THE CITY TRAMS

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 19, 22 January 1921, Page 9

THE CITY TRAMS

MANAGEMENT INVESTIGATION

HOW NOT TO DO IT,

(Contributed by.the N.Z. Welfare League.)

In an article supplied by the league on'the 23rd of last month'we urged that, in view of the heavy inoreased costs of running our tramway service and the recurring increasing of fares, the time- had arrived for an independent inquiry into the whole working of the tramway' system. ' Since then some members of- the council have been urging the need for. an inquiry, but', judging by the report of discussion which took place at the meeting- of tho council, it appears as if the prime movers are more anxious to "score" than guided by a clear idea of what iij required in' tho interest of the city. In our previous article we said: "A select commission of able busine33 minds, with power to call 'all evidence required, might evolve a ' more regular working standard than obtains now." The council, by a majority of 10 to 8, has appointed a committee of its own menv bers to investigate.- That is certainly not what wo looked for, nor do we believe it will in any way satisfy the thinking portion of the community We rocogniso that tho councillors forming this will inquire, and from what we know of them "they will listen to all that is told them in regard to' the service. To be candid, however,, we must admit that we do not thinlc the committee possesses tho expert knowledge, wide business experience, or, judicial cast of mind that would enable to properly carry through an effeotivo inquiry or weigh the value of tho evidence presented to it. Some of tho members of this committee havo already, shown that they aro heavily burdened with theoretio ideas, and others are not beyond auspioion of being swayed by political ambition of a municipal order. We aro pleased to read that the Mayor said "ho would welcome an inquiry, but it must be an inquiry by persons outside the council," whilst eomo councillors urged the need for outside experts^ in carrying- out tho investigation. . It is a pity that the mover of the motion, after hearing the disoussion, did not ask leave to alter iii the direction which would provide for a fully independent inquiry by a few of the ablest men to be prooured outside the council. In this way it might have been a decision backed, by tho Mayor and practically the whole of the council. '

It is not desirable to/have this business entered into as if it was the matter of a content between sections of the council. In this instance the City Council' has followed a rather common practice of Parliament in setting up a committee, of their own members instead of seeking the most valuable investigators no matter whether they are outside or inside the Chambar or House. No such,committee carries with it full publio confidence, as tho suspicion of political motives is always attached thereto. This question of our tramways finance and general administration is not one of \oensure on the existing management, but any commission of inquiry should be entirely free to examine into the matter of whether the manage; ment is fully adequate or operating- on right line 3. Mr. Morton, the tramways manager, in his report relating to-- the recent increase of fares, presents the statement that the coal' oosts have increased some-250 per .cent, since • 1914. That is an exceedingly heavy toll on the .working of ,the servioe, and very special attention should be given to the question whether any measure of relief oan be found from that heavy burden. Our main purpose in writing,this is to urge the councillors to consider whether_ even now they oannot better serve the oity by reconsidering the constitution of the body that is to carry out the inquiry. In this we are asking certain; of the oou'noillors to sacrifice themselves, but ifthey agree with our general idea their publio spirit should lead them to place the interests, of the community : before every .other consideration. 1. > There are so many interests of the people involved in this question that we trust the view herein presented will be given full consideration. , ■-.••..