WORKERS' CONCESSION CARDS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2768, 11 May 1916, Page 4

WORKERS' CONCESSION CARDS

: The very reasonable proposal concerning ' workers' tramway concession cards placed before the Minister' of Public Works yesterday by a deputation from the City Council should not call for any exhaustive inquiries on the part of the Minister.' With his customary 7 caution, Mr. Fiiasee held the request over until he had had an opportunity of hearing both sides of the question, and incidentally invited opposition to it. Yet on the face of things it is a fair and just, proposal, and in the interests of the great bulk of that portion of the population which the concession cards are designed to benefit. The Mayor, Me, J. P. Luke, explained the position quite olearly. At the present time, workers' concession cards can only be used up to 7.30 o'clock in the morning. This means that practically only those' people who have to get 'to their work by 8 o'clock each day can take advantage of them. Yet there ,are hundreds of citizens, especially shopgirl assistants, and others earning modest wages, who get to their employment at 9 o'clock-and who are equally entitled to consideration. The City Council has been urged from time to time to extend the existing concession to meet the case of those who start work at 9 o'clock, but this, it is stated, would moan ;i loss of some £7000 a year of tramway revenue, and the finances of the tramways will not stand this heavy drain. In order to meet the situation as far as possible, however, the Council, after investigation, has devised a scheme which, while entailing a lesser financial sacrifice, should yet grant concessions of a nature even more attractive in some respects than that asked. It is in effect proposed to issue concession cards which may be used at all hours and which arc transferable to the worker's family. At the present time the card issued to the worker is not transferable, and may be used only within the restricted hours stated. The proposed concession cards can be transferred as mentionand may be used at all hours. This should prove of particular value to married people who live on tho outskirts o'f the city, and who may desire to come into town at night for shopping or other purposes. The single man who has to get to work at 8 o'clock or earlier, will bo the only loser under the change, and apparently his loss will be slight. The tramways manager, in reply to the Minister, stated that the difference in the case of a man travelling from Island Bay would be Jd.—that is to say, whereas at present he pays 2d., under tho new proposal he would pay 2j-d. The real point to be considered, however, is that the new scheme extends the range of concessions very materially amongst what is known as the working class population, and does so in a manner likely to confer a very real benefit on a largo section of the community. To carry out the scheme an Order-in-Council is needed, and it rests with the Minister of Public Works to grant this. On 'examination wo believe Mr. Fraser will appreciate the advantages which the proposal will confer, and will lend the assistance required to give it effect.