NEW PLYMOUTH TRAMWAYS.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 March 1919, Page 7

NEW PLYMOUTH TRAMWAYS.

ADOPTION OF ONE-MAN SYSTEM. Changes in the control or in the system of operating public services not infrequently give rise to misgivings, and sometimes to considerable opposition, 011 the part of those for whose benefit the changes are ellccted. More often than not, however, sueh opposition is the result of prejudice or misunderstanding which, when removed, gives a correct knowledge of what is actually being done and transforms objection into keen appreciation. With the purpose, therefore, of acquainting the residents of New Plymouth with what is involved in the proposed transformation of the tramway service from a two to a one-man system, a Daily News representative sought out the tramways manager (Mr. R. H. Bartleyl who very willingly explained how the change would affect the system, and also reasons for the adoption of the change

It may be slated in the first place that no tramwnv system in Now Zealand is at present worked on the one-man system, though its adoption is contemplated in at least one other town. Iu America and Australia, however, the system lias been adopted in many places, and with increasing satisfaction to both owners and patrons of the tramways, and what can be done in other places "of •much greater population can also be done in New Plymouth' AN ECONOMY PROPOSAL ■ The chief reason for the proposed change in the local system is the economic one. Had conditions remained as they were when the service was insi'aihd it would have been possible to maie ends meet under the present system. The heavy increases in the cost of supplies, however, and the increase in wages to be paid, and Die general cost of running, have resulted in greatly extending the period within which it would be possible to show a satisfactory balance sheet, and in consequence means have been sought for making the tramways a paying concern in the shortest possible time, and the adoption of the one-man system is confidently believed to be the solution of the problem. SUCCESS IN OTHER PLACES. Mr. Bartley suggested that the be3t explanation of the system and its advantages would be in a brief consideration of the experiences in places where it had beei; adopted. A trial of the system. wjjfe' permitted in Australia, by the Arbitration Board, in May, 1813, in connection with the Bendigo and Ballarat systems, which are both controlled by the same company The experiment wag carried out on the less busy routes of the system, and after inspection by the Arbitration Board permission was given for its extension to other routes. The Bendigo tramways serve a population of about 25,000 people and those of Ballarat about 40,000. The cars then in use were subjected to minor structural alterations and utilised under the new system. In New Plymouth the population to be served is approximately 8000. It is admitted that the large cars in use here are larger than desirable for a one-man system, but even under existing circumstances two men operate these cars, and two men would still be needed on them at the rush periods of the day under the other system. The natural objection to the system is that one man could not control the car and also handle the fares of passengers at the same time, but it must be remembered that the average passengers carired per car mile in Ne°w Plymouth is only 7 to 8, and that for over 80 per cent, of the day the number is below that. The car best adopted for the proposed system is one with a seating capacity of about 40 passengers. The smaller of the local cars seat 32 passengers, so that it can be easily understood that these cars could be worked satisfactorily by one man. THE FARE BOXES. The system involves the affixing of what is called a portable fare-box at that end of the car at which the con-ductor-driver is for the time-being standing. The box is adapted for receiving l cash fares or tickets. The tickets represent the concession? given to those who patronise the service, and who prefer to avail themselves of the cheaper rate of travel, and are bought in blocks of certain numbers, coloured for the different length sections. In Ballarat, whore the concessions given arc considered very liberal, it is surprising to find that still more than 4f> per ten:, of th> travelling public continue to pay cash fares hile the people are urged to provide themselves with the exact amount of the fare for the distance they intend travelling, the man in charge of the car is provided with change which can be supplied if required. The fare box is glass-faced all round and the tickets or money inserted can be seen, not only by the conductor, but also by anyone in the car, and this is considered one of the safeguards of the system, giving as it does a moral check on every passenger, by reason of anyone else on the car being able to see the amount of the fare paid, and thereby knowing the distance which each passenger is entitled to travel, in addition, of course, to the conductor's peisonal check and that of inspectors, as at present. The necessity for getting change from the conductor at times was urged in Ballarat as a likelihood of causing delays in the service, but experience showed there, that immediately the public fully understood the system there was no such delay, and that though the average speed worked out at about l Jf;r hour, no alterations were round necessary in the time-table. Objection was also raised against the system on the ground that it resulted'in the employment of less labor, but appreciation of the advantages of the system soon overcame that objection.

SYSTEM OP PAYING PARKS.

The system is worked on what is known as the "Pay as you enter—pay as you leave method." For instance a cental point is fixed upon, and passengers coming from the outskirts in to that point pay as they enter the car, while those going from the central point, to the outer areas pay as they leave the car. The position in New Plymouth will be that passengers boarding cars at Fitzroy or the Breakwater and coming in towards Egmont Street will pay their fares as they enter the car, and passengers boarding cars at Kgmont Street or at any other point on the outward journey will pay as they are alighting. VMien cars are coming into town a prominent sign will be displayed near the fare-box showing "Pay as you Enter," and when the cars pass the central point the sign is reversed and shows "Pay as you leave." A passenger wishing to go beyond the central point merely pays up to that section 011 entering the car and tenders the fare for the balance of the journey when leaving the car. After six years' experience in Ballarat the system is more in favor than ever, and it has recently been applied to the Jramwaya serving the densely-populated