HIGHER TRAM FARES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20407, 8 November 1929, Page 17

HIGHER TRAM FARES.

THREE RATES IN FORCE.

OLD CARDS BEING USED. PROTESTS AGAINST INCREASE. For some flays, and possibly for a few weeks, threo rates of fares will lie in operation on trains and buses in Auckland for the same journey. There will bo the cash-paying travellers, users of old concession-cards and . holders of tho new issue for which tho higher rates have been paid. The new cards were 011 sale in the city yesterday and although the Transport Roard relieved the agents of their stock of the old cards there were somo lucky purchasers of these who will be given an opportunity to use them. Some of the cards had the date of availability limited to November 9, but others, whose expiry date is December 31, are known to be out.

The new cards bear an inscription intimating that they are available for only one person on each journey, but the board advised yesterday that the tickets had been printed before this restriction ou their use was lifted. In the interests of economy it had been decided to issue tho cards, instead of destroying tlicin or putting them through the printing-press again to cancel the inscription. A resolution protesting against the increases in train fares which, it was considered, would adversely affect the receipts of the Transport Board by discouraging settlement in the outer suburbs was passed by the Point Chevalier Business Men's Association. It was decided to advise the board that 110 reasons had been given for the retention of two sections on the Point Chevalier route after the system of penny fares had been abandoned. T]ie association protested against Point Chevalier being penalised bv the fact that the proposed tram sections would make it dearer for the public to travel within or near tho district. It was stated that the board, when advocating the loan for the tramways extension, had promised to issue cheaper fares than the bus charges?, but if the present arrangement were carried out the charges from the city to the beach would remain unchanged. The association expressed the opinion that if the board wished to keep its promise and also to make the service pay it should provide for one-section distances from Surrey Crescent to the hall and from the hall to the beach respectively, making a total of four sections from the city.

At a special meeting of the Auckland Trades and Labour Council on Wednesday evening the following resolution was passed and ordered to be forwarded to the Minister of Transport: —"lhat this council strongly protests against the workers of Auckland being penalised to pav the losses on the costly and unsatisfactory bus services by the introduction of increased fares on tramway concessioncards, especially when the cost of living is rising and wages arc being reduced. The resolution also expressed the opinion that the Transport Board Act should be amended to provide for an election of members before 1931.