HIGHER FARES?

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 21, 24 July 1936, Page 11

HIGHER FARES?

DUNEDIN TRAMWAYS THE FORTY-HOUR WEEK (By Telegraph—Press Association.) ■--■'■ DUNEDIN, July 23. ! "While there is a possibility that! tram fares may be increased it can safely be said that there will be no increased charges to the public for gas and electricity," the Mayor, the Bey. E. T. Cox, said when questioned regarding the effect of the 40-hour working week on the' operations of the various departments of the City Council. The Mayor also made it clear that the council would not make application to the Arbitration Court for exemption from the Government legislation, although lit would probably seek ah instruction concerning certain minor points, such as the payment of treble time on statutory holidays. While all departments will be affected by the 40-hour week and all will be faced in. varying degree with carrying on their work at a higher annual charge, it is the tramways department that will suffer.most by the increase. The additional yearly expenditure of this department will be in the vicinity I of £17,290, and it will have to be met in some manner. The Mayor gave an assurance, however, that it was a possibility more than a probability that the fares would be increased. Indeed, he' said that up to the present time the City Council had not seriously considered the question. In' reply to a question, the Mayor stated that there would be no danger of the users of the trams being in.the hands of inexperienced men when new drivers were put in charge of cars, because all the conductors were trained to become drivers eventually, and there was a sufficient reserve of. them to enable the cars to be manned by men who would be thoroughly competent to -carry out their work in a carefurand. efficient-manner,-j .■-,., -~-.• . ; Asked- whether -the ;,increased costs woulde involve.;-;,-the.."taking of money from the •. reserve account, the Mayor was-definite irtnis.answer that "the re-serves-would =not-,bq touched, j- TKequestionrot.Tafes was mentioned to the -Mayor, who replied; that the 40----hour'week wQul.d • not ;have any effect when the matter of fixing next year's rates-came up-for ..consideration. *,The Mayor: <was asked whether the Council; as the;:-trustees of the rate-payers-would-consider applying to the Arbitration Court for an extension of the 40-hour week in view of the public nature of its activities, but he was very emphatic on the point. "No,1' he said, "the council will not apply, for exemption. It will accept the Government's legislation in the main, but there are. certain minor points on which it may seek enlightenment. One of .these, the question of overtime payment of time anti. a half for Saturday afternoons and double time for Sundays, is, I think, quite fair, but it is debatable Whether the council,, which has to serve the public all through the year, irrespective of holidays, should have .to pay its employees treble time on statutory holidays."