SUNDAY TRAM AND DRAG SERVICE.

Evening Star, Issue 11700, 4 October 1902, Page 3

SUNDAY TRAM AND DRAG SERVICE.

TO %H» KDITOB. Sir, —With your permission I should like to hare a few words inserted ro your leading article of the 30th inst. bearing on the above subject. I agree that you are justified in criticising, so far as the interests of the ratepayers and those desirous of a little recreation on Sundays are concerned, but I do not consider that you are justified in drawing the drag proprietors in as a buffer by attributing rewards to them on that day which they have not received, and asserting that a larger body of men were' employed running drags, cabs, etc., as against the trams wnen run. Now I shall deal with the drags, first giving the number running on that day, horses, etc, as follow: —Four drags utilising seventeen horses and one driver to each drag; two drags utilising six; horses and one driver to each drag; three drags utilising six horses and one driver to each drag; thus making a total of twenty-nine horses, and nine drivers therefor. As regards a larger number being employed as compared with tho trams, I fail to perceive where it comes in. Then, with regard to .the waggonettes, referred to in your article as cabs, you or your informant must be. wrong, because these vehicles did not take part in the passenger traffic, beyond being out to attend the steamers which generally come up to Dunedin on Sundays, on the arrival of which they turn in for the remainder of the day, as is their usual custom if nob privately engaged. But in addition to the vehicles previously alluded to, there was a trap plying for hire which in no sense can be described as either a drag on waggonette, but simply an express: This is fitted with two side seats, and was granted a license through some back-door influence—-not officially, but civically—to compete with vehicles costing four times the amount, and then not run for tho convenience of the public all the year round, but' only on days when the traffic is in a congested state and tho returns are guickly scooped in. With regard to this express, I may state that in the lato Mayor Fish's tenure of office he and those associated with him stopped expresses so fitted from competing with proper and up-to-date passenger vehicles. But notwithstanding the fact that the drag proprietors communicated with the Council, the proprietor of this express was granted a license, the justice of which I fail to. see. With regard to the rich harvest reaped (as you assert), for your information I may state that the maximum and the minimum amount taken was £2 10s and 18s respectively, while one drag did only one trip to St. Clair and back, his takings being about Bs—making a total between them of £ls 9s, or an average of £1 14s 3d per drag. When it is taken into, consideration that the majority of these drags covered over fifty miles that Sunday, as well as the high price ruling for horse forage, I fail to see where the rich harvest comes in, especially when they had not taken on an average £2 per week for some time previously. If the public had the experience that drag proprietors, etc, have gone through this winter, they would realise that the drag and tram fares at present ruling ire not sufficient. With regard to the fitted express, the amount has not been ascertained. As to double fares, one. or two did*recaive such fares when they could get it, while the majority charged 3d any distance between St. Clair and the Beach respectively to and from the City, in order to prevent running with only one or two passengers, as well as to protect themselves from unnecessary running. The latter also received double; fares spontaneously from a number who patronised them. With regard to Good Friday, there were, comparatively speaking, no drags in town, sJI (with the exception of one or two) being engaged in the country by private picnic parties. In conclusion, I enclose the takings, of the respective drag proprietors, also their names, in order that you can see that the remarks I have made are not exaggerated.—l am, etc, Licensed Owseu. October 3.