THE Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. WEDNESDAY, 14th NOVEMBER, 1900. PASSENGER AND TOURIST RAILWAY FARES.

Southland Times, Issue 14797, 14 November 1900, Page 2

THE Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. WEDNESDAY, 14th NOVEMBER, 1900. PASSENGER AND TOURIST RAILWAY FARES.

At the opening of the last completed section of the Seaward Bush railway Mr Seddon, with that persuasive assurance so acceptable with the crowd, declared to his hearers that the management of the railways was never before in so thorough a state of efficiency a.i now, and that the near future would show a decisive advance on the degree of perfection already reached. While everything was to be improved, the railways were not to be used as a source of revenue. Freights would be diminished, and the people should have the whole benefit of all that accrued above interest and working expenses. The railways belonged to the people of this colony, and the people should have the fullest possible use of them. " They should be managed so as to induce social intercourse between the different sections of the community, separated by varying distances. The people of the country districts should be induced to visit the towns and sea coast places, and the people of the towns to enjoy at frequent intervals the freer air of the country around. As a- sequel and expansion of this deliverance, Mr Ward, shortly after, at large public meetings, at Riverton and elsewhere, unfolded a scheme in outline which was hailed with enthusiastic approval. Great improvements were to be introduced, a largely increased rolling stock, improvements for the comfort of passengers, reduction in fares and, proi bably, additional railways of a cheaper ' and lighter kind, for the benefit of outlying places and the opening up of I new lands suitable for cultivation. We do not mean to suggest that the promised improvements in rolling stock and in the comfort of passengers are not being attended to, or that the part of the programme relating to light railways may not some day be carried out. But as regards the revisal and readjustment in ordinary passengers' and tourists' fares, the swelling importance with which they were announced, with the net result of them in practical analysis, can only be com pared with " the mountain in labour " of the ancient fable. The whole reduction is the merest trifle. For example, a man can go from here to Dunedin and back, first-class, for 3s 8d less than he could do the journey at before, and by second-class for 2s 5d less — enough to pay for his dinner in each case if he is not extravagant, but not much of a temptation for him to make a holiday. The man who does not return, hut wants only a single ticket, pays about 35 per cent , or more than a third, less than he did before. Very few residents of the colony will fall under that class, but it makes a material difference to all lecturers, singers, actors, circuses, etc., who come in at one end of the colony and go out at the other. The conces sion to commercial travellers and other yearly ticket-holders, at first sight appeared big, but all of them who have to go beyond a limited radius — and most of them haye — pay a good deal more than they did before. There is a considerable increment to the railway revenue from this item. From the speeches delivered here in the south and in Wellington by Mr Ward, | as well as from Mr Seddon's address above referred to, no one could entertain a doubt that much greater facilities than ever were offered before would be given to people in the colony and to visitors and tourists to visit those scenes of beauty that are so attractive to all. This was, indeed, to be a cobspicuous feature of the new administration. In his address at Riverton Mr Ward said : " Our country has " been favoured by Nature with " scenery and natural pleasures and " health resorts of a most attractive " and useful character, and in these " the colony possesses an asset which " cannot possibly be over-estimated. I " feel persuaded that much good would " result from enabling our own colo- " nists as well as visitors to go to some " of the wonderlands of New Zealand. " To encourage the " tourist traffic the Government has " been considering the advisableness of " running an improved service between " Dunedin and the cold lakes, at all " events during the summer months, " but before doing so will negotiate " with a view to securing much lower " steamer fares on Lake Wakatipu " than are now charged. If the local " steamship company cannot see its " way to make charges acceptable to " the Railway Department, and suffi- " ciently low to develop this traffic, the " Government will immediately take " steps to establish its own steamers "on the lake." Mr Ward repeated this statement in the House in Wei- '

