TRAMWAY MATTERS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18397, 2 June 1925, Page 11

TRAMWAY MATTERS.

jSPLY TO CRITICISM.

„ CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT.

£!& reply to recent criticism of the ijygmway Board was made at a special oeeting of that body yesterday by the ehairman, Mr H. Pcarce. Othcra present were: Messrs G. T. Booth, A. S. Tiylor, W. J. "Walter, J. Wood, J. A. fjesher, D. Sykes, and E. W. White, jnd Hon. J- Barr. TBo chairman: An increase in some of jl, e fares comes into operation to-day, Doriig the past week the Board has jceeived so much advice from so many friends that" you must bo almost embarrassed. As many of these good folk do disclose their identity, I desire to lako this public opportunity'«* acknowledging their communications, and replying to them.

Tram dash Increases on Two and Three Sections Only. A halfpenny has been added to a two section, and 1o a three-section ticket only. "One" sections remain untouched; also the longer ones. There has been no increase on these two and three sections since' trams were commenced—eighteen years ago. Sinco then; maintenance material has. gone up CBotmously. Conductors' wages also gone up 100 per 1 cent., and the Arbitration Court has recently added another £4OOO a year to our general wages bill. This increased cost in general; and is not confined to tramways. Newspapers, for instance, have in eonsoqucnco been compelled to advance tlje salo price of their papers by 100 iper. cent. After eighteen years the Board proposes to advance the two section cash rides by 25 per cent., and the three section ridos by 16 per cent.

Concession Tickets. '"There is to bo no incrcaso in the con'fcessioii tickets for one and two sections. : Tlip"24-rido ticket for a 3d section has advanced by 3d only, from 4a 6d to 4s 9dj.bnt. tho-advances on the longer sections have been greater, although they , a^e : Btill being sold under cost price, v- Qne of our advisers has specialised in tho restriction of one passenger on each journey, and argued that it is ridiculous'to prevent him "shouting" for his friohds. Tho reply is that the concession tickets, with no such limitation, were being used largely by groups of picnickers and others on pleasure bent. A concession, if given at all, ought : to. bo confined to the owner, a regular ildcr, and all others should pay cash. Th<S Board has been editorially twitted for not pushing tho sale .of concession tickets. If all tram passengers were "Muccd to use concession tickets, sold under cost price/ the loss at the end of the year would be enormous..

' Increased Tares ,Mean Less Business. This warning has been repeated, and the-Board's policy has, boon described as^suicidal.' 1 •• Qn&advisor has pointed out that as the -Ve&ult of an increase in some fares were ; 562,000 >les& pascarried than ,in' 29,14, but although the figures'w'ore before'him, he omittod, to. state that although, passengers did go down fr0m'25,973,665 to 35,411,673, revenuo went up £66,0001

If Fares Were Seduced, Financial Success "Would Follow. . Tho changes have been rung on this advice for the past woek. It is quite true that the lower tho fares, the more people: will travel, but obviously there „must be a point beyond which this reduction should not go. , It, howevor,doos not follow that of Necessity increased * passengers means increased revenue. • It all depondsupon the faro' charged..' For instance, the Board, conducted the (following experiments. It s reduced seaside return ' tickots by 3<l; The result was 1396 '■more passengers, but £505 less revenue per month. The Board also reduced- the cost to i passengers using one-section concession .-tickets, and liberalised the conditions. Besult: .2219 more passengers, but with £253 less revenue. These figures, were the epidemic. An excessive reduction in fares might ■easily. spell financial disaster. On the other hand, if fares are put up fso,. high that , few peoplo travel, the ;llnaneial results would bo equally dis- ' astrous. Tho object must bo to secure, J if possible, the happy mean.

