TRAM TICKET DECEPTION.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 229, 24 September 1920, Page 4

TRAM TICKET DECEPTION.

A CLIPPED CONCESSIOX CARD. The first official evidence of a dodge to evade the new tramway concession card system came up at the Police Court today, when a young man named George Doidd was charged with having attempted to evade payment of his fare. P. Fletcher, a tram conductor, exhibited a concession card which he said Dodd has presented in an Onehunga car bound for town, via Parnell, just after the car had left Ranfurly Road. It was a universal three-section card, but instead of the customary four rows of rectangles it had only three rows., The bottom row wa£ neatly clipped off, and the suggestion wns that having had that row clipped out the defendant made the card as good as new again by the simple expedient of clipping off the punched series. Fletcher said he challenged the ticket, and defendant replied that it was all right, as another conductor had accepted it, but when it was still rejected he paid cash. When the ticket was impounded aud his name was asked for lie gave the name of 'G. Brown," but when subsequently asked to go to the tramway oflire, he coriected the name He 6aid then the card had been given to him, and ho thought it was all right. Mr. J. J. Sullivan, for defendant, pointed out that defendant had paid his fare when the card was rejected. >H? had got the card from another man, and thought it all right, nnd when it was rejected he was just in the position of a man who had proffet'nd a foreign coin, which would not be accepted, and then paid with coin of tho lealm. Defendant did not give his f-xplanation in tnc box.

Mr." Poynton, S.M., rejected the* explanation, and fined defendant 20/ and 34/0 costs.

Malcolm Wylie, who had over-ridden his section on the tram, was also fined 20/ and 34/G costs.