CONCERN IN SUBURBS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 184, 6 August 1927, Page 10

CONCERN IN SUBURBS.

THE HIGHER TRAM FARES.

CHEAPER TRANSPORT WANTED

THE LONG-DISTANCE TEAVELLER.

Suburban Auckland views with mixed feelings the new scale of tram fares. Formerly the tramway charges in this city ranked second in the Dominion; now Auckland heads the list. Under the old scale the average fare per 100 chains was:—Auckland, 1.31 d; Wellington, 1.34 d; Christchurch, 1.28 d; Dunedin, I.lßd. The exact amount of the increase upon the average cannot be stated at the moment, but it is thought that the scale adopted by the City Council on Thursday evening will make the fare per 100 chains about 1.50 d. From May 1 last the Auckland tram fares showed a 40 per cent increase over those ruling in 11)13. The increase in Wellington was about, the same, and that at Christchurch and Dunedin 21 per cent and 0 per cent respectively. The percentage of increase upon prewar rates in Auckland will be over 50 per cent under the new scale. "It is regrettable that any increase should have been made in the long-dis-tance concession fares," said Mr. A. G. Lunn, president of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, to-day, "as it is desirable to get the city population spread out into the suburban areas. As to whether it is desirable to pay serious attention to a penny for the sake of the people who have not energy enough to walk from one end of Queen Street to the other is a serious question. There is a problematical advantage to be balanced against the great advantage of long-distance cheap transport." No Sliding Scale. Mr. Lunn added that the new scale would be harder upon people who had taken houses in the outer districts, but, on the other hand, it should assist the casual passenger. The fare was rather higher for the regular passenger, and some might lie disposed to walk a portion of the distance in and out of town. In the interests of travellers who had to go a long distance it was desirable, Mr. Lunn considered, that the fare for each additional section should be somewhat less than for the previous one, on the principle of a sliding scale. Mr. J. Liddell, secretary of the Tramways Union, said that, from the point of view of the tramwaymen the effect of cutting the first section in half created a difficult problem. It would be impossible, at rush hours, to collect all penny fares in overcrowded trams before reaching the second sections. Many people would, therefore, get off without Caying the conductor, and there would e no means of knowing whether people had boarded a tram in the first or second sections. The difficulty could not be overcome by slowing down the cars sufficiently to give the conductors time to complete their collections, because there was a time-table, which had to be definitely adhered to. Another aspect was that there would be a preat increase in the amount of cash fare collecting on the tramway system as a whole. "Depreciation Inevitable." "With the increase in the tram fares to suburban travellers, depreciation of suburban properties must inevitablv follow," said Mr. Harold Schmidt, president of the General Transit and Social Club. c aided that the club, which had a membership of 1000, had at present a taxi service of 25 cars. If the people were to pay at the same rate as they would be required to pay on the trams under the new scale, a taxi service would pay handsomely. It was an. instance of cheap motor transport on good roads. People who had to use the trams through the existence of a monopoly and the consequent lack of other means of transport would be deterred from making such frequent trips into the city, thus causing a reaction upon shopping business within the metropolitan area. Mr. S. Donaldson, Mayor of Newmarket, said that his borough was rather in a neutral position, and appeared to be least affected by the alterations. He gave the Tramways Committee credit for making an honest attempt to solve the problems with which it was faced. Mr. W. C. Coldicutt, Mayor of Onehunga, welcomed the penny fare on the last section. Previously the fare for travelling on the trams between the Royal Oak and the Onehunga wharf was 2d, but the section had been cut in two at Inkerman Street, and was now two sections of a penny each. He added that a reduction in the fares for workers was highly desirable, and it was also necessary that additional cars should be put on, as the present rushhour fleet was inadequate.