Fares Too Low on Long Sections. One editorial writer gives prominence ,;to one or the Board's tables which showß <,that when even the new concession is used, losses up to 2Jd take -/place l on the longer journeys, and says: tMlt will bo seen that concession fares i Jiave not been Raised sufficiently to 'Veome within coo-ee of paying for the " |Mrvico rendered." This was one of ythe many points which gave the (Board s trouble. If the concession tickets put up to full cost of transport, jjjtho increaso on tho longer section would jj/iiave been excessively burdensome. The is to make a small profit on the i%aah rider, so that the regular rider »*S|taa bo given some concession, but the must be made to balance. r&ln almost parallel columns in the /Jiuno paper an interview with a well--known publicist appears, headed "The j'/Tramway Board Attacked. Has it - .-itoy Vision?" In this, the writer commends the Auckland City Council for Jwjiumg its cash faro to Onohunga to ® ur advisers obviously cannot have '4# both ways. If one is right, the other b® wrong. It is interesting to that whilo Auckland has reducod long-distance fare to 4d, it still 4d for a three-setftion journey, ' # v Wi'.3d for a two-section journey, > l ?'Wnereas the new Christchurch scale is V and 2|d respectively. The publile^c^ed to, who holds up Auckland au example to be followed at one 'V displays his unfairness by omit- *° quote that. It is interesting to ijflwte that Auckland anticipates losing <s} on this lauded 4d fare. Auckalso estimates.that it will have a of £23,000 this year. One the most bitter of the anonymous at..comes from a North Beach paswho enjoys a ride at much below and whose lino is losing £3OOO a Another adviser recommends that > i pull up the North Beach line B®thcr; while a third says, "On tho 7®®? which are not self-supporting iafares until they are self-aup-apply to North I suggest that these three adWrtf 8 should get together and announce / 3 Y» r ° Sli " ; their deliberation. lmo comes when thtf muchyMiicued concession ticket is abolishk : .Ty advocated by yet another friend * ever y° ne on a cost price cash flvior tv som ® the others will bo sorry i B,Bc l v .es.. But if that time does school will doubtless^

arise, who will contend for a resumption of the concession ticket, and searify the then Board i£ it refuses.

Renewals rand. The old erv of excessive reserves has again' been raised. • Sufficient at present to say that the charges against revenue for these are-the result of an independent actuarial investigation. The Board is now renewing a piece of Papanui line, down since 1917, at a cost' of £19,850. If tho criticised Renewal Fund was not in this would have to be paid by revenue account this year. The result would be a deficiency twice as gTeat ns last year, and only met by a much greater increase in fares than is now proposed.

"Too Many Stops." From Fendalton extension comes the advice that the frequency of stopping places has become a joke. Fendalton extension district is one of those areas which unloaded its special rating area obligations on to the main area, and this is ,ono of the factors in the financial difficulties of the Board. It is fitting, therefore, that we should receive financial advice in the matter of economy from that district. It is possible the Board has gone too far in endeavouring to meet the convenience of Fendalton people with respect to stopping places. I propose that the Board reduce the number.

Another well-known gentleman, who is good enough not to conceal his identity, occupies over a column in elaborating the argument that as each atop costs the Board a penny, .it could savo £17,500 a year by reducing them considerably. Now, what is the position i Costs of stopping and starting arc wear and tear and power. These amount to under 3d a car mile. If, then, the Board cut out three stopping places in each mile, at our learned friend's estimated cost of one penny each it would savo the total cost of running under these heads. How the Board must long to possess these magical powers! To cut out stops would suit the terminus people admirably, but what about the intermediate people, who are entitled to just as much consideration? Another of the Board's advisers re-marks-that buses beat the trams, and continue to do so because they pick up passengers anywhere on tho journey. Which of these contradictory advisers should the Board followf The Board has not been unmindful of the terminal rider, and has increased tho number of "non-stop" trips considerably recently.' Tho general manager recommended some time ago that still moro be provided. This cannot be done, though, until cars now being built are - available. Auckland, and Wellington. Ono editor indulges in pleasant sarcasm because I ventured to make Bome comparisons between Christchurch and tho ■ other centres. In • the same paper -there appeared a lettor of another advisor, containing this remark: "Other tramway undertakings pay without having reconrso to the rates or to high fares, and with good management ours can bo made to pay also." The correspondent has apparently failed to note the following comparisons of fares hitherto in force in the inner aroa, whence cornea the bulk of revenue:— Auckland and Wellington. Christchurch. One section . 2d ,2d Two sections .. 3d * 2d Three sections ... 4d 3d Four.sections .. 5d 4dAt the risk of again incurring further. ' editorial ploaßantries—in these comparisons, I repeat that if Christchilrch had charged the same fares in the past as Auckland and Wellington has/done, Christchurch revenue would have boen the gainer .by £BO,OOO a year. If:Christchurch had put on a penny six years ago,; when Auckland and Wellington did, and now knocked off a. halfpenny,. bringing the fare down to the rate now. so much criticised, the Board I would, have boen regarded, as good I fellows.

