CORRESPONDENCE.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17815, 14 July 1923, Page 14

CORRESPONDENCE.

CHRISTCHURCH TRAMWAY AFFAIRS. TO THX »DITOR OF "THE PEESI." Sir, —A great deal has appeared in the columns <rf "The Press" recently re Tramway affairs, but there are two or three points which your correspondents have overlooked, and which, I think, have been to a great extent the cause of considerable decrease, both in revenue and in the number of passengers carried on the trams —as to which Mr J. A. Flesher, one of the members of the /Tramway Board, appears to be very much perturbed. In the first place, I am given to understand that a great number of individuals are, and always have been, privileged at all times to ride on th? trams free, amongst them being the general manager, all members of the Tramway Board, Mayors and Town Clerks of the various boroughs in the tramway area, and a very large percentage of the tramway employees. Why should there be any "free-trip-pers" at all? The general manager is in receipt of a big salary, and>can well afford to pay his fare like any other business man. Why should Mayors and Town Clerks be permitted to make use of the trams "on the nod"? They also receive good salaries, and should not stoop to accept a free pass. And the same applies to the chairman and members of the Board (who, I believe, get well paid for each sitting). As\ for niotormen, conductors, and other tramway employees, it is a common daily occurrence to see large numbers of them travelling on the trams to and from duty without paying a fare, or even being asked by the inspectors to show their tickets. Why should they not pay their fare like any other working man, or find some other means of transit? There is no doubt that the last rise in fares is accountable for a great lot of the falling off both in revenue and numbers. If people cannot afford the extra charges, of course, their alternative is to make use of the trams as little as possible, and if the tramway management insists on making passengers uncomfortable and ill compelling them to sit by open windows, then it is only reasonable to suppose that people will not patronise the trams more than they can help. Now, sir, if all these "free-trippers" had in the past paid their fares, aa they should have done, I feel sure there would not now be so much talk about raising the fares, and T, as a city ratepayer, and consequently part owner of the trams, would like to protest against any free passes beinsr issued, or anybody being allowed to make free use of the trams (police excepted), unless they are actually on duty and concerned in the running of the trams for the time being. All passes at present on issue should be withdrawn. It will be interesting to know if the Board intends to make any attempt at retrenchment, as there always seein to be a number of inspectors hanging about Cathedral square, apparently looking for work. The checking of passengers' tickets, as it is carried our, could, I should fancy, be done very well by. a couple of these officers. Possibly retrenchments could also be effected in other branches of the service with advantage. —Yours, etc., CITY RATEPAYER. OPENING OF OTIRA TUNNEL. TO THE BMTOB O* "THE PMBS." Sir,—Now; that the opening of the Otira Tunnel is fixed, don't you think it would be only an act of courtesy to invite the old pioneers who arrived here up to and including 1860, to take part in the opening ceremony. lam quite sure it would be a great pleasure to the old warriors and their helpmates to be present on that occasion. There, are only a few of them left, and they in turn -will soon pass away. The expense would be a mere nothing. Ono more carriage on the train would cost nothing, and just think what a pleasure it would be to the old folks. I offer this suggestion to the president of the Progress League or the powers that be, hoping that it will be taken up and acted upon in a true spirt of good-feel-ing towards those who suffered many hardships to help to bring the country to what it iB to-day.—Yours, etc., BE GRATEFUL.