ANNUAL TICKETS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14919, 18 March 1914, Page 3

ANNUAL TICKETS.

A PROPOSAL DISAPPROVED OF

RJiPORT BY GENERAL MANAGER

OF TRAMWAYS.

Tho following report relating to the issue of annual tickets for use on the tramways was presented by the General Manager of, the Tramway Board at the meeting of the Board on Monday:— "The subject of annual tickets has been discussed on more than one occasion in the past. In my last report, two or three years ago, I stated that the system would certainly lead to abuses, and to loss of revenue, and that to maintain efficiency it was essential that some definite transaction between conductor and passenger should take place each journey, either by th* punching of a concession ticket or by the sale of a cash-fare ticket. "If yearly tickets were issued, it would be most difficult to insist on the production of the ticket each journey. - Passengers holding these tickets would quickly think that, as they were well-known to the conductor, a nod would bo sufficient, and the tendency would be for .conductors to acquiesce ,in this arrangement. Ample evidence of this difficulty is obtainable at present. Despite, all efforts to the contrary, passengers will not produce tickets for inspection by conductors, nnd, largely owing' t*"' the attitude taken up by the public, it is practically impossible to induce conductors to insist that they shall do so. "A large number of free rides would thus be obtained by persons who were, not holders of any ticket, and there would be no check on misuse after expiry date of those which were issued. A check in the office would be of little avail, as it would be most difficult to carry out offidcntly. "If the 6ysteni wore introduced, other trouble would await the Board in respect of claims for refunds in tho case of lost tickets, or for tickets only partially used. Difficulties are already experienced in these ways with the present monthly ticket. They would be increased twelvefold if the annual ticket was adopted. The conditions of tramway working are very different from those obtaining in the railawys in these respect-". "Another objection: An annual ticket would enable the holder to travel as often as he liked. This would "be inequitable. Its introduction would be soon followed by a request from passengers who only used their tickets twice a day for a lower rate than that paid by the passenger who used his four times a day or more, and so on. 'Presumably, the demand for an annual ticKet is made in the hope that a lower fare would be obtained. In this connexion it should be noted that taking the system as a whole, there is no other system in New Zealand, and few elsewhere, where the fares are as low as in Christchureh. •'lf the financial position of the tramways at any time in the future warrants still further rebates, these could be more easily and more equitably arranged by a reduction in cost of present monthly tickets, than by the introduction of an annual ticket. I "1 have sought the opinions of other I tramway authorities, and these confirm I the objections noted above-"

The Board approved of the report.