"Too-Many Inspector." There are thirteen employed, working overia nineteen-hour day, while under their.supervision are 270 motormen and conductorsi dispatching and receiving carls at tho sheds, supervising traffic, attending, to minor motor and car defects, obtaining witnesses' statements respecting accidents and complaints, etc.- Of these, there are only'four on regular tickot duty—two on each shift. ■These are. only able to board about 10 per cent, of the trips run. They render a thankless duty efficiently. It is partly due to this system that the general staff is as efficient and cour-' teous as it is. Even private tramway undertakings employ this class of officer. If in my business I have several jobs on at different points of the town, I have a foreman for each.

Buses. The difference of opinion among members of the Board on this point was due to a misunderstanding. One was qiioting from a return showing the result for tho time during which hired buses were o'mployed. Other members had in mind a table showing losses on present • fares, with the Board's own buses. All these tabled losses are not what are known aB "out-of-pocket" losses, but after charging 15 per cent, depreciation. I mentioned the losses in my report. Despite criticism to the contrary, these buses were employed with the full approval of the Board. An emergency arose, owing to delay in arrival of buses on order, l'rompt action had to be taken. Although some loss was experienced, the ultimate result will be gain. The private "peakload" bus was driven off the Papanui lino at a cobt of £231. If other private buses seek to do business on the Board's routos, under similar unfair conditions, I would <lo the same again;

The'Hsiipcimy Change. This was a compromise. Some members of the Board favoured a penny increase, with cheap uaiostricted trip tickets at lower rate's, and with a "half mile" section ticket for ono penny. This also provided, not only for £4OOO wagos increase this year, but for a £IO,OOO increase in power costs next year. • The majority, however, objected to asking this year's passengers to pay more than was necessary this year —hence the halfpenny. Adelaide has 2Jd and 3Jd fares. A cabled query as to change and accounting troubles brought the reply: "Conductors accustomed to halfpenny change—operating for eight years."

Workshops, Buildings, Land, and Plant. Tho cost of this,. published a week ago, has also provoked comment. The old workshop had long outgrown its efficiency. „ Justifiable complaints, too, were made by the Union as to diningrooms for the men, etc. An up-to-date social hall was also. desired for them. There was also insufficient cover at night for the increasing number of c-ars. There comes a breaking point in many concerns, when a large expansion move' must.be made. An opportunity also existed for the acquisition of the only large piece of land left in the old city area, opposite the car shed and near the power station. It would have been folly to have missed the chance, and equally foolish not to purchase a little more than was immediately required. The price of the land was fixed by an Assessment Court. The buildings were planned for expansion, and outworn plant replaced by up-to-date machines. The Board acted -vith foresight in looking beyond im-

