TRAMWAY FINANCE

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 94, 22 April 1931, Page 10

TRAMWAY FINANCE

THE THREEPENNY FARE

RELATION TO ACCESS

WORKS

A suggestion wag made by Councillor G. Mitchell, as candidate for the City Council, in his remarks at Seatouir last evening that there is a definite- relationship between the completion of the eastern and "western access works and the retention of the threepenny fare.

Although. much progress had been made and. many claims advanced for other means of, transit, the; \, electric tram was'still the quickest and cheapest means of moving "large" ■ numbers of people and was likely to continue so for some time -to come, said Mr. Mitchell. The tramway system could be very greatly improved. By faster and improved trams and shorter and better routes. The object of. the eastern tunnel was to prevent the long haul and congestion ' over Constable street and to give better, and quicker tram and vehicular facilities to all eastern suburbs. '• On the. west,' the vital part of the proposals was-.tol cut out the long haul round Tinakori road, thus reducing the running. tinVe' to the western suburbs' by 25 per ; cent, and by 33 per cent, during rush4 hours. ■," '.

"For years tfie council has been unanimously behind this policy, and candidates should definitely state where they stand on the matter now before the election, and not 'after it," '■' he added.

"Let it be remembered by every suburban resident that the completion of these two vital connecting links may have a very decided bearing on the retention1 of the 3d universal fare if the tram receipts continue to fall."

"So far as I am personally concerned, I stand four square behind the policy of connecting the trams by Sydney street on the west and through the Mount Victoria tunnel on the east as soon as w,o have tho authority to do so, and when a poll is taken: I hope that poll will be carried. I believe these works are in the city's interest."