RETURN MOTOR FARES

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 73, 28 March 1933, Page 9

RETURN MOTOR FARES

QUESTION OF REBATES

UNIFORMITY SOUGHT

Prior to hearing applications for transport licences today, the aetingehairman of the Central Licensing Authority- (Colonel S. S. Allen) invited opinions from the operators of services present as to whether uniformity in the rebates granted on return fares were not desirable. Some services, he pointed out, charged - double the single fare for return trips, and others allowed rebates varying in extent. He asked Mr. H. J. Knight, representing the White Star services, for his opinions. . ' Mr. Knight said his organisation had considered, the matter. Individual services had differing requirements regarding return fares, and so far no definite decision had been arrived. at Some services charged double fares, while others made reductions of as much as 25 per cent.

"The railways giiye 25 per cent. on. the fares to Upper Hutt," said ,tho chairman. Concession's to children were not concerned in the rebate question.

Mr. Knight thought the question applied rather to long distances than to suburban services, and in these he considered that something between 5 per cent, and 10 per cent, would be uniformly suitable to, the .majority of services, and preferable to the double fares.. - •

It was stated that in the case of tho ■Wellington-Masterton service ,no reduction at all was made on account of the long hill trip and it really has worked on single fares.

Other representatives stated that ,i° many cases a 10 per cent, reduction worked out very well.; '

One service was mentioned which gave a 28 per cent, rebate. The representative of a NapierPalmerston service stated that the rebate had always been 10 per pent., a rate of reduction which was general in his company's services throughout New Zealand. j Concessions to children, said the chairman, could be well based on free travel up to three years, half fares between: three and twelve, and from then on full fare.

Mr. Knight stressed tho importance of considering certain, concessions. "In Borne cases concessions were given to public servants, school teachers, and commercial travellers. His organisation had taken a determined stand on that,' and gave concessions only to primary and secondary school children.

Tho chairrnanr We do not propose to allow any concessions in cases that arise of that nature. Apart from children the only concessions considered ■will bo in tho case of workers''eoncession tickets. We are not going to allow 10 per cent, to those special classes of passengers mentioned. This matter arose in the course of our meeting in Christchureh—the question of rebates and concessions to all sorts of strange individuals. I think it wll bo necessary to guard against anything of that sort."

The question of granting a 10 per cent, rebate to all recognised booking offices, raised the point of what should be regarded, aa proper booking offices. It was stated that anybody could become a booking agent, and the suggestion was made that the agents should be only those stipulated by tho services concerned. ■

"Something definite must bo done in this direction," said the chairman. It was proposed to make the issue of tickets compulsory on all services this year.

Mr. Knight referred to the need ,for carrying way bills in some form by all passenger buses.