MORNINGTON TRAMWAYS

Evening Star, Issue 15517, 12 June 1914, Page 3

MORNINGTON TRAMWAYS

CONCESSION TICKETS ALTERED. MORE REVENUE WANTED. MANAGEMENT QUESTION RAISED. The chief matters before the Mornington Council last evening, when the •monthly meeting was continued—all the 'business not having been disposed of at a late hour on Tuesday night—affected the tramways. The Mayor's suggestion concerning the concession tickets was agreed to, with an addition allowing of the main line tickets being used on the Ibranch lines; and a proposal by Cr 'Brickell to consider the advisability of making some alteration in the tram-way management was also carried. Neither motion was productive of extended discussion. The meeting was attended by the MavoT (Mr W. J. Bolt), Crs Harrawav, brickell, T. K. Moody, Sincock, Wallace, H. R. Moody, Dickson, and Patton. The Mayor's motion, which had been referred to the Tramways Committee, read : That the present concession ticket of 12 penny rides up or down on the main line be and is hereby abolished, and in lieu thereof a ticket be issued allowing six rides up and six rides down for Is. If on the up journey a passenger presents a ticket with only down rides available, the conductor to punch out two numbers. Cr Harraway said the matter had now been dealt with by the committee, who | recommended that the Mayor's motion be I agreed to, with the addition of the ; words : " That these main line tickets be I available on the branch lines." That got ! over a certain amount of difficulty. Cr Patton said that this was simply the suggestion he had brought forward. It waVonlv a reasonable proposition. Cr Dickson said he would oppose the motion to the best of his ability. He did not think it >was an opportune time to. make a change, and there were a lot of people—working people with families—on whom it would fall very hard. Cr H. R. Moody also opposed the motion. He was of opinion that it would defeat its own ends. It was thought it would be the means of securing increased reTenue. The Mayor : Certainly. Cr H. R. Moody : I don't see how itwill. It is a mistaken policy. The Mayor : We must get more revenue somewhere. Will you tell us how we are going to get it? Cr Brickell said he had much pleasure in supporting the motion. A number of people with whom he had spoken were agreed that the present charge was ridiculously low, and he did not think they would lose any passengers throueh the alteration. Instead of getting 12 rides for a shilling they would get nine. Most of the people would ride up even if they had to pay threepence. There was no cheaper ride south of the Line. He thought it was a step in the right direction. Cr T. K. Moody said he was going to oppose the motion at the present juncture. It would be better if the matter of tramways was overhauled from the foundations up, and it was proved that it was essential to raise the fares. The Mayor : We are not raising the fares. Cr Moody : I think the whole tramways business should be overhauled, instead of touching the fares. They certainly could not expect the branches to pay at any time. That was well known, but at the same time, he thought that there could be a saving in other directions. Cr Sincock said he was sure that the Tramways Committee had fully considered the matter. He also knew that the Finance Committee were in a position of being able to say that the council could not continue on and go out to the public and tell them that the tramways were in a satisfactory condition without they made an alteration. They were working at a great disadvantage. They knew that the line and cars were not in a satisfactory state, because the Finance Committee would not allow repairs to be "made, and it was not a fair thing to go to the ratepayers and get money from them to do it. The motion was a step towards improving the position and placing the council in the position of having money to do any necessary works that would be required on the tramways and permanent way. The Mayor declared that it was a very serious question to discuss, and emphasised the fact that there was not an increase in fares. The tramways had belonged to the borough for 11 or 12 years, and during the whole of that time there had not been a single penny allowed for depreciation. The plant had depreciated year by year. Their tramways had cost £46.500, and were they worth that now ? Cr H. R. Moodv : Half of that,

The Mayor : Then is that a satisfactory way to carry on business? They had given the penny fares a fair trial, but the people would not ride down, and it was quite time the council took steps to endeavor to improve the position. Instead of putting their finances in order, they had let them go. If the council decided to let it go on it must go on. .If as many people rode down as up it would mean £2,0C0 a year more to the tramway*, and then they could allow for depreciation and put them in order. If the council did not do as was suggested, they would hav# to go to the ratepayers for* a loan. If they called that business he did not. The motion was then put and carried by 6 votes to 3, Crs T. K. Moody, H. R, Moody, and Dickson opposing the motion. Crs T K. Moody ar.d Dickson asked to have their names recorded in the minutes as having voted against the motion. Later in the evening Cr BrickeU introduced tha question of management by moving— That a special committee consisting of the Tramways and Finance Com.mitt.e-es be a Special Committee to report to the next meeting of the council on the advisability of making some alteration in the tramway management. Cr Brickell said that the council had to consider - that something like £46,000 was involved in their tramways, and it did not seem to him a businesslike proposition that a business of that magnitude should, be controlled by a gentleman whose lime was engaged verv largely in municipal affairs. He ventured to suggest that if the business was controlled by a board of directors, and that a toivn clerk in another district applied to the board of directors he would not be given a moment's consideration. He did not reflect upon the ability of the present tramway manager. He had not sufficient time to devote to the management of the tramways and municipal work at the same time. The borough was growing rapidly, and the work of carrying out tho duties of a town clerk must be quite ae great as in St. Kilda, for instance, where the town clerk did not have to manage any tramway service. There was almost as much work in the controlling of the Mornington trams as in the Dunedin City Corporation service. They had a main line, two branch lines, and : wanted another branch line running in the i other direction. He thought it was time they bad. a special tramway manager. It would coat the borough, probably a good deal more, but while his proposal might involve a higher annual charge it would be money well spent. He pointed out that his motion asked for consideration of such. a proposal, and he had indicated the Tramway Committee because they were particularly interested in the management of the trams, and the Finance Committee because they were particularly interested in the financial side. The Mayor said that in moving such a motion it should really be pointed out what was wrong with the management. Their trams were run satisfactorily. Cr T. K. Moody seconded the motion. The Mayor: It should be pointed out where the management is wanting, or where the trams are not being run satisfactorily. Cr Dickson said he thought it only fair that the whole of the council should discuss the matter, and moved a« an amendment that the whole council be set up as a committee to discuss the matter. Cr Fatton seconded the amendment. ,

Cr Harraway said he would nob vote on either motion or amendment, and left the table. He explained that he did nob agree with either. The, Mayor said that for his part he could not see what the trouble was about. It seemed to him that the trams were run saitisfartorily. They were run regularly. without a stop, and what was suggested was wrong he did not know.

The amendment was carried, and tho motion referred to a committee of the whole council. ,/, ===== ■