THE New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY). FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 1890.

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 8878, 3 January 1890, Page 4

THE New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY).

FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 1890.

With which are incorporated the Wellington Independent , established 1845, and the New Zealander.

A CLAMOTJa ia almost constantly prevalent for wholesale reduction of railway fares. It ia always asserted —with

CHEAP RAILWAY FARES,

a degree of confidence conversely proportionate to the amount of special knowledge or experience possessed—that the effect of such a reduction must, would, and should be so large a stimulation of traffic as to prove highly remunera- i tive. The various authorities that have successively ruled the railway destinies of New Zealand have been earnestly denounced as a race of utter incapables because they failed to see that this was the only true way to “ make the railways pay,” and becahse they wilfully refused to shovel in the piles of coin supposed to be-awaiting collection by this process. We, too, have incurred much obloquy at the hands of the ignorant by persistently main! aining , that, however justifiable and even'; advisableit might be, in certain eases, for the sake of collateral benefits, to reduce the railway charges, it was folly to imagine that reduction ' of rates alone would make the railways pay, or even would attract a sufficient increase of traffic to recoup the first loss. The cases of Great Britain and of other rich and densely-populated countries, so often absurdly cited in support of the low-fare theory, we have in former articles conclusively demonstrated to be entirely irrelevant, because there is no analogy whatever between the respective circumstances: With a view of testing,, under the moat favourable conditions, the effect of cheap fares, the Railway Commissioners, during the recent Christmas holidays, ran three excursions of special cheapness and attractiveness. All were to Dunedin, and each allowed a stay of two clear days in the Exhibition City. The excursions were from Christchurch, Timaru, and Invercargill, and the fares were respectively 20s, 12s 6d, and 10s, tlfere and back. It was estimated that 400 passengers would require to travel by each excur-, sion to make the experiment remunerative. Now let us see what happened -.—From Christchurch only 80 persona purchased the cheap 20s 1 tickets. From Timaru only 150, tra-| veiled at the 12s 6d fare. From Invercargill only 150 on the first day,and but a miserable fifteen on the second day., This, too, was in a holiday seaspn, and j when there was the special attraction j of the Exhibition at the point of do-j stination. Y et the fares charged' were j only a halfpenny per mile from Christchurch, rather less from Timaru, and j still less from Invercargill. The | cheap third-class fare on English railways is a penny per mile. Thei fare between Invercargill and Christchurch was only about a 'penny for three miles. Still these were _ the re suits. They are not encouraging. The plain fact is chat an accession of traffic will not be induced by low fares alone. No mere cheapness of transit would give any results comparable to those obtained in England. To get these there must be a large population conveniently situated, and there must exist also the time, the means, and the inclination to travel. The people of New Zealand, as it is, travel as much as their means, time, and inclination permit. They would not travel very much more were they carried gratuitously. The large and conveniently-situated peculation does not yet exist in New Zealand. As illustrating the influence that other circumstances than mere cheapness exercise on railway traffic, another experience of the late holidays maybe instanced. We have mentioned that only 80 persons took advantage of the cheap halfpenny-par-

mile excursion from Christchurch to Dunedin. Tet by the same train no fewer than 130 persons travelled at the ordinary fares of 36a and 2os. Why ? Simply because the latter gave them the option of staying a month in Dunedin if they chose, instead of two days. It was the terms, not the price , that ruled the traffic. The, curious ignorance of people generally on the subject of railway fares was comically illustrated not long ago. A deputation implored the Railway Commissioners to reduce the price of certain tickets to one penny per mile. The deputationista were flabbergasted to learn from the Commissioners that the present charge was at the rate of only a halfpenny per mile! Tnus to accede to their request would have been to double the fares ! And this is not a solitary instance of its kind.