TRAMS AND BUSES.

Evening Star, Issue 23351, 22 August 1939, Page 7

TRAMS AND BUSES.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—“ Logic ” takes “ The Saint ” to task for having asked Cr Gibson a few pertinent questions, and suggests that such questions should be left in the hands of Crs Walls and Connolly. I wonder just why “Logic” names the said councillors? He also suggests that Or Gibson would be pleased to give a logical explanation to the Questions asked by “ The Saint.” Cr Gibson has had ample, opportunity to give an explanation to, the question, but this gentleman is such an adept at sidestepping that it is out of reason to expect that any explanation by him would be logical. Also perhaps “ Logic ” will remember that our worthy mayor at the last meeting of the council practically told Cr Connolly that the place to ask such questions was in committee. It leads one ; to make the observation that there are some things the council desires to keep from the public. “ Logic ” goes on to say; “ All who admire the firm stand taken by the councillor for ‘what he believes is the best form of transport,” etc. The question I would ask Cr Gibson us: What factor was responsible for his change of opinion? Prior to the last election Or Gibson was definitely opposed to the introduction of buses, and on occasions made the; statement that if returned ho would see to it that buses would not replace trams. What a reversal of opinion! Surely-one which requires an explanation. But no, Cr Gibson will merely say: “ I Jiave no comment to make*” I presume' he will have to wait until the citizens’ members of the council meet in caucus—i.e., the mayor’s room—before he can say anything. “Logic”' concludes his letter with a challenge to Crs Walls and Connolly. 1 also will conclude with a challenge, this time to Cr Gibson to resign his seat and contest the by-election on a policy of trams v. buses.—l am, etc., . Plain Bill. August 20. , TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—ln Saturday’s issue “ Mac ” asked why the tramway department, with a monopoly of transport, has failed at least to hold its position. Surely “ Mac ” is either joking or refusing to wake up. To put it plainly, is through the last Labour council raising the tram fares of the first section to 2d. The result was that a great number of people refused to use the trams. We shall now be like Christchurch, continually tinkering with the fares and going worse every time, for, I don’t think it is possible to repair the damage the raising of the fares has done. It was only pure cussedness and dictatorship in "the first instance that was the cause of that step being taken.—l am, Another Mac. August 21. __ __ TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Might I turn back to the subcommittee’s report, which points out that the estimated loss this year would he approximately £9,000, or equal to 2d increase in rates? To overcome this the committee recommended a partial replacement of trams by buses on the Logan Park, Tahuna Park, Castle street, Opobo, and Forbury Park lines. In the report it states that an effort should be made .to find a midway course that -will offer a reasonable prospect of restoring the system to a financial basis. It was shown that a saving of £3,110 yearly could be effected on the five lines above 'mentioned. This was adopted by the council. We did not recommend an entire change to buses over the whole system, although this aspect was .fully reviewed. It is therefore not understood why a section of the Tramway Union is making every endeavour to thwart an honest endeavour to make such alterations as will reduce the cost and incidentally make ends meet. If the present tram system, had been allowed to continue there is no question the loss on the system would have fallen on the ratepayers. The Christchurch Tramway Board has the right to rate up to £28,000, and on present showing the estimated loss this year will probably reach £30,000. Inquiries there revealed that in one case a ratepayer was charged 26s tramway rate, another 235, and another with a smaller property 14s. Is there any reason why .this should apply to Dunedin? Or can any of the verbose writers suggest a better remedy than the one adopted by the council? It has been suggested that an arrangement should be made for the payment from the E.P, and L. and gas departments to contribute towards the loss made by the trams. If this were done it would mean a reduced contribution from these departments to the municipal fund, and such reduction would entail an increase in the rates. This would also apply if a reduced charge was made to the tramway account from the E.P. and L. account.

The purchase of the six buses is to be provided for by utilising the available balance of £6,500 in the tramway loan account and finding the remainder out of the renewal fund contributions for the ensuing two years. To say, therefore, that the purchase of those

buses would come on the rates is entirely misleading. . The life of a bus is approximately 12 years. A charge of 2d per mile for sinking and renewal fund is made, and a bus pays for itself in 6J years. The 2d charge is continued till the end of the. life of the bus, and the extra contributions go to the general bus renewal account.

