RATES AND FARES

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 232, 25 June 1921, Page 7

RATES AND FARES

si r< Tbe suggestion to increase city rates will, if acted on, result in a great injustice to many, in fact most ratepayers. The rate has already been increased once, and this, together with the naw valuations, should, bring in more than sufficient money lor all legitimate purposes. This proposed increase in rates is lor one. purpose only—it is to obtain monej re that certain works may be done out of revenue, which ought properly to he done out of loan money. Money is scarce, but if economy were practised by (he council, and they were willing to pay something approximating to the current rates of interest, sufficient loan sul>ecriptions would be forthcoming to execute the more urgent public works without raising the .rates. A word to. the tramwaymen. We e. 1 wish them a fair wage, but do they realise that every increase in wages means before long a corresponding increase m tramwav fares? Thousands oi vorkere who use the Hams every day are worse off financially than the tramwaymen, and I think ihe latter should pause before they inflict the hardship of mereased fares on those who are worse on than it not lime that the eight o ciock workers voluntarily Telinlqiitalwd tbmr rather unfair privileges of differential fares? Many workers who start at > o’clock are paid lower wages than the average of those who dart at 8 o clock. The cost of living L« not rising now, ana with many unemployed in our midst this is not the right time to ask for increased wages.-I VBBANrrE .