CONCESSION REFUSED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20323, 2 August 1929, Page 12

CONCESSION REFUSED.

LOCAL BODY TRAM FARES, CITY COUNCIL'S DECISION. MEMBER WOULD RATHER WALK. "I would walk until there were no soles to m,v boots rather than accept this concession from the Transport Board," declared Mr. T. Bloodworth with emphasis at the meeting of the City Council lasi evening, when discussing a motion moved by Mr. J. R. Lundon that the council accept the offer of the board to provide members.of the council with annual but and tram tickets at a cost of £6 6s to the recipients. 'When the council owned the trains some members refused to accept frea passes until their issue was sanctioned by Parliament," Mr. Bloodworth said. "I do not recognise the Transport Board, which is now functioning as the board contemplated by the Transport Act, as I hold that they have not been elected in terms of the Act." Mr. E. J. Phelan: Wait and see. "I hold that the board cannot take from me the free pass I hold from the council, and I am prepared to contest that if the board so desires," Mr. Bloodworth continued. "The pass can be cancelled by resolution of the council, but not by tho board which took over the assets and liabilities, the passes being one of the liabilities. The board asked me for my medallion pass, but I surrendered it to tho town clerk, from whom I received it, not to an official of the board." Mr. Bloodworth contended that the board bad no right to discriminate between members of the local bodies and other citizens. If it interpreted the Act properly it must either give a free pass or charge the same fare. "I think a good case can be made out for the payment of members of local bodies, but no case can be established for the payment of tips or gratuities by one local body to another," Mr. Bloodworth added. He said it appeared also that the members of the board reearded their services as twice as valuablo to the community as those of members of other local bodies, for they were prepared to take free passes for themselves, but charge half rates to others.

Miss Melville inquired the procedure in obtaining the concession passes. She considered it derogatory to the dignity of tho council that they should be asked to obtain an order from the town clerk and present it to the Transport Board. The motion was defeated on a division, its supporters being Messrs. Lundon, Phelan, J. Bagnall, G. Brownlee and J. Covle.