.the.'reason - that/too much 1 k'cash/ would, be/bahdled/by -conductors, with •'consequent dolayS;in' : 'giving/chan.ge for,large ;abins,',and .the .'.liability Vot.. making, -serioua losses' through/the hurried /manner: in which; "fares -have: to bo/collected.on.crpwded/cars.. . ;Mr',.- Richardson; tlicrcfc-rp: rec'oramonded-fol-.. /lowing tho.practibo'/of thcZGbristbhuroli.and ;Dunedin;tram'H'ays:';that these'tickets:be on /sale !at/tbe;.'J'horndon;\Tram,way/;Offices',.;.ajid /at/ /.say,.;three/business/places! convenient ''to: :CourteiMyyPlace,-tbofcorner/of/Manhers and. /Willis'Streets,/and the Kelbunie.tram.' ; ;/', ;•;; Looking.■at;:',thofsoneme;vfrom : :.a.' financial' : poifflt;of ,view,;/he;;belipyed./that:-tho,Baving .effected:by tho'dUcontirioanco' of ;..the///6d..; :ta:aiisfer.ticket;. and ;i• tho:■■> coupons -•;would : .largely, compensate .for. the proposed conces-/ sior^../.-In/reporting'(m/thequestiohof, fares /and'-seotio'iisVhe. desired;it.to : be' raado/.clear .that: he had/ been '/enabled to make/these .re.cbmmeudatibns of ;.concessions; toi residents on/certain -lines',now./ under disabilities.., by taking.'the/fares on:,the/ whole 'systemp.into .; account,. and, 'not/'dealin'g. only ;/.with/ : the' claima ./Bay ; .:res/ideiits.' : ' : ,The abolition/of.:'the;,6d./transfer'woidd /mean ;that" casual trayolfers/would, havd. to, pay full fare/; concessions only, gbingito-'residents.' /' .-: ■ v,lii';a furtherire'pbrt-Mr...Kichdrdspn- said :•—. .'.'' THe/scheme of .trip./tickets,is'recommended; ' for /use on 'isyste'm*. only, •; aad a I ,wishi'.to make- it be -buccessful, should;' in my' Opinion, ;be 'strictly, limited', .to. the 'lines ;refe'rred,.'to 'in imy'; re-/ 'port.'/iA■■general application' of, these .tickets, to;all.'.linos/■ would be unworkable and • .'Unprofitable.;' /The/sections over which Lhave recbmrcended..trip.'./tickets.rtb'/be.. avayable', ■Have been deoidod/'upon/after/vory careful consideration^'of,their, practicability inworking. and/of,,,their/ :,fcho. ; revenue./'", It wiTl/.be seen that /I. have/confined /my recpni/-' /mendations to those parts;-i^c„/from.termini: towards the business .centre of." the , city, 'which 1 are how. not. so well treated ■ as /other parts :,of the system, and I -.have/specaally, , refrained from recommending concessions in-. ' ternicdiate between/ the termini on/ any of the lines.. .The'only,exception to this is the' ticket proposed from, Berhampore to CourPlace, v/hich is, in my opinion, a concession that '.tilie Berhampore .residents' are. ': :weli entitled .tb,/when tho .fares, on this' line 'Mb '■'compared, .with :Newtown/or Constable 1 Street/'/ In considering.my recommendations on this question,/! would ask tho/committee to deal with my report as a-w'hole, as I consider it undoubtedly offers/as' much in concessions to the residential rider .as:: can be prudently "given at present., If: this report is adopted I propose to lay :beforothc',committeo. in : a/ year's, time the result', of the /working/of the schemo for that period. The obmmittee will then have sufficient data boforethem to enable them to determine wheihe/r t'hos* conclusions can b»/ further: ox,'tcnd«d."- ''.',-'- '/C'euncillor Cohen' proposed, as an amendment, that; twelve-ride: 'tickets/ should' bo ' printed, instead of tickets allowing 24 rides, Councillor Smith considered that the proposals of the report were sound, and would mean a reduction in fares for/those who rei sided outside the city proper. Residents of i the central, area would; use their pennies i a.i/hitherto, ancl'wbuld not have concessions. .-/Councillor Shirtcliffo/said that, the feeling i /of the Tramway Committee:was that'the re- , port'should be dealt with/as a, whole. The i committee had given; the report full coilI sidoration, and believed that, undea 'tha sxt>-.

