MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS.

Evening Star, Issue 20778, 28 April 1931, Page 3

MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Perhaps after aJI f was wrong in l suggesting in Mr Moss the lack of an eye, for ho apparently sees quite a lot, but alas, with faulty vision; ho even fails to see, or comprehend, the depth of meaning in the poetry he quotes. It is probably merely astigmatism. I wrote on the 16th because I felt that; ho had been maligning men who would consider the puerility of his statements not worthy-of notice. A candidate for election, who in a desire for publicity, has to resort to ghost stories of twelve years ago, and ridiculous deductions from the same, is surely hard put to it for advertising matter. It was the lust for municipal ownership—a fetish with just such men as Mr Moss—that was responsible for tho purchase of Roslyn trams; but that by the way. His deductions are wonderfully logical. In his letter of tho 20th no in ono part writes “ the Kaikorai Company could not have carried on without an additional fare,” while above this ho states, “had it not got an Ordor-in-Council both companies would now belong to tho city, and would no doubt be still on the 2d fare.” In other words, Mr Moss considers that tho result would have meant bankruptcy for the companies, which would then have fallen into.tho hands of the city for a song. And yet does he write “ the pcilicy of municipal enterprise should be neither to bolster up nor to destroy private enterprise, but to compete with it on equal terms.” That Government or municipality cannot so compete with private enterprise is as widely known as is the reason why. As a matter of fact, had tho Roslyn line been got for notliing it could not have been run on 2d fares. Khikorai, on the other hand, could have been run without loss at 2d, but it would have involved altering many things of advantage to the travelling public which, though allowed under the deed of delegation, h.id not been imposed. For instance, all children over three years of age could have been charged full fare; passengers’ luggage over 141 b weight might have been subjected to charges of 6d, 9d, or Is, according to weight; a half-hourly time-table could have been adopted, and small parcels carried were open to from twice to four times the, charge now levied. No, the Kaikorai tram could not have been filched from those who established the “ enterprise,” even had Mr Moss been in the council to advocate that which is his conception of justice, but tho shareholders would have had to do without reward for their “ enterprise.” Just in conclusion, that Mr Moss.may know that private “enter-

prise ” may even bo responsible for good to the people as a whole, and yet earn dividends, let this be known: when the Kaikorai Company was established there was no cheap means of transport to Kaikorai Valley, ■ and whereas the car fare from city to Roslyn and return had been 6d, the company brought it to dd. That a concern which had, even, in this, done something for the public, should be given consideration in keeping with the increased costs of the times, cannot bo conceived by Mr Moss; the Or-dor-in-Council, if a strangle-hold, should have been used. Well, it is interesting to know that men who aim to bo city fathers have just such ideas of equity and justice.—l am. etc.. Normal Visiox.

April 27