PROFITEERING IN TRAMWAY FARES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16762, 11 June 1920, Page 7

PROFITEERING IN TRAMWAY FARES.

TO THE EIUTOH. Sir, —1 was very 7 ' much interested in reading your sub-ieader cu the alleged case or profiteering at Hawera, also the absolute farce (as you rightly point out) on tiie part of the Board of Trade rusliing at the shadow, wlubh is the little trader, and l missing the substance called tho “Big Trader.” You also pointed out that some hundreds or pounds were spent in prosecuting a man lor selling an article for Is 3d, yet in the case of the Christchurch merchant, where the Board of Trade fixed the price of wheat at about 9s, and the merchant charged 11s, and admitted it, according to newspaper reports, the Board ot Trade says no action can be taken. Now we come to the profiteering on our tramways. The employees have asked for a living wage, and if it is granted it will amount to about 12 per cent. Tho council have the audacity to charge us 100 per cent on our present fares. Now seeing that the power for our trams is produced, bywater and most other places have _ to produce their electricity 7 by burning coal, and as we have shorter sections than other places, the council arc simply 7 exploiting us, and I for one am using “Shanks’ Pony” where possible. If tho travelling public would do the Game for two or three weeks the council would see tho wisdom of reviewing their action and givo us rcasoiiablo sections at reasonable prices.—l am etc., G. E BLANCHARD. [The council has not increased the fares 100 per cent, except in the case of the penny fares. A twopenny fare is increased 50 per cent, a threepenny fare 33 1-3 per cent, a fourpenny fare 25 per cent, a flvepenny fare 20 per cent, and a sixpenny fare 16 2-3 per cent. Not only are wages considerably higher than when tho penny fares were fixed, but all other costs have increased also. If the fares were not raised a heavy loss would have to he borne by the ratepayers. —Ed. T.H.]