TRAMWAY FARES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17220, 11 December 1923, Page 10

TRAMWAY FARES.

SEASIDE EXCURSIONS lr ’ DEBATED. A propose. l , that excursion fares to the seaside resorts at 9d return, available between the hours of 10 a.m- and 4 p.m. be given a trial for two months was made at yesterdav’s meeting of the Tramway Board by Mr W. J. Walter. During the discussion on the proposal it was found that nothing could Vie done in the matter at present unless the board unanimously decided to suspend the standing orders. As Mr J. \V. Beanlanrl refused to agree to that course the board reached a deadlock and the proposal will probably coir.: up again early in the new Mr Walter, in introducing the subject, said he would like the board to give consideration to the question of issuing cheap excursions to the sea-

side. The matter had already been considered by the Work and Traffic Committee, which had decided to hold it over for six months, but he wished to have it considered by the board. If the matter did not come before the board for six months it would be too late for women and children to receive the benefit of excursions during the warm weather. “I think we should give the excur sions a trial now for, say, two months in order to see if they are a success or not,” Mr Walter added. He suggested that excursion fares should be issued on trams leaving the city for the seaside at ten o’clock in the. morning, and that the return journey should be made before 4.30 p.m. The fare should be 9d return. In years gone by the old tramway companies had run excursions to Sumner and New Brighton at 6d return, and if the board decided to charge 9d he thought it would be a fair thing. He understood that the cars on the seaside trips were not being patronised very much now between 10 a-m. and 4 p.m., and the introduction of excursions would give people with families a chanee of going to the seaside. Mr J. W. Beanland said that if the board issued excursion fares to New Brighton and Sumner from the city, it would have to issue excursions from those places. As a result the revenue would go down.

On the suggestion of the chairman Mr Walter moved that excursion fares at 9d return be issued from the city to the seaside between 10 a.m. and 4

p.m. Mr S. A. Staples seconded the motion pro forma. Mr J. A. Flesher remarked that the committee had already decided not to do anything until March. Mr Walter: If the board is against the proposal I say turn it down now. But something should be done white the holiday season is on. Mr D. Sykes said that in 1920 the old excursion fares produced a little over £3OOO in revenue and in 1920 the 10d and Is return fares produced £21,000. “We have got to be careful,” he added- “We might have to put extra cars on to take the people to the seaside, and these cars would come back empty.” The chairman (Mr A. S. Taylor) : If we are going to do anything in this matter we should do it without delay, as the summer season is getting on. Mr H. Pearce urged that the matter should be decided at that meeting. Mr Beanland said that he was against suspending the standing orders to allow the matter to be decided that day.

The chairman said that the only way Mr Walter could get his motion discussed was to give notice of motion to rescind the resolution regarding fares.

Mr Walter remarked that the matter of excursions to the seaside had not come before the board previously. The chairman said he thought it was the desire of practically all the members that the matter should be discussed in some shape before the holidays. Mr Walter then moved that the standing orders be suspended to enable him to move that the subject of fares to the seaside be re-opened. “It will have to be unanimous,” remarked the chairman. The Hon J. Barr said he did not think it fair to make the excursion from the city to the seaside only- If the board was going on with the matter he would introduce the question of excursion fares the other way. The chairman: As the board does not appear to be unanimous on this question, I am afraid we cannot do anything before Christmas. Mr Fiesher suggested that Mr Walter might get sufficient members to agree to a special meeting being called. The discussion then lapsed.