PENAL FARES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 115, 17 May 1932, Page 9

PENAL FARES.

BUSES ON TRAM ROUTES.

AUTHORITY'S DECISION.

NEW LEGISLATION QUOTED.

The Passenger Transport Company applied this morning to the Auckland Transport Board, sitting as the metropolitan licensing authority, for permission to charge a penal fare of twopence for passengers picked up or set down on tramway routes.

Mr. N. 13. Spencer, for the company, said that when applications for licenses were granted under the new Act it was stated that the conditions should be similar to those previously in force, but there was no condition ill respect to the penal fare. It appeared that there was a misunderstanding, which he desired the authority to rectify. They were still operating as formerly, but required official sanction for their action. If the permission were granted tlio company was willing to hand to the Auckland Transport Board all the penal fares as compensation for inspectorial duties. If permission was withheld the company would be doing a wrong action by picking up and setting down on the tram routes, nd people would be greatly inconvenienced. This applied mostly to passengers in a hurry to got to a point when they had missed a tram. Very few fares were affected in the aggregate. The drivers were most caieful, and knew they would be dismissed if they did not collcct the proper fare. Tke privilege had not been abused, nor would it be.

The chairman, Mr. J. A. C. Allum, said ho had adopted tlie principle of protecting the nearer services. An important consideration was the inspection of tickets, the cost of which had to be kept to a minimum. If the authority agreed and inspectors had to be employed there would be irritation for the passengers. If the board gave official sanction there would be applications from other services running further afield.

The manager, Mr. A. E. Ford, said he was against the granting of the concession. The protective legislation that had been passed should be applied. It was nice to help persons in a hurry, but. he did not think many would come under that category.

Mr. T. Bloodworth said the privilege should be authorised for the convenience of the public on all the services. It was stupid tha.t a person who nussed a tram and had to wait 20 minutes for the next should not be allowed to board a bus. It was decided that public notice of the alteration of the licenses permitting the penal fare should be given and that a resolution allowing the penal fares should come before the next meeting of I the licensing authority, this to apply to all services licensed by the authority.