EFFECT ON AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20977, 14 September 1931, Page 10

EFFECT ON AUCKLAND.

SUBURBAN PASSENGERS.

BID FOR LOST PATRONAGE. ROAD TRANSPORT'S HAVOC. fHY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER. ] WELLINGTON. Sunday. The future of suburban railway transport in the Auckland area is likely to be materially influenced bv (he decision of the Railways Board to reduce fares as from September 20. for it is learned on sound authority that the measure of reduction is to be greater in respect of the Auckland suburban area than elsewhere. The suburban railway traffic in Auckland was dealt a severe blow when, simultaneously with the opening of the new station, the fares were raised, and the board is concerned with the problem of regaining the traflic which undoubtedly ifc lost; to road transport as the result of these changes. Certain officers of the department expressed the opinion at the time of the fare increases that, the department was certain to lose much of its traflie, but the increases had been ordered as part of a Dominion-wide policy and had to bo put into effect in Auckland, in spite of the special conditions ruling in that, city. The new board was not slow to see the havoc that road transport had played with the suburban traffic of the railways in the. Auckland area, and, as the department. does not enjoy a monopoly in this service, as is the case in some other centres, but. Jias to meet the competition of well-organised services running on almost perfect roads parallel lo the suburban lines, a special effort is about lo be made to gain for the railways their rightful share of the business. It is felt that the users of the Auckland suburban lines

will regard this reduction in the cost of travelling as very opportune and that it is likely to benefit the railways.

THE LIMITED EXPRESS.

DISCONTINUANCE POSSIBLE. FURTHER TRIAL TO BE GIVEN. [IJV TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON, Sunday. Unless iho volume of traffic being handled over the North Island Main Trunk line increases considerably in the near future there is a distinct possibility of tlie present night limited express being discontinued. Jt. known that the question of maintaining the two through trains on this line has been receiving the careful consideration of the Railways Board and that the conclusion has been reached that on the present business being done it Avill not be possible to keep the two expresses in commission. It is understood that in considering the. elimination of one of these trains the board was of the opinion that the limited alone could not give the whole of the service that now is being given between Auckland and Wellington. The board has now decided to give the running of the two trains a. further trial. A very careful tally will be taken and if in the end it is decided that not more than one through express can be justified it, is certain that it will be the limited that will be stopped. ANALYSIS OF CHANGES. TYPICAL FARE-SCALES. SUBSTANTIAL SAVING. Travellers by rail will find very substantial savings in the new scale of fares which (he Railways Board proposes to bring into force on September 20. The last change in fares was made in November, 1930. when the Minister of Railways, the Hon. W. A. Veitch, announced an increase of £d in the shilling on ordinary single and return tickets and Id in the shilling on holiday excursion tickets. Odd pence for this purpose were reckoned as whole-shillings. The following examples of fares between Auckland and four important stations have been worked out to show the effect of the last set of changes and those now proposed:—

FRANKTON.—BS Miles. First. Second, s. d. G. ft. Single, old . . 1:5 3 9 0 present 13 10 0 5 new ..111 7 0 Return, old . . 20 0 IS 0 present 27 8 18 n new . . 20 7 13 10 Uol. Exc. (ret.), old 10 0 12 9 present. 20 7 13 10 WHANGAREI.—I3O Miles. First. Second. h. d. s. d. Single, old . . 20 t 13 9 ~ present 21 0 111 new . . 1(1 9 11 5} Return, old . . 10 2 27 0 present' II II 28 8 new . . 31 I 20 II riol. Exc. i ret. I, old .. 2.8 II 19 3 present 31 1 20 11 WELLINGTON.- 120 Miles. First. Second, s. d. d. Single, old . . 05 1 117 present 08 1 M\ 0 new . . .">1 51 37 2 Return, old . . K.'O 8 80 2 ~ present 130 2 92 11 ~ Tieiv . . 101 10 08 0 Hoi. Exc. (ret.). old . . 91 il 02 9 present 101 10 OS 0 ROTOKUA.- 171 Miles. First. Second, s. d. s. d. Si lisle, old . . 20 5 is n present 27 7 H 9 nev.- . . 22 I 15 u tie!urn, present' 17 10 31 o new ..112 27 7 1101. Exc. (ret.). old . . 38 0 25 5 pi esent 11 2 27 7 'Special rates. Special lares are not common in the. j Auckland district, and it is not known ! yet how the few existing will be affected • by the new scale. Tlio ordinary return fares from Auckland lo Rotoiua for some time past have ! been First -class. 47s JOr 1: second. 31s. j whereas by distance they should be 65s ! Id and 37s 6d respectively. The, reduced ! rates were not affected by the last change, j probably owing lo continued intense road j competition, The proposed new ordinary ! return fares bv distance would represent | a further rerluct ion. The very low Sunday excursion fares between Auckland and Hamilton, namely, 7s return first-class and 5s second-class, ai'3 not likely to be reduced. The same applies to the Auckland-Hamilton weekend excursion fares introduced on August 1. These are available from Saturday to Monday at, 13s 6d return first-class, and 9s 3d second-class.