TRAM FARES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12776, 21 October 1919, Page 10

TRAM FARES.

A WARNfNC TO DODGERS.

Before the business on th<* . order paper Ivas proceeded with the meeting of tlie Tramway Board yesterday, the lion J. Barr (chairman) said he was compelled to comment on the number of passengers who were escaping paying their fares nowadays. Perhaps this might be due to forgetfulness, hut it was Mich a growing habit that something would have bo be done. He was sorry to say that most of the offenders were ladies, and the habit was growing to such an extent that the board would be forced to take some drastic steps, lie was loti* that the extreme step should be taken, but it seemed that there was nothing else for it. lie had a number of reports on the master before him. ' Hr Pearce; Are they all first offenders? Tlie chairman replied that they were not all first offenders. Where it was proved that it had been an everyday occurrence, steps had been taken/ Mr D. Sykes said that the present system of collecting fares was to blame. They should adopt tbe> method in the Old Country and compel everv passenger to cany a ticket. .Now it was a.

case oi' a man being in one part of a oar and his wife in another, and the inspector had the trouble of seeking the passenger who held the tickets. Mr Sykes said lie did not blame the public, but the system. In reply, the Hon J. Barr said there was no man-made system hut could be remedied. There could he no alteration but some other position would be brought up, and another remedy would bo desirable. There were ladies who would sit in the cars and let the conductors go through without taking tickets. At the penny sections cars were left hurriedly and on purpose to get, over paying the fare.. The pay-as-you-enter system was not practicable in Christchurch. It .might do where there were uniform fares, but they were a long way of! having uniform fares in Christchurch. Mr Staples said he had noticed instances where conductors had had to run after passengers to secure . the fare. The discussion, which the chairman had stated was a warning note, then closed.