TRAMWAY FARES.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 October 1919, Page 2

TRAMWAY FARES.

"ONE MAN CABS" OR INCREASED ! FARES. In the course of his report to the Borough Council, the electrical engineer said: "It will not, perhaps, be out of place here to emphasise the position relative to tramway fares. AH over the world today the position of tramway fares is the subject of much consideration. In many undertakings the fares have been increased, whilst in others the position is under consideration. The tramway fare until recently was amongst the few tariffs that had '■ not been increased owing to cost of production, whilst the cost of production lias increased more in proportion than in most other industries. The figures in connection with our present system reveal the fact that, if 1-3 of a penny more were paid by each passenger travelling one mile, the present system would be meeting the total charges made against it. It is generally admitted that the running and working expenses of the New Plymouth system compare more than favourably with other tramway systems in New Zealand and abroad, and few if any are taking the precaution of writing down depreciation and renewals at anything like the figures adopted by us; some in fact carry no depreciation or renewals. "Personally I consider the method adopted by us correct and means must be found to make the payments. It can only be done by either one or two means: decreased expenditure or increased revenue. Increased revenue either means higher fares or more passengers carried. The latter frequently calls for more cars and a consequent increase in the capital and working ex. penses with depreciation and renewals charges; this is particularly so in our case and must be kept in mind wnen considering the above figures. Decreased expenditure is impossible at the present time, and the system will not economically stand any alteration. There i?, however, one method which will meet the case—"the one man car." This I have fully dealt with previously and do not propose to go further into it here. Even so, there still remains the necessity for reconsideration of the tramway fares, and the time is fast approaching when the penny fare will cr'tirely disappear. It has been clearly pointed out by loading tramway authorities in England quite recently that the equitable minimum fare lies between 1.5(1 and 2d, but cannot be adopted on account of the difficulties with fractional money."