HIGHER FARES

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 132, 2 December 1930, Page 12

HIGHER FARES

ON RAILWAY BUSES

"WOULD RETARD PROGRESS"

PETONE HOSTILE

The proposal of the Eailway. Department to increase bus fares met with unanimous disapproval at the Petone Borough Council's meeting last night. The Wellington City Council gave notice of the hearing by the licensing .committee of the application to increase the fares.. The Department proposed to fix the fares on a mileage basis, and to abolish the return fare, but to make concession tickets available at the same prices as at present. The concession tickets would not be available on Sundays or holidays. The Mayor of Petone (Mr. D. M' Kenzie) said that a meeting of the committee had been held last Thursday and that he was the only one who had appeared before it. He had explained what he thought would be the opinion of the borough council. The council, in the past, had pointed out anomalies in the service, and had suggested a reduction in fares. When private enterprise had the running of the buses industrial workers were' brought to Petone for Is return, but when the Government took control the faro was increased to Is 6d, causing considerable hardship. The proposed increases were far too high and would be detrimental to the service. Councillor V. A. Noble agreed with all that the Mayor had said. The Department proposed to charge on a mileage basis, but did not propose to remove the anomaly of passengers to Petone paying Is and passengers to Lower Hutt paying the same. Workers who took the buses to and from the Petone Eailway Station would be doubly hit—once by increased train fares and then by increased bus fares. He moved that the council enter a strong protest against the proposed increases. . . . . PEOPLE LEAVING THE VALLEY. Tho motion was seconded by Councillor V. E. Jacobson. It seemed to him that the Railway Department was working against the other Government Departments which svere so largely connected with land settlement in the valley, for, by raising faros, it was driving people to other suburbs. Property in the valley was declining in value and the increase in fares was one of the causes. It was remarkable that private enterprise could make a success of the bus service. Another point raised by Councillor Jaeobson was that the council had not had the chance to consider the question in time for the meeting of the licensing committee. The Mayor said that a letter of protest from Lower Hutt was before the committee. No decision had yet been announced by the committee. With regard to tho concession tickets, the Mayor said that many people were too poor to buy them. He'considered that increased fares would retard tho progress of the community. "NO CONCESSION AT ALL.'' In the opinion of Councillor Longman, the concession tickets wero not concession tickets at all and tho council should protest. It should protest also against these tickets not being available ou Sundays and holidays—the very times when people made use of the bus services. In the present time of financial stress the Government should help the people instead of bleeding them. He was sure that a private company would make handsome returns from the bus service. Councillor H. A. Byder agreed with all that had been said. A land agent had assured him that one could not sell anything now, "not even a pound note for eighteen shillings." Petone people had had the dirty end of the stick all the time, having had to pay as much as travellers to the V.I.C. The motion of protest, embodying all tho complaints of the council, was passed unanimously.

The Bylaws Committee of the City Council is to go further into the ques-' tion next Thursday at '7.30 p.m., when it is probable that additional representation against alteration of the bus charges will be made. The committee will make its representations to the full council, which will deal finally with the application, probably at its next meeting, to be held on Thursday week.