FREE TRAM PASSES

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 118, 16 February 1928, Page 5

FREE TRAM PASSES

CONCESSION TO EX-MAYORS. The following letter has been addressed to the Town Clerk by the chairman of the Vigilance Committee (Mr. T. W. McDonald) “A paragraph appeared in yesterday’s Dominion to the effect that at the last mteting of the City Council it was decided o grant free tramway passes for life to ex-Mayors of the City ol Wellington. The names of those at present entitled to the privilege were given as Sir Francis Bell, Sir John Luke, M.P., the Hon. R. A. Wright, M.P., Messrs. A. de B. Brandon, 0. M. Luke, T. M. Wilford, M.P., D. McLaren and C. J. Norwood. "On behalf of the Vigilance Committee I respectfully request that you will be good enough to furnish me for the information of that body with the following information:—(l) Whether the report is correct; (2) the legal authority for making a retiring allowance for life to ex-Mayors at the cost of the other tramway. patrons; ( 3) if an allowance is sound in principle, why was it restricted to ex-Mayors, seeing that Mayors are paid for their services. (The present honorarium being, I understand, £5OO per annum) to the exclusion of councillors who get neither pay nor honorarium ?; (4) have the ex-Mayors (or any of them) asked for this allowance for life, and is the council sure that they* would accept the dole at the expe'nse of their fellow tram-users?; .(5) was this matter considered in open council, or m committee and what was the voting on the question? I shall be obliged if you will expedite a reply.”