TRAM FARES

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 130, 28 November 1940, Page 10

TRAM FARES

WEST KARORI PROTEST

EFFECT OF BUS LOSSES

A strong protest against the gradual increase in tram fares and concern at probable further increases were voiced by members of the Karori West Residents' Association at the annual meeting last night. The chairman, Mr. A. R. Cliffe, referring to the profits made by the city tramways during the Exhibition year, said that the Karori route was shorter than the Island Bay route, but thi latter had one section less. The present eight-trip ticket meant that it cost 4s 8d weekly for the four-section ride from Government Buildings. Mr. H. Grondin said that Karori was a shorter distance away than Seatoun, but the fares were more. The cost of the three- and four-sec- [ tion tickets concerned residents more than the proposed increase of the onesection tickets, and the increase in I Sunday fares, said Mr. H. G. Hartham. There was no definite statement that the longer section fares were to be increased.

The chairman said that bus fares were increased because the buses had never paid. Their losses in the past had always been made up from the tramway revenue. Much would depend on the decision of the Minister of Industries and Commerce, to whom the question of increasing the one-section tramway fares had been submitted, but not yet dealt with. It might be found necessary to make a general increase in tram fares to catch up with the bus losses. What was required was a twelve-trip four-section tram ticket.

Mr. Hartham said that fares for longdistance rides had already been increased. Now the short sections* were about to get it. The proposed increases were definitely only on the one-section and Sunday fares.

The fbllowing motion was carried:— "That this meeting views with concern the proposal to increase tram fares, and that twelve-trip tickets be resuscitated to replace the eight-trip tickets now in use."