BURGESSES RAGE.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18507, 8 October 1925, Page 10

BURGESSES RAGE.

I TRAMWAYS MANAGEMENT. SUBURBAN GRIEVANCES. : Members of the Tramway Board should have felt their' ears burn last ! night, for they were laiieii some very , hard names—some much too hard for ' publication —at a meeting of represcn- , tatives of Burgesses' Associations. The meeting was held last night to discuss ! tramway affairs, and at times the -di.s----i mission became extremely warm. There were present: Messrs 11. I', le Page ■■ (chairman). W. A. Smith. J. A. Ruuge. I S. G. Marshall (Eedcliffs Burgesses" Association''': A. ("'. Maxwell (Beckeni ham'i : li. Robinson and (. Lavender { (South Brighton): R. I. Lamb and T. ' 11. Straiiaif (North Beach and Waijntairi); J. Young and V. Holland (St. j Martins!; and T. J. Morrow and E. • Bedwell (Richmond). The chairman said that the Redelifi's Association had called the meeting to discuss tramway policy. Like other outside places, Redcliffs was not satisI tied with the treatment accorded them Jby tiie Board. The whole policy of the Board was wrong. No attempt was made to popularise the system. The Board was up against a falling revenue, but had gone the wrong way to remedy that state of affairs.* They raised fares, which was suicidal. They had gone about the bus competition in a ridiculous fashion by hiring buses. Mr Maxwell asked if increased fares had increased revenue. The chairman said it was diffiault to I get information on that point. He had noted an increase in cyclists. Mr Lamb: "They are antagonisms the public absolutely.'' Ho said that' judging by the information published by the Board, increased fares had increased revenue but that result was nullified by increased overhead charges. These went piling up year after year. Much Thrashed. Body. Mr Lamb said it was time that ther developed a ''pay as you enter car. - ' and a uniform tare. This would eliminate conductors and inspectors. It seemed to him that the Board did not set itself out to popularise the' outside districts. On the South Brighton bus, the return tare was Bd. the distance being one mile and a half; The bus ought to be run from town to South Brighton. Mr Young said that the Board was the most thrashed body in Christchurch. (Voices: You are right.) The United Association had taken up the matter, but had not been able to proceed owing to their inabilitv to get a balance-sheet. The St. Martins people had got three extra trams as the Tcsult of agitation, but that was not sufficient. Mr Robinson said they should keep together and run candidates. Mr Maxwell said that every Association would be behind them. , Resolutions. _ Mr Smith moved: "That this meeting ! 'take the following .subjects to their Associations for discussion: That this meeting is of opinion that the policy of the Tramway Board should be drastically altered on the following lines:— "'(1) That the tram fares should be considerably reduced, and concession "tickets at a popular price be introduced. "(2) That the trailers be eliminated, and a more rapid service instituted. "(3) That this meeting is of opinion that the overhead and office expenses should be reviewed." Mr Morrow seconded the motion. ! It was decided to take the three clauses as separate motions. Mr Maxwell moved as an amendment to the first motion: "That the Tramway Board be requested to issue workers' tickets from the various termini available until 9 a.m., return between 4.30 p.m. and 6.30 p.m., at a flat rate at so much per month." Mr Holland seconded. By consent, the original motion was withdrawn and the new motion was agreed to. The second clause as originally proposed was also agreed to. The Overhead Costs. Mr Robinson moved and Mr Lamb seconded the third motion—that relating to overhead costs. After saying some very hard thjngs about the General Manager, the salary ho received, the things he did, and especially the things he did not do, the meeting went into committee to say some more. Then this discussion was resumed jn open meeting, and in the • end the motion was agreed to. Mr Lamb moved: "That all free passes that the Tramway Board is in the hatit of issuing be withdrawn, with the exception of those issued to disabled returned soldiers and the Board's employees in uniform." After some discussion, it was decided to postpone the motion and to adjourn the meeting for three weeks.