RETURN TICKETS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1622, 13 December 1912, Page 8

RETURN TICKETS.

ON TRAMWAYS. COUNCILLOR FROST'S MOTION. NOT FAVOURED BT COUNCIL. Considerable discussion took place at the City Council meeting last night over Councillor Frost's motion:

"That a Gd. return excursion ticket to Lyall Bay, Island Boy, and Botaniea.l Gardens be issued on all lines within the city boundary daily, except Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays, such ticket to .allow the holder to make one transfer to and from the destination. The tickets to be available only on cars leaving from 10 a.m. to 11.30, and the return portion available only on cars leaving between 2 p.m. and '4.30 p.m., such return journey to bo completed before 5 p.m." "

The Tramways Committee reported that the Board of Management had been asked to report on the matter, and had furnished the following:— . "In making this proposal the method of dealing with seaside excursions in Christchurch on the Sumner line has been referred to. The board desires to point out that in Christchurch no transfer ticket is given, and the cars start from Cathedral Square, thus all intending passengers from other lines are required to pay tho ordinary fares on those lines. When dealing with the seaside return tickets recently, the board purposely recommended a iow fare (4d. return) from the city, having in view that intending passengers on other lines would .require to pav the ordinary fares. Practically tho only lines affected by Councillor Frost's proposal aro Brooklyn, Botanical Gardens, Ato Street, Oriental Bay, Wallace Street, and. Wadestown. Under the board's proposal, a Brooklyn resident can travel to Lvcl.l Bay if or Bd. return cash fere; Aro 'Street residents, Gd. return; Botanical. Gardens. Gd- return; Oriental Bay, Gd. return; Wallace Street, Gd. return;'and Wadestown, lOd. return. It will thus lie seen that the Gd. return ticket would benefit only Brooklyn and Wadestown residents. As Wadestown residents aro subiect to special rating, it is extremely doubtful as to whether any in-terefc-rence with the regular fare would be welcomed by thoso required to make up the deficiency in rates. As to Brooklyn, the residents of this locality have at present the cheapest fares of any district served by the system, if resarcl is paid to the high operating costs. The beard is of opinion that it is undesirable ,to introduce the transfer system, entailing- as it does extra work for conductors and cash clorks, and,' as was • previously found, attended with considerable difficulties and abuses. Moreover, if once introd'uced, similar requests will be made by residents of all districts, -which, if granted, will result in serious loss of. revenue. The hoard desires to direct attention ■to tho following, taken from .the report of the chairman of the Christchurch Tramways Board, "accompanying balance-sheet for 1911-12:—

■* "'Seaside, excursion tickets to Sumner, operating costs per single journey, 4.09 d.; rccflipts, 3d.' "These figures clearly show that the receipts on~tliis line do not pay for the cost of running the cars. There may he no doubt as to the popularity of tho-linc referred to, but it is clear' that the Christchnrch Tramways Board is actually losing money on this line, even without regard, to the fixed charges on its undertaking. The board strongly recommends that no-departure be made from the proposal made and which has since been modified by the council by extending the excursion rates to Island Bay, and against which the board does not wish to object, more particularly as it was intended to recommend such extension if the original proposal were successful. In conclusion, it is extremely doubtful if the new proposal even as it at present stands will result beneficially from a .financial point of view, as during the last few days of warm weather tho cars to the seaside have been well filled with passengers at ordinary 'fares." Both tho report and tho motion were discussed at considerable length. The report was adopted, bvit Councillor Frost's motion on being put to the meeting was lost by twelve votes to four. While on the subject of tramways, the council decided that the Tramways Board of Management be authorised to extend their excursion fare proposals to Seatoun, if they found this course practicable, and likely to be of benefit to the department; - .