RAILWAY FARES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 68, 11 September 1911, Page 3

RAILWAY FARES

IMPORTANT CONCESSIONS. In til* course of the Financial State-. ment, the Premier said: Owing to a heavy shrinkage of revenue in 1909, I asked the House to adjust 1 the railway rates for long distances, and I think, in view of the satisfactory position of our revenue, these may now be readjusted, and I propose to do so, partly to the public and partly to the railway employees, with a view to facilitating and encouraging long distance travel. 1 propose to reduce the fares for all distances of 200 miles. The present rates are l'/.d per mile for first class and Id per mile lor second class, irrespective of distance. Under the proposal I. am submitting the rate per mile for all distances over 200 miles will be I'%d per mile first-class and %d per mile second class. The value of this concession on th basis of existing trailic will be £50,000. The whole of the long distance second-class carriages are being converted from the present longitudinal seats to reversible chair seats, and this will greatly add to the comfort of the larger section of the travelling pub'ic.

INCREASING THE PAY MEN. Proposals will also be submitted to the House for amendments to the schedule to the Government Railways Act. This will provide or increases of pay to certain sections of railway workers, permanent and casual, and involve the expendiuire of about £OO.OOO over and above the amount required to provide for scale increases accruing under the Act in the ordinary course. These scale increases of pay in the Post and Telegraph Department it is proposed to increase the minimum wage—day wages (men) from Is to Is l'/.d p'er hour (equal to 9s per day of eight hours), in regard to the remission of taxation and concessions in charges it will be interesting to note what has been given by way of reduction of taxation, which is approximateiy £35,000, and, taken in conjunction with lhe amount stated, the gross increase will be about £115,000. The alteration in respect of casuals will bo in the direction of the minimum payment of a rate of ils 1 >/ a d per hour, equivalent to 9s per day of eight hours. WHAT TUlv CONCESSIONS AMOCNT

TO. During the time 1 have had the honor of being the head of the present Government the reduction of taxation upon the customs amounted to the sum of .CI, 7(14.070 and increases £300,523. Deducting this amount from the reduction it will be seen that, the net saving to the. people liv the reduction of customs amounts to the large sum of £1,403,547, which amouii'l. has been saved to the people (luring my term of ofiiee as Prime Minister. Articles required for, the breakfast table, including coffee, cream of tartar, dried fruits, mustard, rice, salt, spices, and sugar, which were dutiable, have been placed entirely on the free list. Concessions in fares and freights in the ilailway Department to the amount of £115,1)01) have been granted, and out of this sum the agriculturists and pastoralisfs have benefited to thi' extent of ,1400,000. There has been no increase in the rates, excepting for long distance travelling, and this I am dealing with later on. In addition to the reduction referred to in these two important departments, there have been concessions made to the public in the Post and Telegraph Department to the amount of C 375.745 per annum. The total reductions to the public in the three directions named during the period to which T just referred amount to .C(iß.">.7!>3, so that critics in order to be fair must not overlook the enormous reductions that, have been made. The amounts staled above have been carefully compiled by each department concerned and can be relied on. I attach detailed returns of the same to statement, which will well repay perusal ot all who who take an interest, in the wellbeing of their fellow-men. I desire to further point out. that during the same pirioil increases in pay and concession hours in the ltailwav Department amounted to .-£870.000, 'while in other branches of the public, service the animal increment of salaries during the period I have been head of the Government

amount to £338,530, so that T am fairly entitled to say that the public service has not been overlooked.