TRAM FARES.

Evening Star, Issue 12900, 24 August 1906, Page 2

TRAM FARES.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—Tho last discussion by the City Council on the question of tram fares reads liko a scene from the latest comic opera, and adds to previous proofs of tho city councillors’ incapacity and disregard of the interests they are elected to conserve. Away from’ the Council table one city councillor, in speaking of the matter of the reduction to St. Clair, declared that he would never agree to any reduction, because St. Clair was peopled by adjective “ toffs ” who could well afford to pay “3d or even 6d per trip.” This seems to'be the sort of argument which city councillors in their corporate capacity advance in every instance when considering the welfare of the whole City, and it is about time the citizens awoke from their lethargy and insisted on important natters being considered and dealt with on sound, sensible, businesslike lines. The question is not so much whether an injustice is being done to any suburb or whether redaction of faro on one ’ lh» would make the fare out of proportion to that charged on any other line—the only question the Council have to consider is whether altering fares will make the tramways pay better or worse, and until they are made to pay all other considerations should be ignored. Citizens, as a Avhole, do not care a snap of the fingers if the residents of suburb A pay more for their rides than the residents of suburb B. Citizens want tho trams run on strictly commercial lines until a profit is assured, and then the sentimental aspect may be considered and reductions made to meet the ends of justice and equitable treatment to all. Fares should be fixed or ah tered where the experts employed by the Council recommend such a course as a means of improving the revenue and making the undertaking pay better; and I understand that every expert the Council has yet employed advises that a reduction in certain instances will have this effect. In the face of this, is it not intolerable to hear Or Bumble inform tho Council and the ratepayers that the reduction, so recommended, must not be made, because, in his opinion, it will mean a greater loss to the City. At the same time we hear other councillors speaking as though elevation from the management of their own little business to take part in the management' of the largo undertakings of the City entitles them to pose as experts in finance. Such cooncillore certainly lack a sense of proportion, and it is time they received intimation of the ridiculous figure they are cutting in posing aa experts in matters which it takes a lifetime of study and special training to master, Had Are invited the Dunedin City Council to decide whether penny postage would prove a financial success op whether the great reduction in the price of telegrams made in recent years would prove a wise move, imagine Avhat arguments these Solona Avould have adAranced against such innovations. Now, sir, tho majority of the ratepayers desire first and foremost to see the tramways pay. and tho question as to Avhether certain alterations 'in the fares will prove equitable or not is a minor consideration meantime, and when it is understood that those experts employed by Council to advise them in managing the tramways recommend any alteration in the fares on economic grounds, then no counciTJor should disregard such advice. If there sits upon the Council any expert on such questions, and he considers the paid experts axe not gi-ving sound advice, his duty would bo to see that others axe appointed in their stead. Individual councillors might perhaps apply for the job; they -would then see how their applications Avould be regarded.—l am, etc., Ratex'ater. August 22.