There has been a good deal of correspondence from certain interested parties, but so far nothing constructive has been suggested. The ratepayers ■would do well to pause and consider this report, which was made after a good deal of thought and study. To sum up, there are two questions to be considered; (1) Should the trams be a charge on the rates, as in Christchurch and Invercargill; or (2) should they be made to pay_ their way ? Reduced revenue and increased cost of running demand immediate attention, and the sub-committee’s report provides tbe remedy.—l am, etc., H. L. Gibson. August, 21. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, ; —The figures quoted by “Mac” on Saturday night make interesting reading, no doubt, but the value of the figures quoted in reference to the increase of passengers carried on Auckland and Wellington tramways as compared with the decrease in passengers carried on those of Christchurch and 1 Dunedin would be greater had “ Mac ” ! also quoted the relative losses (or profits, if any), as shown-in the respective balance sheets of the transport concerns, referred to. I believe that a careful and Unbiased investigation of the transport systems in the main centres of New Zealand will reveal the fact that the Dunedin tramways compare most favourably with the best in the Dominion.—l am, etc., Observer. August 21. i TRADE IN MUNITIONS. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —With reference to your footnote to “ Collective Security’s ” letter in your issue of Friday last, regarding Admiral Consett’s statement; would you also comment on Dr Hugh Dalton’s statement in the British House of Commons—viz., All the morning glory that was Anzac, the flower of Australian and New Zealand manhood, and not only them, but our own men, was shot into bloody pulp, by ammunition manufactured by Vickers and Co.”—l am, etc., Aunty Chamberlain. August 21. fit was not suggested, so far as we are aware, that the ammunition was sold to Turkey during the war. The sale might have been made 10 years before, and Turkey’s part in the Great War was only determined at the last moment, as the result of the triumph of a particular Turkish faction. But if the sneer of “ Aunty Chamberlain ” means that our correspondent is frothing for another war we hope he will be disappointed.—'Ed. E.S.] TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Recently I cut out some newspaper clippings which were designed to prove that under Capitalism both national and patriotic rivalries play no part in the international arms trade. These clippings contained figures which show that since the Munich appeasement policy Britain, France, and Belgium have increased their pig iron shipments to the Reich almost seven ! times, and they now provide 70 per cent, of the pig iron imported for Goering’s steel works. One reads that “ France’s 200 leading families and the British Cliveden set are to-day selling the German Government the iron ore and steel ingredients which are being turned into high-powered explosive shell bodies and bullets, which will sooner or later blow to bits Allied armies.”

The figures show , that in the _ six months preceding Munich three nations sent to Germany 58,000 tons (46 per cent, of imports), but in the six months after Munich the total jumped to 375,000 tons (70 per cent, of imports).

France increased her shipment from 23.000 tons to 204,000 tons, and Britain from 2,300 tons to 39,000 tons. In 1938 alone French steel magnates sent 5,050,000 tons of iron ore and nearly a million tons of scrap iron into the Reich. Berlin imported during theMunich year about 420,962 tons coming from American corporations. If one were to express doubts about the wisdom of that policy, and express the fear that such pig iron may be used to destroy the troops of the British Empire or her allies, one would be held up to ridicule as an alarmist whose disloyal utterances reflected on the wisdom of the British foreign policy. Empire soldiers at Gallipoli were killed by guns made in British factories, and British soldiers were amazed to find that shells made in Great Britain -were fired by Turks from them. Why should one have to wait until (Britishers are being killed before it is considered the right time to condemn a disastrous policy? This recalls that Lord Bertie tells how Mr Lloyd George, when speaking from his place in the House of Commons on August 18, 1919, said: “ The British Government had to pay 22s fid for an eighteenpounder shell, but when the Government produced its own the cost was 12s only. LeAvis guns were supplied for £lO5 each, but made in Government factories for £35. In this way,” he said, “the Government was able to save £444.000,000 before the end of the war.” Those who criticise the New Zealand Government for it's proposals to establish an iron and steel industry should reflect on the above from Mr Lloyd George. Had Britain made all her guns and her shells in Government factories far, more than £444,000,000 would have been saved the Empire. It is well to remember that Australians Ncav Zealanders, Englishmen, and Frenchmen Arere killed by shells supplied the Turks by Vickers and fired from guns made from the same firm. Naturally Basil Zaharoff. director of Vickers, one of the richest men in the world, was twice knighted in England, and was made a Chevalier of tho Legion of Honour in France. The men killed by shells had. cenotaphs and memorials , built to their ■ memory and some of those avlio escaped the shells lived on the dole. The above war time ‘ references are founded on some printed extracts from the diary pf Lord Bertie, the then British Ambassador in Paris, some of which date from June 25, 1917. They strengthen my view that Labour acted Wisely in developing our iron and steel industry, as Ncav Zealand has been warned that the British Navy may not be able to protect the supplies of munitions .that Avould be required in the event of attack. The. development of iron and steel ( industries Avould go a long way to make New Zealand selfreliant in the matter of defence.—l am, etc., , J. E. MacManub. August 21.

[The danger of the trade referred to AA'ould have been the same if the pig iron had been lard or sugar, or,doubtless any of many other commodities. Avhich also furnish ingredients for, munitions. But if (Britain had stopped trade AA'ith Germany in such common necessaries what a cry would have been raised by Britons, anxious to deal fairly and aA'oid pleas of discrimination! The dangers of a State" monopoly of munitions making are that there would, always be a shortage of them, until war was declared, in the least aggressive countries, and that a refusal to sell to this or the other country Avould be the next thing to a declaration of Avar. The Cliveden set has been described as a Communist invention. At Cliveden the Astors entertain members of any and every political party, so that all may understand each other’s vieAvpoint. A mark of rationalism, not of exclusiveness.—Ed. E.S.]