DOUBLE BOOKING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 238, 8 October 1934, Page 9

DOUBLE BOOKING.

railway fare ruse.

auckland-helensville line

MOTOR SERVICE APPLICATION

"The return fare by rail from Auckland to Helensville, first class, is stated to be 9/5, but that is really a misrepresentation," said Mr. H. R. A. Vialoux at this morning's sitting of No. 2 Transport Licensing Authority, when supporting an application for Robinson Motors, Ltd., for a variation of license and alteration of fares. He explained that while the return railway fare, first class, was 9/5, as compared with the bus fare of 10/, railway passengers were encouraged to book to Waitakerc, the limit of the suburban area, and purchase their ticket from there for the remainder of the journey. By adopting that method there was a clear saving of 1/5. More tickets were issued with re-booking at Waitakere at S/ return than from Helensville direct to Auckland. The chairman, Mr. J. A. C. Allum, said manv places throughout the world followed a similar course. Mr. Vialoux said lie had made the point to emphasise the fact that 8/ was the return fare from Helensville to Auckland, and in support of the application that the company he represented should be permitted to reduce its fare to 7/6. "I made inquiries myself at the railway station," added counsel, "and was advised to make the double booking to save money on the fare." Majority Travel by Bus. Seventy-five per cent of the people going to the Parakai Hot Springs travelled by bus, 20 per cent by private cars, and 5 per cent by railway, said Mr. Vialoux. One taxi plied for hire between the railway station at Helensville and Parakai, and did not meet all trains. "That shows the volume of traffic going to the springs by rail," he added. He quoted instances to show that reduced fares made for increased travelling. On one section of the present bus route a reduction in the charge had increased the number of passengers in a month from 13 to 00. If fares were? too high, the public refused to travel. People who went to Parakai for the week-ends were of opinion that a 10/ fare added to their board made the outin" too expensive. Counsel also made application for permission to charge 5/ return for week-end excursions from the Auckland end. He said the trips were asked for by the proprietors of the various boardinghouses at Farakai. Similar application !iad been made to the Railway Department, and refused.

The Launch Aspect. Mr. Mavnall, of the Upper River Launch Service, running from Auckland to Riverhcad and Hobsonvillc, said that four years ago there was considerable traffic by launch to Riverhead, but the number of passengers carried now was small. He attributed the falling off to bus services, private motor cars and to the carriage of passengers by cream lorries. Various witnesses were called, the gist of their evidence being that the bus service' was necessary to the district, but that cheaper fares were needed. "Reasonable" Fares. The chairman, ' Mr. J. A. C. Allum, said to one witness: '"But why do you' want fares to be reduced? What grounds have you for asking for a reduction?" He quoted other services and compared the fares. From Rotorua to Wairakci, a distance of 49 miles, the fare was 14/ single. For a distance of 22 miles —the particular district under question at the moment was Huapai — the fare single was 3/. ' "Here is a witness," said Mr. Allum, "who complains of paying 3/ for 22 miles. It is not a question of whether fares have gone up, but whether they are reasonable." A reduction of fares would popularise the district, said Mr. J. A. A. Iveane, chairman of the associated boardinghouses at Helensville. The Sunday excursion by rail to Helensville did not help the boardinghouses. Buses would do more for the district than the railway. Mr. Allum said that the service was one that had suffered alteration a good deal. Before the authority could grant any reduction, it had to be sure that the service could succeed. It would be bad for the district if the fares had to be changed again. Railway Viewpoint. Mr. G. T. Wilson, who appeared for the Railway Department, said that the Department was doing all it could to develop the Helensville district. In the past 12 months it had tried to build up a cheap service to the town. Any inroads on that service by bus would be serious. In reply to the request for a cheaper service, he said that the Department had examined the proposition, and had realised that the additional traffic would not be greater than the loss of revenue by reduced fares. As far as rebooking was concerned, Mr. Wilson said that, according to information supplied to him, t/f 377 bookings from Helensville last month, only 12 journeys had concerned rebooking. Passengers were not advised to rebook. Mr. Vialoux: I was advised to do so. Mr. Wilson: Will you give me the name—? Mr. Vialoux: Oh, I can't do that, Mr. Wilson. I would not like to get anyone the "sack." Mr. Wilson said he would submit that th« ruling fares should stand. "The extraordinary feature about this ease," said Mr. Haig, "is that the author of these calculations and figures is not here to be cross-examined. It would appear that the most important witness is not to be produced at any time." The reduction, he said, was not justified, and no case had been made out for it. Decision was reserved.