WORKERS' RAILWAY FARES.

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 26, 20 November 1930, Page 4

WORKERS' RAILWAY FARES.

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UNJUST- EtfCBEASES.

Mr. Walter Nash, M.P V referring to the revised Railway Bates- protested strongly aga'ust. the abnormal increase in tbe charges .for Workers ' tickets and in..particular, against the heavy burden oa the workers in the Hutt Valley arda. Ths revenue front weekly workmen's tickets lasi-yeai* over the whole Dominion was £52j32i?/11/10,-and the Depart meati states tha< the new proposals will bring in an aoditional £22,060. This represents an advance of '42 per cent and this load is exclusively on a section, of tLe VwoTkers. The reyentse from all passenger traffic totalled £2,005,306 and the new rates will increase this revenue Jby £117,;*67 or less tshan 6 per cent. It is unfair to increase the load on the workers-by 42 per cent as against 6 per cent on all other passengers. ■■

The injustice of tie increases in the Km t area is more glaring. • Many workers have taken up Government laid, and have built their homes in Lower Hutt aid Petone. One of the inducements to do so was the rapid transport at the low cost of 2/3 or 2/6 per week—ihese sums are now increased 1/- per week or 52/- p<er annum—a i.j-avy load for the worker at anjr; time, but particularly so just now.. '

Tiie Bailway Department has a difficalt problem to solve, but it will not be solved by unfairly increasing the charges on sections of the people who cannot escape them.,

The issue-of workers' tickets -may not pay in the commercial sense but as the General Manager stated in his last annual report: "Prom a point of view to the community, however, the position takes on quite another aspect."