HONEST BUS TRAVELLERS

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 291, 9 December 1936, Page 16

HONEST BUS TRAVELLERS

Bournemouth recently placed a box at the door of its buses and trams into ■which passengers migbt'drop their fares on alighting if the conductor had failed to reach them while they were on board. In the first week of their use £8 16/B—the equivalent of 2120 penny fares—was. collected in this way, says the '‘Listener.” - It does mot- follow that this entire sum Would havo been lost to tho tramways if tho boxes had not been installed. Some of the passengers who used them would no doubt have run after tho conductor or left their fare with a stranger to hand on. But it is safe to assume that at least some of it was found -money; and for the rest the boxes are a great convenience to conscientious passengers at rush hours. The system has long been in force in Glasgow with excellent results. Kecently the suggestion was made that it might well be introduced in London.

Box for. Fares Availed Of

The L.P.T.B. say, however, that there is little chance of the device being adopted. These are the reasons given: ‘‘We consider,” said the board, ‘‘ that most of our passengers are perfectly honest.” ‘‘They know they are under a legal, obligation to find the conductor somehow.’ Glasgow regards the .popularity of its boxes as a sign of tho honesty of its citizens; London on the other hand, apparently takes the honesty of its citizens as a reason for not having boxes. The board adds, by way of warning to the dishonest passengers (who presumably do not use the boxes in. Glasgow): “We have a secret system which enables the conductor to keep a pretty close check on passengers who have paid and those who haven’t.” The moral appears to be contained in the old refrain that nearly drove Mark Twain mad—“ Punch in the presence of the passeng-aire.”