SUNDAY TRAM FARES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3112, 16 June 1917, Page 9

SUNDAY TRAM FARES

Sir;—At least one councillor (vide .today's Dominion - ) has the courage to express disapproval of the new Sunday tram fares. It's a pity, though, that he preserves his anonymity. Mr. M'Gillivray, traffic manager, eays no complaint ■was made- by the public, last Sunday at this new impost, and civic increase of the cost of living. The Mayor echoes Mr. M'Gillivray. But a recent correspondent of yours, "Lame," did recently protest. Perhaps his pen-name describes

fiis condition. If so, lam very torry for him; also lor elderly poor people, who will surely iiud this new tax, winch they cannot but pay, a serious burden ou them. Jlr. Jll'Gillivray furnishes no proof whatever of public acciuicscenco in this charge o£ threepence lor a, penny eeotion. Uf what use is it that people complain? Thoro would bo no redress. The council has decided. The thing is done, and done when the Mayor and councillors felt 'themselves securo in their scats. Hero are instances of the anoma--I'rom To Aro baths to Basin lieservo on Sundays, (id.; from City Boundary to Borhaiuporo, 9d.; from i J ark Street to bank of Now Zealand, 6d. The Mayor says transfers could not be granted without inconvenience. Inconvenience to whom? /Die staff? What it it does! Are they tho public's servants or vice versa? Tho Mayor is quibbling, for ho knows that already a system analogous to transfers is in operation on the cars-luggago tickets issued at any point on one hue arc good for any point on another line. The council looks at the matter from its own selfish view-point, as most of its members can have, or already have, motor-ears, making them independent of the trams. Councillor Atkinson rides a bicycle. If the raising ot theso fares is d device to compensate for ■tramway excess of expenditura over tovenne, then it is justified, and 'the council should honestly and openly say so. Biit the trams cannot be expected to cany more than' thoy do. It is sate to eay that no private company would bo permitted by any council to so indecently overcrowd its cars for want of rollingstock as tlie Wellington- Council does. With cars carrying double their capacity it is hard to see whoro tho losses on traffic coino.in. -Complaints are not made about the cost because tho citizens have no voice, and tho council is merely the talking machine of its chief executive They make flio war the scapegoat of their sins.-I am, etc., REGULAR. EIDER.