TRAM CONCESSIONS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2704, 25 February 1916, Page 7

TRAM CONCESSIONS

WORKERS' TICKETS PLEA FOR THE NINE O'CLOCK WORKER. Messrs. Humphries and Croskery, rcpicsontiiig thy Wellington Shop Assistants' Union, waited on the City Council last evening to urge the extension of the worker's ticket concession on the tramways from 8 a.m. to S) a.m. Mr. Humphries said that it would be apparent to members of ,tlie council mat, whilst granting the concession to workers who bad to reach their work at 8 o'clock, in tho morning, it was unfair to ex-cludc from that privilege 1) o'clock workers, who were probably receiving less remuneration for equally arduous taisks extending over longer hours. The members of his union consisted largely of females, who, councillors would doubtless be aware, were not very highly-paid servants of tho public. Their wages ranged between 7s. fid. and 30s. a week, and when they lived in the outlying suburbs, as many did, tram faros were a considerable expense. The concession to workers should not, he maintained, be granted to -workers who in tho majority of instances received higher wages. He could not see the justice of charging a less fare for workers. between S a.m. and 5 p.m., than for those who worked .between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., particularly as tradesmen who went to work at 8 usually worked from 41 to 46 hours .per week, as against the shop assistant's 52. He made the suggestion that special tickets might be issued to those 9 o'clock workers, which tickets could only be used after 6 p.m., thereby depriving those 9 o'clock workers who knocked off at 5 p.m. He stated that in the case of shop assistants no award had ever been made granting them over .£3 a week, wherfeas 110 award, had over been made to tradesmen (who went to

work at 8 a.m.) less tliau £3 a week. Mr. Croskery briefly endorsed Mr. Humphi'ies's remarks. After .the deputation had withdrawn, tho Tramways Committee reported:— "That they hove given further consideration to the request of the Wellington Soft Goods Employees' Union, that the issuo of workers' tickets be extended- to 9'a.m. Thev cannot see their way to recommend any alteration at the present juncture, but recommend that further consideration of the question be deferred till the next financial year. Herewith they forward a report from the General Manager of the Tramways dealing with the matter." ■ When the above clause in the Tramways Committee's report was before the meeting, Councillor J. Fuller moved that the last part of the report be deleted, and that after the words

'extended to 9 a.m.-". the words "bo ;ranted" bo added. Mr. Fuller quoted

igures to show that very large profits >vere being made by the tramways,' and Mailed the money that was being spent on extensions, new sheds, etc. He thought' the tramways manager tool; i hard business vi.ow of the applicalions -for such extensions, instead of taking .the citizens' view. He did not think that the city would lose £7000 jy granting tlie concession; he thought it would not amount to more than a loss of £3500. Then the shop assisiants would probably go home to dinner, and' tho revenue would bo helped accordingly. He thought it was only fair that the girls who worked in the shops for a -low rate of pay should bo granted the concession asked. The Mayor stated that the amount )f money made by the tramways was \ot so ttreat as Councillor Fuller mado )uf. The gross profit was certain 1 * E'«(>,]o3, but after providing for inter;st on.loan, etc., .the net profit waa inly £15,368. "'.' Councillor .. Fuller':' ' "That's the £13,000 that should be given back to-the public in concessions." Councillor Hildreth said he could lever understand how. people who had to reach their work at 8 o'clock should lave any advantage in fares over those ivho go to work at 9 a.m. He was, ind always had been in' favour of granting the concession to all workers. At least it ought to be granted to workerr, up to 8.30 a.m. Councillor Fuller;' "I'll agree to that." Councillor R. A. Wright said he did not know whether Mr. Humhpries had not suggested a solution of the difficulty. This matter came up from time to time, and was always postponed or lost sight-of. ' • _ . The Mayor: "It's to be considered, in April." ■ i ■ Councillor Luckie said that it should be considered at once. The new financial year commenced in five weeks, ind they should commence the concession at the beginning of the year. Councillor Hutcheson' pointed out that the anomalous position had been brought about by adopting a principle that existed at 'Home, where many of the people worked from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. They had started on a wrong principle, and they had to -ight that principle and removo the anomalies that existed. There was only one way ]f dealing with tram fares, and that was to make them the same for all classes of the community, and the Tramways Committee had gone very deeply into the whole matter, and it seemed to him that it neede'd fresh legislation to free them from.existing anomalies. On Councillor Fuller's amendent being withdrawn, tho Mayor agreed that tho clause be referred back to tho committee for reconsideration. Tramway Manager's Report. In tho course of a lengthy report on this matter the tramway manager (Mr. W. H. Morton) said:— "In order that the whole position may. be clearly understood I have had prepared and attached- to lh,is report for the information of tho comraitteo, a statement showing ; the concessions on cash faros at present granted, 'and rtiiich exceeds annually the sum ol £15,000 (exclusive of the .concession granted to scholars). _It will be seen tliat passengers travelling' before 7.30 a.m., and who receive workers' tickets, obtain a reduction of 50 per cent, on ordinary cash'fares, and that the holders of the universal concession ticket receive a reduction averaging nearly 3f per cent.- on cash fares. From a census recently taken by thr traffic manager of the traffic between £ and 9 a.m. daily, it is found that about 5500 passengers are carried on the various lines .between those hours and the whole of these passengers would ob tain the privileges oF the workers' ticket system if extended to 9 a.m. This would mean that 11,000 additional rides daily, or 3,355,000 rides annually would be granted at tho further re duced rates. Tho present difference ii; fares of workers (up to 7.30 a.m.) and ordinary concession ticket rates averages .about id. pev ride. Assuming tin differeiioo to be Ul. the annual nmoun.l granted as a concession to those usiiif the cars between 7.30 and 9 a.m. wouli be represented by the sum if £6989 or say. in round numbers £-7000.

"I admit freely that the present system operates unfairly, as many of those who obtain workers' concession tickets nro quite as well able to pay the faro cliarsicd by universal concession ticket as the majority of those who arc required to reach tho city by 0 a.m."