INCREASED FARES

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 70, 24 March 1931, Page 10

INCREASED FARES

WORKERS' TICKETS

HUTT VALLEY PROTEST

MINISTER FIRM

A'protest against the proposed increased charges for workers' weeklytickets on the Hutt Valley railway lines was made to the Minister of Bailways (the Hon. W. A. Veitch) by a representative deputation to-day. Various speakers pointed out that the increases would result in hardship^ but the Minister replied that he" could not see his way to agree to the requests of the deputation. . " . \''''._ ■ ■ In introducing the deputation, Mr. W^ Nsish, M.P. for Hutt, apologised for the absence of the Mayor of Petone, Mr. M'Kenzie. The people of Petone were just as anxious as those of other parts of the Valley that there should be no increase in the price'of the workers' weekly tickets. . The Mayor of Lower Hutt (Sir Alexander Boberts) said that the increase in fares was G1 per cent, of'the present revenue, while the increase in the workers' tickets was 42-per cent, on the present charge, so that it appeared that the workers who were least able to afford it, were to be called upon to bear too heavy a burden. ,The vast :majority, of the workers came.into1 the city for work, and in most cases had been induced to .live in the! suburbs because of the facilities and reasonable charges of ' transport.:. It was in. the interests of everybody that people should be induced; to live in -the suburbs, and so avoid the, congestion of the city. The Government 'itself had established a settlement in the Hutt in order to provide better conditions for tho workers, and at a time when' all were trying to reduce their expenditure tlie workers of the district found that their fares were being increased; He understood that tho 'workers' trains were the most profitable trains in the suburban services. ... The General Manager of .Railways (Mr. H. H. Sterling): "I am sorry to contradict you."- , Sir Alexander said . that the trains were always heavily laden.'..Ho hoped the Government would tako into consideration the imposition on the workers. ..'/.. . . ■ / YEARLY COST. Mr. D. S. Patrick, a member of the Lower Hutt.Borough Council, said that the increases' would bring the fares for Lower- Hutt up to £.2 12s per annum, and if the unemployment levy was added to this the total was £4 2s. This ■■ was equaV to a week's wages for many of the : workers. Casual workers were experiencing difficult times,- and every shilling added to their expenditure, made it more difficult for them to. carry oil. . .'■'. .■'■'. , Mr. W. H. Turner, the president of the. XJpper Hutt Batepayers' .Association,'said that the fares for his borough had been increased from 4s 3d to'Cs 8d per week,, .and the annual expenditure, together with the unemployment' levy, was £5 3s 8d per annum. As with the othef districts, most, of the residents: eomo to the town , to. work, and some of .them were now finding, it would be cheaper to, rent houses in/the city. 'The. railways had .a social duty /to perform. If the workers'trams did not pay, the empty trains which the Department ran in the middle of the day certainly did Vnot pay. ■.;.'. i . .Mr. Stirling said that there was a reason for every train1 ruii. :. CONDITION OF CARRIAGES. ■ Mr., J, H. Sargent, of Moera, said that the increased,fares would lower tha: standard■ of living/of the workers. He also complained, of the state of some of .the carriages,, particularly the smokers. '. ■'.'■'• .•■' ■ . ; ' - Mr. J. E.. Napier, secretary of the Moera Batepayers' League, presented a petition. of 1000 i names asking ■ for a reconsideration.of the Departments-dec-ision. '". .. ■ ■, ,■■;.''. ; Mr. Nash said that the whole district appreciated the difficulties confronting the Department, ,but they hoped the .Minister would 'see his way to reconsider his decision. If he.did/he1-would help all the residents of the valley. ■ HEAVY LOSSES. . . In reply; the 'Minister said' that he! wished to. make it clear that only one increase was contemplated, -and in the case , of.. • the (■ : Lower Hutt workers : the .weekly ■ .fares v would be ■■■'raised 'from r _2s 6d to 3s^ 6d. The new fares would be l lower than, those now in operation in the Australian States or in South, Africa, and in.the case of, the Melling and Woburn workers, who ilived ten miles from the city, only eight miles were being charged for. ; In. New Zealand the workers' tickets had involved a loss of 10s in the &1, and this had to be met by the taxpayers. Even the increased if ares would involve, the Department in a heavy loss.'He respected the 'ideals of tho residents of the .Hutt Valley, who wanted, adequate transport facilities, but the_ •'Bailway: Department was also faced with the problem of reducing its costs, otherwise; the Government would have ,to impose additional taxation on the people. Had economies not been carried out the losses' on< the railways for the year would have' probably amounted to £.2,000,000. The losses •would certainly have been: well over £1,500,000. . . v ■;. ■ ■•' Mr. Nash asked whether'-there /was a loss;on the Hutt line., /'...-•■ .. ;. ' The Minister said he,did. not have the figures before ;him;' but: if .they were available he would be glad to let Mr. Nash see them; After all, the people of New Zqaland were the shareholders in the railways ,and they had the right to know the figures. The economies he had asked for had :been vigorously carried out. by tho officers of the Department, and no ■ train was ' now running without a definite; reason. It had. to be remembered that the patronage on the trains varied from day to day. _It was frequently inevitable that trains had to be run empty in order to get a load for the return trip. THE BUSES. ~'-• •/•■■ • It had been suggested that the buses should be eliminated while the trains were running, but1, the New Zealand people would probably resent being forced to "travel by one service. Furthermorei there were a large number of residents in the Hutt Valley who were not served by, the railway, and if the Bail way Department cut out the-buses the ■Wellington City Council would be within its fights if it .gave the bus licence to someone else. The private cars had a right to run services. The only thing they could hope for was the elimination of wasteful and uneconomic competition, and this could be embodied in a transport law. "I wish to say emphatically, that I have made up my, mind;,on this question," said Mr. Veitch, '.'and I am sorry I cannot agree to what you have asked for." . ' ' , :'■■'■ : He" said that he would appoint an officer to investigate the condition of the carriages, and in view of the fact tSat there would be a large amount of new rolling stock shortly, it could be taken for granted that the carriages would be improved1. Mr. Napier asked whether casual workers who had to wait around for, hours for a train could; not be given permission to travel with the tickets on the buses if they desired to return home after being unable to obtain a job. ', The Minister said he would look into this question. Mr. Nash: "I am afraid the State Advances qffi.ee might have to pay for the fares."