TAKAPUNA TRAMWAYS.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 228, 25 September 1924, Page 13

TAKAPUNA TRAMWAYS.

COMPANY AND THE COUNCIL. H •THE FAMILY TICKET QUESTION, j , *FUKTH£R CONCESSIONS GRANTED. ! i Certain matters concerning the agree- 11 jnent between the Takapuna Boroupli ' I Council and tlie Takapuna Tramways ; and Ferry Company were discussed at I length when a deputation consisting of.i Messrs. A. St. Clair Brown and Geo. 1 ' Winstone. juii., directors of the com-!; pany. and Mr. J. Kerr, manager, waited • oe the council at la.t evening's ordinary meeting 0 f that body. As a result of j the discussion tlie Ferry Company agreed ; to the issue of concession quarterly steamer tickets, while the council gave ; its consent lo ihe increase of the tram- ; way fares immediately the company"s I pew steamer commences running. ■ In detailing the course of events lead- ' ing up to the present situation, the ! Mayor (Mr. J. \V. Hayden) said that a I tentative agreement was made at a con- I ference between the council and the company on July 2:1 last. The following' week a meeting was called of the three ; ratepayers' associations and a resolution ; was carried by an overwhelming majority ; that the increase on the first section j would be supported provided the same ; facilities and conditions as were con- j | ceded by the Devonport Steam Ferry;: Company, namely the issuing of monthly j: tickets, were included in the agreement, and also that the agreement would not I come into force until the line was electrified. Mr. Hayden confessed that he agreed witit the resolutions inasmuch as j it seemed to him that if the council enabled the company to obtain a fair return from the capital on the tramways, the company should certainly provide the same facilities and concessions as those given by the Devonport Company. He assured the directors that the members of the council were as one in their desire to assist in improving the present service, but the council felt it would lie a sheer waste of money to take a poll of ratepayers on the terms of the agreement as at last conference. In outlining the case for the tramway company, Mr. Brown said that at present the trams were being run at a loss, which was being made up for by the revenue from the ferry steamer. * The company was fully aware that the time had come for the electrification of the line. The resolutions passed on July 23 were the result of over two years' negotiations. By the present agreement the company was not getting anything like what they sought, and were being compelled to grant concession after concession. Since the preliminary steps of the agreement had been taken a new state of affairs had arisen—the possibility of motor buses ruining the business of the trams. Concrete was being laid ou the Takapuna-Devonport Road, and the effect of this on the tramway system was incalculable. No one at the present time, could determine whether the motor trade would outdo the trams. The company dare not give any further concessions until it knew its position: Concerning the suggestion that passengers he carried on the steamers at the same rate as on the Devonport vessels, he said that that was not reasonable as the Devonport Company had a water service alone, and did not need to make provision for any possible loss regarding land transport. If the company was going to monopolise the traffic with an electric system, as it hoped to do, and was paying a dividend, then it would be in a position to grant the required concessions. In his opinion the council would be well advised to give the company every assistance to providethe tramways a fair trial in their competition with motor bus transit. Regarding the suggestion that the ratepayers would not support the company at a poll Jilr. Brown said that personally he thought they would. Mr. F. E. N. Gaudin said that the issuing of family tickets was the burning question. It seemed to him that the company was asking an increase in the tees for 21 years, and yet could not grant family tickets. In reply to thin statement Mr. Brown said that if the company monopolised the traffic it would carry passengers as cheaply as the Devonport Company. c In opposing the increase in the fares "before the electrification of the line, Mr. M. E. Thompson said that the increase of 2d for the first section travelled over was not fair to residents travelling short distances within the Mr. Brown further stated that the "fine would be electrified within eighteen months of the Council giving an assurance that a supply of power was available. The matter was discussed at length, »nd the Council finally decided to suspend the standing orders and rescind the resolution passed in August. The representatives of the Tramway Company finally agreed to issue quarterly tickets at the prevailing Devonport rates. The following resolution was then put to the Council and carried unanimously: "That the agreement of -July 23 he ratified with the addition that the company agrees to the issue of quarterly tickets at Devonport rates." A further resolution "That the agreement come into effect as soon as the new ferry is running and upon t completion of the legal formalities" was also carried. Mr. Thompson being the only dissenting member. As a result of last evening's discussion the agrement will be given effect j provided it is supported by the ratepayers at a poll on the question.