THE TRAMWAYS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8183, 26 July 1912, Page 8

THE TRAMWAYS

FURTHER SUGGESTIONS ALTERNATIVE SCHEME OF FARES. REPORT BY THE BOARD. An important report has been made by the tramway board, of management in regard to a suggested scheme of fares, alternative to the recommendations as to rearrangement of sections contained in the larger report recently published. iSince the whole question of tramways .reorganisation is at present under consideration. by the council, these latest suggestions will be dealt with in conjunction with the board's previous recommendations. QUESTION OF ' POLICY. “In connection with the report furnished by the tramway board recommending alterations in sections and fares, states the report, “the board considers it advisable to inform you that .whilst the recommendations ns to alterations in sections is considered most essential, there is a question of policy involved regarding fares to bo charged over the various sections of the system which the board considers should be determined by the council. This relates to the advisability of charging lower rates on the outlying sections than on. tho citj sections. With a view to assisting the council on this important point the board submits the following alternative proposal for the consideration of the conn- “( 1) That penny sections lie charged for as at present, viz, —without concession “(2) That sectional tickets be issued at the following rates: —2 section tickets, 11 rides for 2s; 3 section tickets,. 12 rides for 2s 6d; i section tickets. 12 rides for 3s. “Holders of sectional tickets could then travel at the following rates: Bay to railway station. 3d; Newtown terminus to railway station, 2Jd; Lyall Bay to railway station, 3d; Miramar boundary to railway station, 3d. “We consider that the total increase 9! revenue would not be less than that estimated in our previous report, and if tho council is desirous of cheapening the fares to the residents of the outlying districts tho foregoing alteration could be adoptedSUNDAY FARES.

"With regard to Sunday fares, the board would be pleased to recommend a universal fare of 3d with transfer to on© additional route, but owing to the financial position cannot recommend the adoption of the proposal for the present. Such a scheme would, tend to popularise the trams bit Sundays, but for the reason given we are of opinion that if the sections are altered ns recommended in our previous report, that for the present fares be charged at the daily scale, and that this matter be again considered at the cad of the financial year. SALE OF TICKETS.

"In the event of the sectional ticket system being adopted, it will be necessary to establish a number of suitable places for the sal© of such tickets along the various routes, it being considered that conductors would be unable to collect fares -and attend to the sal© of these tickets. Such tickets would not be sold on Sundays and holidays, but would be available on all days excepting Christmas Day and Good Friday, WADESTOWN LINE. Wadestown being a specially rated area, it is inadvisable to alter the present arrangements.

OFFICIAL PASSES

ISSXJIJ TO BE CURTAILED,

At last night's meeting of thee City Council the tramways coffimitteeee reported : . (1) That they had given consideration to the question of tramway passes, and recommended as follows; (1) That passes he issued to the following officers: The town clerk; the city engineer; the electrical engineer; the chief clerk. (2) That all official passes, other than those issued to the undermentioned officers, he withdrawn, and that these be provided with a suitable metal badge to be produced for inspection by conductors. The officers referred to are: Traffic' superintendent; assistant super-, intendent; inspectors; superintendent of overhead equipment; inspector of permanent wav. (3) That a special form of ticket be issued to each department at a discount for use by members of the staff wnen on corporation business only. (4) That the tickets issued to tramway c*iu;.’lcycC's accordance- with the agieement be strictly' limited to two tries per dav. taking them to and from duty. (5) Tiiat they arc consider ng the question of. the tramway passes issued to charitable institutions, and will report on the matter at a later stage. In discussing the report the Mayor said the committee had had before it the whole question of tramway passes and it had been Wt *hat far too many passes were in circulation. Passes were to be issued to the town clerk and the chief clerk because they were frequently travelling on official business. .The committee’s recommendations were adopted. DISCUSSION IN COMMITTEE.

When ordinary business had been disposed of last night, .the council went into committee to resume discussion on

the various proposals that had beci* brought down by the tramway board. A lengthy debate took plaoo, and nftev an hour and a half the press -representatives wore informed that tho council would not resume in open meeting that; evening. Since, however, tho greater number of the recommendations fiay« been traversed, probably another special meeting of the council will be held at ait early date for an open discussion on th« proposals as formulated 1.1 cov.mittoe. NEW TIME-TABLE.

The authorities report that the non-time-table is ■ working satisfactorily. Much “dead” running has been eliminated, and overtime has been largely raduoed. Economies, such as calculatinw mueniues In ticket offices, have been introduced, and it is. hoped that advertising on cars will yield a profit. There is, it is believed, a conviction amona councillors tnat sections will have to bo decreased in length. - UNEARNED INCREMENT.

Discussing tho proposal to tax unearned increment ol land values with a member of tho “Times' “ staff, tho Mayor (Mr D. McLaren) said he had given a good deal of reflection and study to this question, and ho pointed out that tho city has no legal power to strike a. rate on working expenses of the trams., it has been urged that owners of suburban properties have enjoyed large increases in land values, which are com-munity-created and attributable ,to this influence of. tho tramways in inducing jiopuiation and its consequent demand for residential sites. Owners on-such properties, it is urged, should be made to return a proportion of their publiClycreated increment to the city. Tho Mayor remarked that many of the German boroughs enjoy this system, and the rents from communal lands are sufficient to defray the working expenses of many public utilities, such as water, drainage, etc. To levy a rate for thw working expenses of the tramways in Wellington, however, would have tho effeet of doubling the already lush rates. At present the total expenses ol the tramways, including capital charges, is roughly XUO/iIMJ per annum, and Tho general rates are about the same. Iho proposal was revolutionary, and them would be difficulties in fixing on the particular owners who had reaped tha benefit of increased values. A propertyowner might, for instance, sell alter th© trams had doubled tho value ot ais land, and it would be unfair to tax the buyer with the difference in valuations —before and after the tramways—which ho had himself been made to pay. Moreover, in certain instances the values of properties had decreased duving the operation of the system. He instaticecb properties at Adelaide road and Island Hay where the values had Buffered a considerable decrease.