PRAMS ON TRAMS

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24022, 10 August 1943, Page 2

PRAMS ON TRAMS

UNFAIR DEMANDS OF PUBLIC COMMENT BY BOARD MEMBERS "We are not going to get to the stage where we cater for carrying baby motor-cars on our trams,” said Mr J. S. Barr, chairman of the Christchurch Tramway Board, yesterday afternoon, replying to the continued criticism of the facilities provided for carrying prams. "Our original intention when framing our regulations was to provide only for pushchairs, but we have extended our instructions to allow prams to be carried. However, some of the prams we are now asked to carry are beyond reason,” Mr Barr said. In his own family he had a pushchair for twins, but even that was not so bulky as many of the single prams about today, he said. “This has been a sore subject for years, but I would like the public to understand that our employees are merely carrying out the instructions of the board in refusing to carry outsized prams,” he continued. Anyone who had faults to find with the Christchurch regulations should note that in Wellington the limits on the size of prams carried were more narrow than in Christchurch. The manufacturers had made representations to the board to relax their restrictions on the grounds that light materials werenmy not available. "We would meet them if they made prams to hold a baby; not to hold a baby, half a sack of sugar, and a roast of beef,” Mr Barr said. “What we are now asked to carry is a combined pram and Plunket cot.” On trips to seaside resorts the board had run trams with special trailers for prams at times chosen by the mothers, but these were not patronised. “We have every sympathy for the mothers, but wo expect in return some reasonable consideration for our employees,” Mr Barr concluded. The matter was raisad by Mr A. A. McLachlan, who said some public reply should be made to the criticism of the board appearing daily in newspaper correspondence. Mr C, H. Clibborn said that the board had had a good pasting on this subject and the public should be made fully aware of the impositions being made. Female conductors were being injured every week by the excessive strain of lifting overweight prams loadf ’ with parcels: , , . . Captai H. Kitson said he had only admiration for the courtesy of the staff in grappling with a very difficult prok*On th suggestion of Mr E. Parlane, it was decided to obtain eriodic reports on the numbers and sizes of prams carried to indicate to the public the complications of the undertaking. "Another report which will be coming down shortly will indicate the dimcui? ties we are ‘ working under as regards staff,” said Mr Barr, It was decided to prosecute persons tendering expired 24-ride tickets which h - ve a time-limit of two weeks. A penalty of £5 is provider for. Waste paner and tickets swept from ./amcars v M be collected for redani#** tion. --