MANY ANOMALIES ALLEGED

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24882, 23 May 1946, Page 3

MANY ANOMALIES ALLEGED

PASSENGER FARES TO PENINSULA

DISCUSSION BY FEDERATED FARMERS

Stating that many anomalies existed in the present scale of fares for passenger travel to and from points in Banks Peninsula, Mr R. Bruce spoke to a meeting of the North Canterbury provincial executive of Federated Farmers yesterday in support of a remit from the Akaroa branch. The remit, which was carried, was: “That the provincial executive be asked to take up the matter of passenger fares to Banks Peninsula.”

Fares were cheaper for a person who was travelling round the bays for pleasure than they were for residents who wanted to go from place to place on business, said Mr Bruce.

“On Sundays, buses run to Akaroa and back and the fare is 10s. On Wed--1 nesdays, when a full load is assured, a bus goes from Akaroa to Little River, where the passengers are placed at the mercy of the railway. The return fare for the people who are coming from Akaroa to Christchurch on business is 14s lOd. I think that the people engaged in production should have at least the same consideration as those who travel for pleasure. On Sundays, the drivers would have to be paid overtime, so it is clear that these trips are more expensive to run. Mr G. C. Warren, who presided, said that a committee should approach the Transport Controller and make representations on behalf of the Banks Peninsula residents. It was decided to support the branch’s remit and to appoint Mr Bruce as spokesman for a deputation to the transport authorities. A remit asking for a grant toward the investigation of freight rates in the Banks Peninsula district was also received from the Akaroa branch.

The question of freight rates concerned farmers in all parts of Canterbury, said Mr R. Bethell. Farmers were probably the biggest users of transport and it was the duty of the federation to support any efforts by branches for improvement. The meeting decided to make a grant of £lO, subject to review, toward the cost of investigating present conditions in Banks Peninsula.