TRAMWAY BOARD.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18398, 3 June 1925, Page 9

TRAMWAY BOARD.

TO TEX EDITOR OP "TEIf. PRESS.** Sir, —I do not onvv the position of the members of the Tramway Board at tho present time, because I believe tliey are playing a losing game, due to their past and present policy. It is hardly to be expected, perhaps, that the Board should admit that their policy is wrong, even although that could be easily demonstrated, hence wo shall continue to have si variety of experiments of an exasperating kind, in the hope that some luck will turn up. Personally, I have no such hope, unless tho policy in future is completely changed. How any business men, or men without a business training, for that matter, should, in the face of fierce competition from motor and other vehicles in a community like this, adopt the policy towards the public that has ruled during the past few years, passes my comprehension. We do not need to concern ourselves so much about the amount of the fare, although that is an important item, as we need to consider other matters which have lately tended to make the Christchurch Tram' way Board the most unpopular public body in New Zealand. I cannot go into numerous details, but let mo mention one expedient agreed to lately. The bus fares, which were, until Saturday, 2d from tho top of Springfiold road' to tho entrance to the Square, are 3d to-day. Compare this with the favourito Pnpanui routo, a much longer trip (Leinster road to Lichfield street city) being available for and tho service of the < cars being usually every twelvo minutes, whereas the leviathan buses appoar only about twice an hour. That ia a small sample of the policy _ of a Board which professes to bo anxious for the custom of the public. But instead of listening to the commonsenso of the people the Board and its officials tell you to submit and do what tho Board tolls you or you will liavo to pay a tromendous sum through tho rates! I have no foar • whateve* that tlioro is n tremendous bill for tho eitizons of Chrlßtchurch to pay in tho not far distant futuro. It is only a mutter of time and wo shall have _ to pay, pay, pay, all right, and I think tho sooner wo take stock and have a sauarintr-up the better. —Yours, etc., 1 BE IN TIME. June '2nd, 1925.

TO TUE EDITOR OP "THE PRESS." Sir,—Your correspondent, "Still Constantly Waiting," says that Mr Arthur Wright, who, he thinks, hlew out the Board's district rating system some years ago, again hits a bull's-eye when he deals with the innumerable stops. On turning to the chairman's report, I find that, ivlr Wright, whom the chairman evidently referred to, did not hit the bull's-eye—he missed the target altogether, not with a bullet, but with, a boomerang. Apparently Mr AVnght, thinking that each stop cost a penny, made au elaborate arithmetical calculation with tho result that he announced £17.000 would be saved if a few of the stops were cut out. The chairman, replies that the total expenses involved in starting and stopping cars amounts to 3d a car mile, so that if three stops were cut out. of mile, on Mr Wright's estimate of Id each, ths cars could Iks run at no expense at ail, which, I think, blows out Mr Wright, As to Mr Wright blowing out tho rating areas, I would like more to be stated about this. My impression, confirmed by the-chairman's report, is that it w.n s a cleyer move under which these districts were saved a rate at the expense of the poor city people, who are glad that the Board, in fixing stops for us is not unmindful of our necessities. The joke is quite creamy. First Mr Wright blows out the district, rating scheme end increases the burden ol the central district. Having done thi«, ho proceeds to blow out the Board for having too mn'ny stoppmg-placeiyn that central area. Then he in turn is neatly blown out by the chairman as to consequent Bavings. j If .your correspondent thinks that his friend has tcpred a bull's-eye, ho is a lone'lorn individual to-day. ' Ihj laugh is on Mr Wright.—Yours, etc., HEREFORD STREET. June 2nd, 1925. .

TO THE EDITOR OF "THE PRESS." Sir,—-I noticed, with much surprise, that the chairman of our Tramway Board speaks of laying the rails in concrete and having no sleepers in future. I would like to ask: Why has the Auckland City Council taken miles of their rails out of the concrete bed and .relaid them on sleepers? This has been done on the Manakau road, between Newmarket and Onchungsi:—a tedious job. Even when concreting the. rond, they place the rails on sleepers which rest on a firm bed of two to three inches of blue metal. I noticed that when relaying the rails in Queen ttreet tihey put them on sleepers instead of on concrete as formerly-—Yours, etc.. " J. C WAJJi'. June 2nd. 1920.

TO TDE EDITOR OF "THE PEES 3." Sir, —Now that we have been treated to a long ex parte statement by the chairman or' the 'Tramways, it is possible to judge of the merits of the' present agitation. Mr Wright, in his recent able letter, stated that he had it on the authority of the Board that each stop cost Id. JSome months ago, the chairman oi the .Board also mado this statement. Ihe statement is true or not true, and if not true, why is it not denied promptly;- Any one with any sense knows that it costs something to stop and start a car, but the Chairman will not luce the music, and only attempts to throw ridicule on the subject, 'i he matter of cutting down stopping places is a difficult one and is bound to hurt some one, out thia Board has not shown itself so sympathetic to the public that it is frightened of the agitation which would surely follow. Your correspondent. "Suburbia/' truly says "Those whom the gods wish to destroy, they first make mad." It would seem that the Board and Chairman have all lost their heads over the loss of revenue of the undertaking they so misdirect, "that, instead of setting about putting their house in order like business men, they prefer to shelve it all on to the public, who have a broad back, and will probably take it lying down. However, as the Chairman very trulv remarks, Where will it end if we fall back on rates? It could onlv end ana

way, that is by staying there. If tho management can't make the system pay now they wouldn't try then, but just let things go. A correspondent gave instances ot actual increases of prices for concession tickets, amounting to over 70 per t*"*'- during the past four years. Tho Chairman couldn't answer this, but just, ignores it. Now, there is an attempt to draw this agitation away from it* aim by setting "Inner Area"' against "Outer Area." This is merely drawing a rod herring across the scent. What the public is out for, is not necessarily cheaper fares, but confidence in the management, and faith in the Board.— Yours, etc.. „•,.,., "OLD BEAN." June 2nd. 1925.