mediate' requirements—not always done by local bodies.In referring to this in his annual report, June, 1923, the then chairman of the Board—Mr D. Sykes —said: "Visiting tramway experts, express the opinion that Christehurch has the best equipped and most up-to-date workshop in the Southern Hemisphere." That Mr Sykes's commendation in 1923 was justified is proved by the cost of working, as compared with other centres. Sydney, 3.03 d per car mile; Auckland, 2.86 d; Wellington, 2.42 d; Adelaide, 2.19 d; Brisbane, 2.03 d: Christchurch—the lowest of the lot—l.Old. Some of those places have hills involving more wear and tear on motors, but Christchurch motors have to haul more than double weight in trailers. Workers' Tickets. It is a sore point with some of our friends that the Board does not issue workers' tickets as is done in Wellington. Her» again want of knowledgeis displayed. The workers' ticket in Wellington has to be used on the first journey into city before 7.30 a.m. Why should this class of worker get a cheaper ticket than the worker who arrives in the city at 8.30 a.m.? The Board does not attempt to make this class distinction, yet carries its concession tickctlioldc.rs at the same rato per mile, A Rate. It is easy to say make up a small deficiency of £IO,OOO by putting it on to the rates. Where will it end? With easy relief that way, the tendency would be for it to increase. Ultimately the Socialistic ideal of a tramway undertaking with expenses of £270,00*0 a year, all to be met by rates, and with no tram fares, would come about. And if tramways, why not electric light—another £124,000 per annum? By far the greater portion of this rate would be imposed on the central area. It has been said that fare increases are not the only remedy. The' Board is alive to this fact. It has already decided as the result of experiment to construct all renewed tracks with concrete, no sleepers, and with a bitumen top. The first cost (chargeable to Renewals Fund) will be greater, but the annual maintenance will be less. Consideration is also being given to the 'executive officers' recommendation that bitumen be used for "sealing" the existing tracks, thus reducing dust nuisance, and it is hoped reducing maintenance. It is hoped that bitumen scaling experiment will also provo a success; as tar used lately is much poorer in binding power than formerly, and maintenance costs have gone up. The Manager also recommended more than a year ago that trailers be reduced in number, and ' substituted by separate, electric cars. This will cost more in operation, but a better service will result, and with it (it is hoped) a corresponding increase in revenue. It is because of this recommendation that the Board decided to build more new electric cars. 1

' The Management.' The costs of ,this are not excessive by any means —£2000 a year below Wellington and Auckland. One gentle critic maintains that the City Councils Electrical Engineer could just as easily do the tramway electrical work. I know the quality and quantity of work which the Board's engineer has to do. , If the City Engineer has time to, do it, ho must havo an exceedingly soft job at present, which I do not think he has. The appointment of an ■ Australian manager at, £7OO a year is also advocated. Auckland City had to pay twice that sum for an Australian, and although, he ,is, an efficient man, Be is compollcd to estimate a. tramway deficiency of £23,000 in Auckland this year. Each "system has its.-natural -advantages, and its natural disadvantages, and I do not wish to bolittle the' management of the northern systems in tho slightest. , I think the officers there are capable men, but, in view of the bitter attack made on the Board's officers, I think it should be reported that operating costs per . car mile are: Auckland Is 10Jd, Wellington Is 10d, Dunedin Is lid, Christchurch Is OJd. One friend endeavours to dispose of this by quoting power costs, but significantly without mentioning others. Christchurch motors do not have to climb hills,, hut they do haul heavy trailers.' Even if tho 3d for cheaper, power is allowed, for, Christchurch is still over 55 per cent, cheaper than the north.

, In its general manager, engineer, traffic supervisor, accountant and other executive officers in subordinate positions, the Board possesses efficient and zealous men, and I greatly deplore the attacks upon them which have been published, and to which they cannot reply. At the conclusion of tho statement the chairman moved that it be received. This was seconded by Mr A. S. Taylor.

When asked if there were any questions, Mr Sykeß said that the visiting tramway experts in 1923 had not stated that the workshops were up-to-dately managed, and neither had he made such a statement.

The chairman: The results proved that the workshops were well managed. There was no further discussion, and the meeting then ended.

