CHEAP FARES.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17989, 5 February 1924, Page 8

CHEAP FARES.

SEASIDE EXCURSIONS. A PROPOSAL DEFEATED. Tho question of instituting a. daily excursion on the- New Brighton lino at the reduced fare of 9d return during the summer months was again before the Tramway Board at yesterday's meeting, when Mr W. J. Walter moved a notice of motion to that effect standing in his name. Mr Walter said ho had previously urged tliat the concession should bo made on all tho seaside linos during the summer, but his proposal had been turned down on the grounds that excursion fares would not pay on the Sumner and North Beach lines. He now moved tho resolution in respect to the Now Brighton line, as he considered that the public could be given tho benefit of cheap fares on that lino without loss to the Board. In sup--port of that contention ho said the cost of taking an empty car, to New Brighton was 9s one ompty trailer cost 4s 62-d, two empty trailers cost 9s V 3 d. The total cost of a. car and two trailers was 18s 3d. If 128 passengers were carried on a oar and two trailers for 9d return, or 4jd single, tho return to the Board would bo £2 Bs, a profit of £1 9s above the initial cost of 18s 3d. On these figures, even if the cars wero sonfc back empty, the Board's profit was assured. Mr Walter went on to Gay that the Board had also to consider the induced traffic—the traffic which came into tho Squaro bv other lines in order to join up with tho New Brighton excursion. A woman with two children, one under and one over 12 years of ago, would pay, at excursion rates, Is lid from the Squaro. Tho ordinary faro would bo 2s sd. The cost for tho some party coming into the Square from a 2d section and going to Now Brighton would bo 2r 9d, a 3d section 3s Id, and a 4d section 3s 7d. Tho "induced" traffic returns in those cases would bo 10d, la 2d, and Is 8d . respectively. At the present time tho cars running to New Brighton between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. wero not full. He referred to tho excursions being run by the Railway Department to Timaru, and said the Board could also make excursions popular. In the interests of the health of the community he urged that those people who depended on the trams as a' means of transport should be given an opportunity of visiting tho seaside at a reduced cost. Mr H. Pearoo seconded the motion pro forma.

In reply to Mr Q. T. Booth, the chairman said the previous decision of the Board, contained in a report issued on December 19th, was that nothing should be done in the matler of inaugurating excursions until the end of the Board's financial year, March. 31st. Mr S. A. Staples said the experiment had been tried some years ago, when it had not naid. He could not see his way clear to vote for the motion on the grounds that it had not paid before, and was not likely to pay now. J . .

M fj J \ A - F^ B *"* said four trips would be needed—one out full, one back empty, one out empty, and one back full. He could not understand how a profit could be obtained. Ho thought that the question had been held over till the end of the financial year. Tho finances of the Board were not sufficiently buoyant to allow an experiment in that direction to be mode at present.- He mentioned that tho proposal would benefit only the people travelling from the city to the seaside, and there was likely to be a demand for concessions from the people who travelled from the seaside to the' city. He admitted, however, that the latter had the benefit of the concession ticket. In view of the decision of the Board to hold the. matter over until the end of the financial year, Mr "Walter would he wise to withdraw his motion until March -31st. At that date tho Board might bo able to eee its way clear to inaugurate for the between-terms and spring holidays. He could not quite follow Mr Walter's figures, but it seemed to him that the Board would .not realise a profit, and there might, probably, be a loss.

_ The Hon. J. Barr M.L.C., Bfiid if it had not been for the fact that the Board had agreed to allow the matter to stand over till the end of the financial year, he would have moved an amendment to the effect that Sumnerand North New Brighton bo included in the concession, and also that the concession be extended to those travelling from the seaside to the city. , Mr D. Sykes ateo expressed his intention of voting against the motion. In reply, Mr Walter said he had proposed that North Brighton and Sumner Bhould be included in the* concession, but that had been turned down by the Board on tho grounds that it would not pay There was no doubt that the Nqw Brighton line would pay, Replying to Mr Flosher f e statement that the, Board could not afford to run cars back empty, he would eay that the Sunday trams cam© back from tho seaside empty. * A member: Af a higher fare. Mr Walter: Yes, hut empty. A member: We can afford to do that. Mr Walter: We can afford to do the same on the Brighton line on weekdays.

The motion was* then put to the meeting and defeated, Mr Walter's being the only yote in favour of it