lington. The negotiations took place. The Wakatipu Steamship Company agreed to reduce its fares, partly, no doubt, from the threat of an opposition steamer, and partly in expectation of the increased traffic that would follow on the inauguration of the new liberal regime. Let us see what the outcome of the promising prelude comes to. Formerly the round trip from Christchurch to the Lake via Waimea and Invercargill cost — railway, £5 2a 6d, steamer, 10s, in all £5 12s 6d. Now it costs — railway, £5 3s Gd, steamer, 7s 6d, total £5 11s, that is to say, the steamer reduced its fare one-fourth or 2s 6d ; the Railway Department increased the railway part of the expense by one shilling ; instead of mak- J ing any reduction : makes no reduction, but divides with the traveller the reduction made by the steamer company, and to that extent increases the railway fare. Similarly, from Dunedin formerly, via Waimea and Invercargill — railway, £2 7s 6d, steamer, 10s, total £2 17s 6d : now, railway, £■1 8s Gd, steamer, 7s 6d, total £2 16s. From Dunedin, via, Wairaea only, formerly £2, steamer, 10s, total £2 10s : now, railway, £2 Is, steamer, 7s Gd, total £2 8s 6d. The Minister makes a slight reduction on the Invercargill and Kingston lines Formerly, via Waimea, the fare was £1 10s, steamer, 10s, total £2 : now, railway £1 8s Gd, steamer 7s Gd, total £1 lGs ; or, direct via Kingston, formerly £1 2s Gd, steamer 10s, total £1 12s Gd; now, railway £1 Is Gd, steamer 7s Gd, total £1 9s. Formerly the first and second-class passengers were treated by the steamer company as saloon passengers. The Minister insisted on a distinction being made, and makes additional profit out of that circumstance. Thus : secondclass from Christchurch, via Wairaea and Invercargill, formerly, £3 10s, steamer 10s, total £4 ; now, railway £3 13s Gd, steamer ss, total £3 18s 6d. That is the railway adds 3s Gd to its former price and gives the traveller the benefit of Is 6d out of the 5s reduction the steamer makes. It has to be observed that the traveller contracts with the railway for the whole trip, steamer included. Similarly, from Dunedin via Waimea or 'nvercargill, formerly, railway £1 15s, steamer 10s, total £2 ss; now, railway £1 18s Gd, steamer ss, total £2 3s Gd. From Dunedin, via Waimea only, formerly £1 10s, steamer 10s, total £2 ; now, railway £1 11s Gd, steamer ss, total £1 16s Gd. From Invercargill, via Wairaea, formerly £1, steamer 10s, total £1 10s ; now, railway £1 ls.6d, steamer ss, total £1 6s Gd. Invercargill, via Kingston direct, formerly, railway 15s, steamer 10s, total £l ss; now, railway 1 7s, steamer ss, total £1 2s. For the several distances specified the railway has increased its charges as follows : —3s 6d, 3s Gd, Is Gd, Is 6d, 2s, while the steamer company lowered its charge from 10s to ss. The Wanaka trip has been similarly treated : formerly, railway £3, steamer 10s, total £3 10s ; now, railway £3 2s 6d, steamer 7s Gd, total £3 10s. The steamer reduced by 2s Gd, the railway put 2s 6d on. Now, to bully the steamer company into a reduction and take advantage of that reduction to make an addition to the railway fare, seems on the face of it very like a mean proceeding ; certainly it is not the way to encourage the people in the colony, or people who come to the colony, to enjoy the sight of our magnificent scenery of mountain and lake. As things are, only a very small number of the people in the colony can ever hope to see any part of it that lies at a distance from them One feels almost convinced that a very liberal reduction in passenger fares would be recouped by the increase in the number. We have seen what the penny stamp can do, and we have seen the Eastern -Telegraph Company reducing its charges by one-half and making an enormous profit by the change. Travelling through the colony should be made much easier than it is for the people of the colony, and it will be. The visitors also have a natural claim on our consideration. Let us help to let them enjoy themselves. Putting it on a sordid basis, the railway ticket is not the only money they leave behind ; while the easier things are made for them, and the more encouragement they receive, the greater their numbers will be, and the more widely spread will be the knowledge of what we and our country are like. In conclusion we feel constrained to say that we decline to recognise in this peculiar manipulation of tourist fares the free hand of the Minister. It is incredible that the Minister who has given the colony the penny postage should so palter with the question just discussed. We prefer to believe that Mr Ward has deferred too much to the opinions of his immediate subordinates. Another readjustment is absolutely necessary and must be made before the people will believe that they have received fulfilment of the implied promises made on this subject. When that readjustment takes place we may hope to see the scale of fares fairly representative of the Minister's own views and inclinations.