[Extended report published by arrangement.] LATE MR C. H. MILLAR. ♦ The funeral of the late Mr C. H. Millar took, place at the Bromley Cemetery yesterday afternoon, and was attended by a large number of friends, in addition to representatives of the local artillery unit, in which the late Mr Millar held a commission as captain, and of the New Brighton Surf Club. The pall-bcarers were Messrs B. C. Wickens, B. S. Knox, H. S. Cook, W. A. Smith L. A. Morrison, and Mitchell. Wreaths were sent by the following:— Dr. and Mrs Mark Brown, Commonwealth and Dominion Shipping Line (Wellington), Mr Adolph Hirsch (New York), Mr and Mrs J. N. Omerod, Joan, Margaret, and Judith Omerod, Canadian Government Merchant Marine, Officers of N.Z. Artillery, N.Z. Froezing and Allied Industries Officers' Guild, New Brighton Surf Club, Canterbury Officers' Club, Kocke and Son (London), N.Z. Refrigerating Company's staff, Messrs Kinsey and Co., Mr A. G. Mac Donald, Mr and Mrs Frank Yuill, Mr and Mrs Spencer and Mrs Andrews, Mrs F. B. Sapsford and daughters, Mr and Mrs Campbell, Mr and Mrs J. Mcllroy, Miss A. Clarke, Mrs and the Misses Lewis, Mr F. Candy and Miss Thornton, Mr William Stewart, Mrs W. Pitcaithly and Miss B. Hamilton, Mr and Mrs L. Foster, Mrs and Miss Millar, Mr and Mrs Arnold and son, Mr and Mrs H. S. Cook, Mrs Bayner and Mrs Waters, Mr and Mrs H. B. Mansfield, Mr and Mrs H. L Pennv, Mr and Mrs F. D. Sargent, Misses Child and Selliek, Mr and Mrs A W. Smith, Mrs Campbell Brown and sons, Mr and Mrs King, Mr and Mrs J. S. Neville, Mrs Colin Cook (Lvttelton), Messrs Bourke, Wilson and Co., Mrs and Miss Anthony, Mr and Mrs Fred Millar, Mr and Mrs H. E. Otley, Mr and Mrs F. A. and Miss Cook, Mr and Mrs Sims, Mr L. A. Morrison, Mr and Mrs Charles Otley, Mr and Mrs A. H. Anthony, Mr and Mrs Osborne Smith, Mr S. and the Misses McMurray, Mr B. B. Beals, Mr V. G. Ferguson, and Mr and Mrs B. Turton (Wellington).

SEX AND SALARY.

* SHOULD WOMEN TEACH BOYS. (iHOSt OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.), LONDON, April 31. Delegates to the National Union of Teachers held at Nottingham have considered at least one question with an absence of that usual harmony which prevail? at such assemblies. Keen discussion centred round the subject of tho equality of, tho sexes in regard to, pay. Woman delegates strongly protested .against the Burnham arbitration award. Miss Walmsloy (Birmingham) obtained a suspension of standing orders for the. purpose of discussing her motion that "This conference deplores tho fact that tho status of women,.; has been lowered by the change to the ££>. increment." Professional thinkers of' tho union, she said, must constantly deplore the ugly blot which had fallen on one section of the organisation —tho largest numerically, of their body. By the lowering of the women's increment the women members realised that they were .made a cheaper commodity. In this commercial world salary was allied wtih status; commercial men valued an article in proportion to the amount they paid for it. Their value-had gone down, and therefore their status had also gone down in the opinion of the general-public. Therefore, they opposed the lowering of the increment. Formerly they had equality of increment, and it had been a matter of satisfaction to them to know tliat they were regarded as equal members with the men and the same union, into which they went with the same qualifications and did the same work as their colleagues. Now a differentiation had ■ been made, and they most strenuously opposed it, and while they loyally accepted the decision of Lord Burnham, they did not and could not agree to such an arrangement. "Why should we wear the cheap label of a cheap commodity? This loss of status is not only a loss to women teachers,, but to the "Union, and it cuts across our policy. I trust wo shall get nearer to the ideal that men and women. shall have equal pay for equal work. To stand together against reduction should be our policy, irrespective of sex."

