HIGHER TRAM FARES

Southland Times, Issue 23074, 16 December 1936, Page 4

HIGHER TRAM FARES

CRITICISM AND A REPLY A complaint that the increased tram fares had resulted in a loss of 13,026 passengers carried last month on the figures for November last year was made by Cr G. E. T. Dorman at last night’s meeting of the Invercargill City Council. He quoted the tramway traffic return for the month, which gave the total number of passengers carried last month as 191,082 compared with 204,108 in November 1935. Cr Dorman said that he had no hesitation in submitting that this decrease in the number of passengers was a direct result of the higher fares. Cr J. H. Tattersfield, chairman of the Trading Committee, said that it seemed as if certain councillors were determined to tackle every tramway return, no matter on what grounds. Such a criticism as Cr Dorman had made took into no account the real reason for the decrease —which was the number of Fridays in a month. Some months there were five and the extra busy day made a big difference. Cr Dorman’s criticism was only another proof of the futility of short-term comparisons. Taking one month of one year against one last year was no basis for comparison, and did not give a true indication of the position.