posed scale of fares, the revenue was not -likely to suffer. That was tho assurance of the engineer, and tho council could not do better than adopt tho proposals for a ■year. At'tho'expiry ef a twelve months' trial, they, could consider whether more con'cessions' were desirable. If Councillor Cohen's were-carried, tho printing bill Iwoukl be doubled,' and the bookkeeping work 1 increased." -. : ' Councillor Fletcher considered thosugges-' tion :of Councillor Cohen 'regarding twelverido:tickets.a very proper one. If that proposal were followed, tho council would gain, he thought.; , .." '. , ' ' : "The fares should be the samo all overthe city," said Councillor Frost. One section of residents 'should; not bo specially fa- j voufed; the distances; of penny _ sections should be:as nearly;uniform as possible."Tho! old schbmo was much better'than the pro-, posed now one, ■ and he' would not lik,o to see, tho introduction .of methods likely -to creaW confusion ;. '■■■ ' r- ■',! ; Councillor;Trevor, favoured: application of the brake: The council wore ■ perhaps going just a little too; fast,-.-'.. Fares at present wero as low as_could,reasonably be expected, and ■tliO: council were.sailing close to tho. wind. One" penny was a reasonable charge for a mile, ride, : whereas passengers'. ou. the. cars wore now. carried almost two miles.. ..-v.V :■; Councillor Luko did not cavil at any. section ,bf. the : report properj but ho supported Councillor Cohen in his amendment. 1 He did not-consider.' that; tho tramway, revenue would •,bo;'affected; at' all by tho adoption; of tho proposals,. which were intended to encourage settlement', in; the suburbs. \ '.■ ■< ' ', : ' .. ;:.."riwant to:.ask,"_ said Councillor; Trevor,, "Will a man and bis family require to buy separate.-ticltots?'! •...:',.;. ■..'■' .-.'"That is the, idea,'.'.-responded the Mayor, ' "but I, do-not'think .we can carry it out." ..■"Councillor Cohen rose hurriedly and asked: ;''Do.:you,mean to'say that a man with four children • coming into town will requiro to buy : a;.ticket.tor each of them?". ;'.':'"Yes,;. that/is the idea;'', said tho Mayor,; v.'-'-Ii: is ridiculous,'. I '!commented :Councillor ■Trevor.';:':/.':■:.'"'.:.:■,',-..:.•,..;:.. ' ,:.-; .-.:.. ;;.Councillor; Ballinger '■ said that he; had' mentioned in,' conimitteo .fhe hardship 'likely to result :from:.this ; The' engjneer had'ipmphatically .pointed oiitihowpver,' that ,thosb tickets'iwero'fof. ,the-.use ofi'residents and:;nbt.;for ;.visitors,-:.:■'/.' -■. : :. -.'-i■■;.'"■ ;•'.;Councillor Cohen's Amendment was carried by.'S-.vo't.cs'tb 6. -. .' -:; : ' '",•"■'•.'.''■-.■'" ; : :;An amendment was by Councillor .Bevinq :.."Tbat the .return' sixpenny, faro. to Island Bay.'.,bo, continued." .'This.was lost. . ;::• Gbunpillof..ißallinger • then .moved to- refer :the.,report ■ back to .tho engineer for -further consideration,;- and: this- '.was 'agreed- to 'by ,8 ■ votes'-t0:'5. : .';~ '•!. , ',' ; .'.-■:■ -; -: : .''■'"•'■:.■' '■'