HIGHER RAILWAY RATES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16023, 15 September 1915, Page 5

HIGHER RAILWAY RATES.

COMMENCE ON SUNDAY.

INCREASES IN FARES.

DETAILS OF ADVANCES.

EXTRA REVENUE DURING WAR.

A new scale of fares and freights on the New Zealand railways, showing the increases foreshadowed in the Financial Statement, will be brought into operation next Sunday. According to the estimate given by Sir Joseph Ward the aggregate effect of the increases will be an addition of £360,000 to the revenue of the Department. A feature of the new tariff is an increase of 41§ per cent, in the secondclass holiday excursion fares.

In his Financial Statement Sir Joseph Ward stated that an increase in fares and freights had become a necessity from causes due chiefly to the war, and unless it was made it would be impossible for the Department to provide sufficient ways and means. He announced an increase "of 8 3 per cent, on all passenger fares, and this has been applied by the Department as an addition of Id to" every Is or fraction of Is in the case of virtually every charge met by the passenger travelling. The present rates for holiday excursion tickets are 2d per mile first-class and Id per mile second-class return, the mileage being counted one way only. In future the rates will be 2d per mile first-class and per mile second-class, to which will be added the war loading of 83 per cent, and a terminal charge of 2d on every ticket. The minimum fares for excursion tickets were 4s for first-class and 2s for second-class, representing a journey of 24 miles. The minimum fares will now bo 5s 5d and 3s 9d respectively, representing a journey of 30 miles, The tariff for tourist tickets has also been increased. The ticket available over all lines of the Dominion for seven weeks, the price of which has been £10. will now cost £13, an increase of 30 per cent., while the ticket for either the North or the South Island during four weeks will cost £8 instead of £6, an increase of 33j per cent. The increases will be applied to the suburban area so far as single trip tickets are concerned, but the rates for workers' weekly or 12 trip tickets will not be advanced.

Effect of New Scale. The following examples illustrate the effect of the increases in the scale of fares, the present rates being given in parentheses: Auckland to Rotorua: First single, (21s 6d) 23s 4d; second single, (14s 4d) 15s 7d; first return, (455) 46s 7d: second return, (28s) 31s Id. Holiday Excursion—First class. (28s 6d) 31s Id - second-class, (14s 3d) 20s lOd. Auckland to Wellington: First single, (£2 13s lOd) £2 17s lOd : second single. (£1 15s lid) £1 18s 7d : first return. (£5 7s 8d) £5 15s 7d; second return, (£3 lis lOd) £3 17s 2d. Holiday Excursion— class, (£3 lis) £3 17s 2d; second-class, (£1 15s 6d) £2 lis 6d. Suburban Area, 10 miles first single, (Is 2d) Is 4d : second single (lOd) lid ; first return, (Is lOd) 2s: second return, (Is 2d) Is 4d.

Charges for Luggage.

In the past, it has been customary for the Department to check passengers' luggage free of charge, and in the case of luggage taken from one island to the other a charge of 3d for each package has been made to cover the cost of cartage in Wellington. Passengers will now be required to pay 3d for checking luggage, and in the case of inter-island traffic, to pay 6d for each package. The present system of charges for " left luggage "2d for the day the luggage is deposited and Id per day storage— be cancelled, and a charge of 3d will be made for ' each package, deposited in the left luggage offices. A charge of 3d, instead of the present 2d, will be made for admission to the railway platforms on occasions when it is desired to restrict the gathering of the public at the departure of trains. This charge is made at Auckland only on Sunday evenings, prior to the departure of the express trains, and in holiday seasons. The fee for the sleeping berth on the Auckland - Wellington express trains will be 10s lOd, instead of the present 10s. The tariff for meals in the dining-cars will not be altered. Parcels and Goods. The rates for parcels will not be increased. An increase of 10 per cent, will be made in the rates for the conveyance of all goods, except timber and livestock, and this addition will apply to horses motor-cars, dogs, milk, etc. " All charges for haulage and demurrage and in operation on railway wharves will be increased by 10 per cent.