The mover and seconder of the resolution accepted the words "in accepting Lord Burnham'a award" as a prefix to the resolution, and in that form it was carried unanimously.

•'« Schoolmasters Will. Be Extinct.' * The men's side of the question was voiced with vigour by several speakers. For instance, it -was. stated that the great increase of juvenile crimo is due to, the handing over ■ of the teaching profession to women. Women, it was said, are quite unable .to control boys. The delegates, representing 6000 men teachers, unanimously' passed a resolution demanding that every boy of more than seven should be taught by men. Mr J. H. Brooke, Liverpool, said that 'in ;50 years' time teaching in the elementary schools would be entirely in the hands of women and schoolmasters would be extinct. Seventy-eight per cent, of the teachers in this country were* women, and the proportion was increasing. The policy of equal pay had eliminated the man teacher in America with disastrous results. Women were emotionally incapable of understanding and controlling boys. ■

Evil Results. •Mr J. Kay, Liverpool, said that the complaints that boys on starting were unable to apply tho knowledge gained in tho schools was due to an attitude of mind resulting from the feminist influence in the schools. Mr H. T. Hatch, Bethnal Green, said that a firm woman disciplinarian always repressed a troublesome boy, ™ lO merely found an outlet for his vitality in the streets and became a nuisance, while a weak mistress was treated by the boyß with contempt. "A woman cannot control all boys." he said, love a troublesome boy, but not a baa one. A troublesome boy under a woman teacher becomes a bad boy. She cannot direct his energies."

INDIA.

POLITICS AND RELIGION. , A largo number of pcoplo interested in quostions concerning India mpt the Rev. E. C. Dewick, of the Indian Student Christian Association, who is on furlough in New Zealand, at the Y.M.C.A. rooms last night. The Bev. S. Parr presided. The chairman briefly introduced the guest of the evening. The Rev. P. Paris, chairman of the New Zealand Student Christian Movement, and Mr-W. H. P. MacKenzie also spoke. Mr Dewick, in tho course of his address, said that India a't the present time was very, full of problems, and it was difficult to decide which, of these was: the more important.-These matters, however,, could be divided roughly under two heads—political and religious. There was a coneidpra-blo, amount of. political unrest in the country, and although this was confined chiefly to the educated classes, yet it was also making itself felt among the vast uneducated masses. • Tho Indian disliked the Englishman with an intensely marked hatred, and among tho students the intense racial ill-will was almost, universal. The lecturer showed how Indian students went to the colleges in the large centres from , the most distant parts of the country, and when they returned with a good education to their villages they exercised, an almost unrivalled sway on the opinions of their fellow-villagers. Consequently it could be seen how this antipathy on the part of tho students spread to the people. Mr Dewick stated that, in his opinion, the inter-racial dislike was due to a large extent to tho inability of the people of India to secure a life of even modern comfort. The Englishmen who lived in India, however, were almost without exception prosperous and well fed. After making a fortune they often returned to their Homeland to live in luxury, while many of the Indians themselves could scarcely afford one meal a day. The growth of suspicion between the two races had become an active menace within 'the last five years, and this suspicion was held aB much by the Englishman on the one hand as the Indian on the other. Tho religious situation, hp said, largely reflected the political. » Large numbers of converts were being made, but the speaker considered that\ these conversions were primarily due to social rather than religious motives. The . Christian religion offered its believers social advantages which Hinduism did not. A striking fact was that Christ occupied a placo in the Indian mind to-day which Ho had never done before, and those who were seeking an honourable national religion for the great land realised that such religion must be based upon tho teachings of Christ. The lecturer said he felt sure that Christianity was the only means which could evolve a solution of the difficulties which were being experienced in India. He stressed tho necessity of the spirit of friendship on the part of the workers who went out, and said that for friendship shown the Indian reciprocated in an amazing way. At the conclusion of his address the speaker was accorded a hearty vote of thanks, and answered a number of questions.