RAILWAY FARES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 42, 13 November 1917, Page 4

RAILWAY FARES

AN INCREASE COMING. It has already been announced thai there are to be no excursion fares during the Christmas holidays, or, indeed, at any other time tfntil the end of the war, on the New Zealand railways, but it is possible that tho cost of travelling will be increased still further shortly by an advance in faros. I When the special bonus of a shilling a day was given this year to married men in • tho railway service not in receipt of more than J!220 per year, it was agreed by the Government tliat the railways would have to raise the extra money required to pay this special bonus by obtaining some additional revenuo. This can be done only by increasing fares or freights, or both. In addition to tho special bonus the railways will havo to provide also tho amount required to repeat the bonus of last year. When the bonus was first granted in 1016, a r-pecinl vote was taken for the money to pay it to all Government servants, including rnilwaymen, but this year the.railways are being asked to find nil the monoy from revenue. Tho sum involved is between £350,000 and '.£400,000, 'and in order to get this amount of additional revenue a considerable ndvance in fares will have to bo made. No announcement has yet been made about tho comiiig increase in railway oharges, but it is an open secret that the' increase is to be made. ■ 'U'.lll I I. II *