OUR TRAMS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 40, 10 May 1927, Page 9

OUR TRAMS

COMPARISONS AGAIN HIGH WAGES AND COURTESY BOTH IN QUESTION “The commercial community desires to see the Queen City pre-eminent in matters of transport as it is the excellence of its situation and in other respects,” remarks the May number of the journal of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, and goes on to say: Now that the Auckland has a complete and valuable monopoly placed in its ; hands in respect of urban transport it is to be hoped that it will realise the need of exercising the strictest economy in its administrations so that the citizens of this fair city may have the benefit of paying the lowest fares, rather than the second highest in the Dominion. The article mentions that since the advent of competitive bus services there has been a noticeable increase in the courtesy received by the northern public at the hands of tramway men, and states that it will be interesting to observe whether this attitude will continue, now that the monopoly of suburban transport has been restored to the City Council. Commenting on the type of tramcar used in Auckland, the journal goes on to say that Mr. Ford, tramways manager, has returned convinced that the tram will remain as the best and most economical form of transport, but it would be interesting to learn whether he considers the type of tram in use in Auckland is the best suited to the local conditions. The ill-designed car, slow in picking up and setting down passengers leads to congestion, and the journal suggests that the use of the type with closed compartments at either end and open spaces in the centres—capable of being closed if necessary might better serve Auckland’s needs.

It is pointed out that Auckland in 1914 had the cheapest fares in New Zealand, but in 1927 its fares, based on adult averages over 1$ miles, are second only to Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin being much lower. Allowing for compensations the journal considers the increase surprising, especially as the system has escaped several burdens it laboured under in 1914 under private enterprise. It is emphasised that low fares in Dunedin can be attributed largely to lower running expenses, and the following wages table is singled out for comment.

Auck. W’ton. Ch’ch. D’n’d’n. Motormen £4 16 £4 16 £4 12 £4 5 Conductors 4 12 4 8 4 8 4 2 “So far as we are aware,” the review adds, “there are no special conditions warranting the higher wages that prevail in Auckland, and when it is remembered that the cost of living is 8 per cent, higher in Wellington and 7 per cent, lower in Dunedin than in Christchurch and Auckland, the higher wages in the northernmost city seem all the more surprising. “It is to be hoped that the return of monopoly trading in the Auckland urban transport will not give the tramway employees the opportunity again successfully to press for wages beyond the proper economic level.”