HOUSEWIVES’ UNION OBJECTS

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 43, 14 November 1940, Page 11

HOUSEWIVES’ UNION OBJECTS

Views On Proposal To Increase Fares

DEPUTATION ARRIVES WITHOUT NOTICE

A deputation representing tne Wellington Housewives’ Union last night addressed the A ellington City Council on the subject of the proposed increase in tram fares, to which they were opposed. Ihe deputation arrived without, as is customary, giving previous notice, and was received by the council only after long discussion.

Mrs E. McGowan said that as women thev “were surprised tit the proposed rise in the tram fares. She thought such an increase would discourage people from purchasing concession tickets. It took about tire times as lon, for a conductor to handle cash faies as to clip concession cards, and tne result, would be increased congestion on the trams. It would be dangerous fot women and children io travel on ovetcrowded trams. . She suggested that to aioid <on 0 , - tion more trams be put on and service run more efficiently. Cr. R. A. Wright: Are you in fat out of the 40-hour week?—Yes. You’ll understand that, to bring into the trmways service we hadl t take on extra men and to pay them. vou would be in favour of that.—ves. Then where do you suggest we should get the money to pay these <0 or 80 eX Mrs. l McGowan said that the deputation had not had time to go into that “ The’ mayor: Where do youi «e st we should find the extra £16,000 to make up the 5 per cent, increase of wages, except in an increase tn Mrs McGowan: It would be easy to go" into that if we had the time to do it. The mavor said the council had no desire to increase fares simply for the sake of increasing them. The COUU J? 1 ’ lors represented the public and the tramways were a public service. - recapitulated the reasons which had prompted the council in its decision. P In Auckland, he said, all concessions had been withdrawn; all fares were ca«h The 'Wellington fares compared very favourably with those anywhere in New Zealand. . Mrs. C. Kydd described the efficiency of* the Glasgow tramway system. Preliminary Debate. The deputation was heard only after considerable debate. , As soon as. the council met, after the 1 confirmation ol minutes, Councillor C. H. Chapman said a deputation of the Wellington Housewives’ L : nion desired to be heard by the council on the question of tramway fares. He asked the council to receive them. The mayor said it was not the council's procedure to hear deputations without previous notice; but it was at the discretion of the council to do so. The deputation should have approached the tramways committee first. Another matter connected with the tramway fares was coming up in the course of the evening for discussion, and the deputation should not be heard first. Moreover, it would not do to set a precedent of hearing deputations that just arrived without notice. There was a long order paper, and three other deputations were to be heard. Councillor AV. Duncan asked whether the tram fares had been agreed upon yet. He understood they had not. Councillor M. F. Luckie said he could see no reason for the council to depart from the procedure laid down, simply because of a misunderstanding on the part of the deputation. Councillor W. Appleton: I agree with Councillor Luckie that there is no reason to change the procedure. It is purely a propaganda move, and I for one will not be a party to it. Councillor P. Butler denied that it was a propaganda move. He suggested it would be courteous to receive the deputation. Councillor Chapman explained that the women did not understand the council’s procedure. It was very urgent that the deputation should be heard, because if they did not come before the council tonight, they would probably not have the opportunity for three weeks, and there was a strong chance of the fares being raised in the meantime. It might then be a hard task to have the council’s decision revoked.

By a vote of nine to five, the council decided to suspend the regulation laying down the procedure and bear the deputation. The deputation was then admitted.