RAILWAY CONCESSIONS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6660, 6 November 1908, Page 7

RAILWAY CONCESSIONS

REDUCED SUBURBAN RATES. CHEAPER. COMMUTATION TICKETS. Details of railway concessions are published in this week’s “Gazette,” tho most important being those in regard .to suburban fares and commutation tickets. They como into operation on November Oth. Eifty-trip commutation tickets are to bo extended to distances not exceeding 35 miles,' and reductions will bo made in the charges varying from a shilling in tho case of tho seven-mile distance to 11s for the old maximum of 20 miles. A first-class commutation ticket over 20 miles formerly cost £2 14s, but under tho new scale, a ticket for 25-milo journeys will cost four shillings less than that formerly charged for twenty miles. Family commutation tickets are extended from 20 to. 25 miles, and reductions made in the charges. A fifty-trip ticket for a 10-ijiilo journey formerly cost £1 18s first-class, while tho new charge will bo £1 I4s. The old maximum was 20 miles for £3 I3s, but tho new scale permits a 25-milo journey for £3. Workers’ commutation tickets, for twelve trips are extended from 20 to 35 miles, without reduction in the former charges. The 25-milo ticket will cost 13s. A new scale of reduced suburban fares is scheduled for distances of twenty miles and unoer, and it is provided that where a combination of the suburban and ordinary fares gives a cheaper fare for the through journey than if computed on ordinary mileage rates, tho combined rate shall bo charged to stations outside tho suburban area. Under the new arrangement tho new single fare between Te Aro and Dower Hutt will be Is Id first, and 9d second, a reduction of 2d and Id respectively, while to or from Te Aro and Upper Hutt the first-class fare will he 3s 6d (a reduction of 3d) and secondclass Is Gd (reduction of 4d). The return fares will be 2s and Is 5d respectively less than the original first and second-class fares. Tho return fare first-class from or to Te Aro to or from‘Dower be Is 6d. Tho fares from or to Kaiwarra to or from Dower Hutt will ho computed at the suburban fares on tho actual mileage between the two stations. It has frequently' ■ been represented that in charging freight upon measurement, bulky packages consigned from Dyttelton to Christchurch have had to pay upon four times their actual weight. Tho Railway Department will not in future, if charging by measurement, charge more than doublo the amount payable upon the actual weight. Road motnl, scoria, shingle, gravel, and other materials for road-making required by local bodies have hitherto been carried in lots of not less than ton tons, at half tho classified rates for class Q, with aAminimum charge of 2s Cd par ton The Department in future will charge three-eightths tho Q rates, with a minimum of Is 6d per ton.