RAISING THE TRAM FARES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5729, 26 October 1905, Page 2

RAISING THE TRAM FARES

(To tho Editor "N.Z. Times.") Sir,—Auout above, considered by omf jxraiicillore a few weeks ago, I would ask —Have tho ratepayers any right to know how tho various sections pay ? If they have, will the Council vouchsafe the information ? A return showing the numv her of car miles run and the takings, t together with the respective proportion of expenses on each section in operation, would bo instructive and interesting—an much, I believe, to the “business six" in the Council, as tho ratepayers generally, Returns of other municipal traraoar enterprises, are regularly published in. the Homo papers and why not here P Doi the councillors know better what tho public should and should not know f Presumably they do. or possibly the fcae of comparisons with other similar undertakings deters them. Now, I am without data; but is it not true that the longest penny eectiou, via.', top of Cuba street to Newtown, returns the greatest profit? If this is.so, why tinker with it, rather than give attention, to some other section that does not pas' so well? Councillors 'should remember they arc catering to tho “masses,” and not tho "classes,” and to obtain tho sup. port of the-former they must endeavour to give what, will bo considered a "quid, pro quo.” The remedy for the Council to try is that of bringing tbo ill-paying' sections into lino with those that aro profitable. It is impossible to discover from published reports whether this i.t what it is doing, hence my reason for tendering such very elementary advice.—* I am, etc., PENNY SECTION. October 24th.