TRAM FARES.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14723, 21 July 1913, Page 9

TRAM FARES.

TO 7Hn EDITOR OF "THE PRESS. , ' | Sir,—Tho Tramway UoarcVs objects .as explained by Mr Flasher, seem ultoI gether praiseworthy. Tfie intention being, as ho says, to 'accord eqiiitab.o j treatment to all and remove tho anomalies at present existing, and put tho fares on an equitable and scientific basis." A most desirable eonsummaj tion. The basis and starting point of . tho Board's calculations wouid .seem to • bo thoir cash fare of (as nearly as pos-; i sible) Id per mile. This, as the Jloard have repeatedly stated, is tho lowest price (for casual fares) at which their system can bo profitably run. Jhit Mr Fleshers figures show that on one section of about flight miles the Board charges only :;d per mile, casual cash fare, as against the Id per mile- gonerally charged. On another lino of between six and seven miles, in Mr Fleshe.r's own district, the cash faro is also considerably less than Id per ; mile. I wish to ernplui.siso the fact that > these reduced charges aro for "casual cash fares," and have nothing to do} with concession tickets. Mr Flesher's. remarks afford neither explanation nor recognition of these rather striking anomalies, or of any intention to rectify them. Yet they must have an important beating on the Board's finances, and surely, at a time of anticipated deficiency, and raising of lares, such facts as tho granting of 25 per cent, preferential treatment to one particular section of the Board's system, at tho expenso of tho rest, .should have been frankly recognised and dealt with by tho Board's chairman. Your own efforts in this direction would bo welcomed by your readers. With thitf strange crack in the very foundations of the Board's new, "equitable and j Hitentific" Bcheme. it is not likely to stand long, and the finality so desirable in tho interests of a most unfortunate and harassed tramway system seems not yet in sight.—Yours, etc., X AXE.