TRAMWAY BOARD.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18397, 2 June 1925, Page 14

TRAMWAY BOARD.

to thi xorroß ot "tee roxss."

to tim editor or "tub pbess." Sir, —It is with interest I have read tho various criticisms in "The Press," which .have followed tho decision of the Tramway .Board to increase tho tram fares. While recognising tho ' fallibility of the .Board, and. their proneriess to err like the rest of us liumans, it seems to me that those critics who, suggest that the only reason that ntakes the increase of fares , necessary is the mismanagement of the Board, are scarcely fair in their conclusions, and have not given due consideration to the peculiar difficulties under which the Christchurch Tramway Board labours in comparision to the other large centres of population in "the Dominion. I refer, of course, to tho extended area that our tramway system covers, _ and tho scattered nature of our residential population. This mußt of necessity, increase the operation and maintenance expenses more than is the case in the other centres quoted, whose population is confined to a more restricted area than ours. Tho hilly naturo of their streets, prevents the bicycle from becoming the popular means of locomotion that it is in Christchurcih, and will so continue no matter how low tho tram fares may bo.

some of tho suggestions put forward are worthy of tho consideration of the Board, jf they have not already been looked into, others appear to be of 6uch an unpractical character that they carry their, own condemnation with them. Like several of your correspondents, I was attracted by the clear and able manner in which Mr A. F. Wright placed his views on the frequent stop-waste before your readers. The suggestion is one that might well be taken into serious consideration by the Board. At the same .time, l am afraid ho is too optimistic as to the saving that would be effected if his suggestions were carried out. His estimated saving appears to have been based upon tho assumption that on each trip the trains stop at tho particular stopping place quoted, when" as a matter of fact they stop thero only when required—probably on. an average of once in tnree of four trips. _ If this proves to be the? case tho saving that would be effected by carrying out Jjis suggestion would fall far. short of his estimate. At the same time, if tho cost per stop as quoted by him, is correct, tho saving would bo considerable, even if the stops were less frequent than he estimated. I think tho members of the Board are to be congratulated upon adhering to the principle that the tramways must pay their way, and that the levying of a rate should be done only under extreme .financial stress. Once a rate is imposed, it, as a rule, is there for good, aqd being as it were, easy money might readily cause a slackness in management, which the necessity for making the tramways pay their way at present prevents. ; Regarding the question of bus com- i petition, powers should be obtained that would enable the local authority to refuse permission for a bus to ply for hire on any tram route where the tramways are publicly owned, and in any case the bus proprietor should be compelled to ply for hire on a particular route, ana run to a time-table, the same as the Tramway Board are compelled to do. May I say, in conclusion, that the one good thing the striking of a rate might do, would be to remind the patrons of the opposition bus who were ratepayers that they had the priviege of supporting bpth the bus and the tram. —Yours, etc.. JOHN HADFIELD. June Ist, 1525.

gir,—May I ask the favour of some 'space regarding the above comedy of errorsf Mr Arthur. Wright (who I think blew put the Board's district rating system

some years ago) again hits a bullseve when he deals with the innumerable stops. It matters not,, north, south, cast, or west, these are farcical. Surely money can be saved here.-. Then, again, what about the railway station traffic? As a constant traveller I have usually found either no car waiting or one just leaving as the trains come in. There should lie a lot of money picked up here if people were properly catered for. The inspectors are good men, no doubt, but, many large business concerns doing a far greater turnover than the tramways work with one man. Personally, I decline to believo our conductors are so dishonest as to require so many men watching them. The management are to blame' in their choice of men if they call for so much supervision. Plenty of internal checks, plus one good peripatetic inspector, should meet the needs. The public who own the trams are entitled to more information regarding the cost of buses .and' the workshop. May I suggest tljat an effdrt bo made to have' a Commission appointed to overhaul, the whole thing, let'daylight in, and make recommendations? Probably Mr Wright's legal mind, with others to help, can formulate a plan of action. As to the .secretary or the Board—l fear they arc cither helpless or hopeless, possibly both. Some time ago I, as one constantly waiting,, referred to tho "miss Connexion" system of the trams, and many others from all parts wrote complaining. A particularly striking instance (among others) was given wlioro the inward Opawa car wus at Wordsworth street two minutes ahead of its time-table time, and a friend said, as the outward Hills car is due at same timo at said street, "Surely, now, they must connect." But not a bit of it. Tho Hills car was also two minutes early, and tho conductor smilingly passed ahead of Opawa car, and no passenger for Hills had a chance of getting aboard. Is any rmeedy shown in tho new time-table? I. think not —and we want Mr Secretary and the Board to tako careful note that thev will have to sit up and (lo something. We'arc not going to complain constantly of palpable defects and have the wishes of the pubiie ignored. Finally, there is the rate question. The whole of Christchurch arc responsible for tho system. I venture to say that si/ice tho money was borrowed, the loss from car and cycle owners becoming non-users of trams would more than cover any deficit. Why should all thesd peoplo bo allowed to throw tho loss on thoso who don't own such conveyances and who stick to the trams? I have a splendid water supply, and don't really want tho borough water system, but, like many others, for the general community I pay my share of water rates. Will a small rate be any worse than the present incompetent methods, necessitating so many increases in fares? I can easily see my family paying an additional £2 or £3 per annum, and I hear of cases on long runs where it runs into 15s and £1 per month. Will someone tell us what a 5s rate per annum on the capital value will* bring in! , I can see a lot of trouble ahead for tho Board and its secretary. Meetings should be held«iu all suburbs, and petitions signed calling for tho appointment of a Commission to overhaul the whole undertaking. Then we shall have all tho data required to enable the public to proceed to further drastic action.—Yours, etc., STILL CONSTANTLY WAITING. June Ist, 1925.

TO TH2 EDITOR OF "THS PUSS." Sir, —Please allot mc space io ask a> question, i.e., Low many inspectors do th« Board employ ? 1 am led to believe at least one dozen, at six pounds per week each. Could not the whole affair be run with three or four inspectors 2 One day last,week whilst I was travelling from Papanui to Spreydon I had to produce my ticket three times. " I should also lika to know, with another of your readers, what the salaries of the heads are?— Yours, etc., NOSEY PARKER. June Ist, 1925.