Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-05-03
PARENTS ANGRY
At GOV. WILSON
UTILITIES ACT
All School Children May Be
Denied Three Cent
Privileges.
LAWS PROVISIONS WILL
CAUSE DEPRlVATIONS
Utility Board Submits Question
to AttOrney.General's
Department.

Parents of thousands Of pupils Of tie
schools in Essex county, as well az else
where in the State, are anxiousiy await
ing the decision of the Board of Public
Utility Commissioners on the inquiry of
President Thomas N. McCarter, of the
Public Service Corporation. as to
whether or not the trolley company
may continue to give under the new
public utility law, three-cent fares to
all school children.
The Public Utilities Board has sub
mitted the question to the attorney
generals department for advice. As
sstant Attorney General Gaskili, who
has the matter in charge, said today
that the point was a very important
one and that he would begin his study
OF the law at once. so as to prepare an 4
opinion for the utility board as quickly
as possible. His Interpretation of the
law on this point OF intense interest III
almost every household In the State,
will probably be before the board at its
meeting next Tuesday.
| In numerous families more than one
pupil will be affected by the new law,
! II II is decided that flve-cent fares
must be paid by all school children in
the future.
VIII Mean Deprivation.
! President Guild, of the Board of Edu-
cation, says that the proposed change,
| If 1t is put into effect, with mean an
] actual deprivation in many Newark
homes.
In not few families there are three
children attending school who will be
compelled to pay the extra fares. The
difference is four cents additional daily
for each.
When the Public Service Company
announced yesterday that hereafter
three-cent fares for school children
would be abolished it did not have
in mind children under 10 years of
age The reason for this lies In the
fact that in many franchises granted
to the traction companies that are now
controlled by the Public Service pro-
visions had been incorporated to the
! effect that three-cent fares must be
| given to children between and 10
years of age
OyerhauIing Old Ordinances.
The city law department is busy
overhauling ancient agreements, old
| ordinances and other data to find out
! if there might be somewhere law
or a section of law that will enabie
the municipality to keep the three-cent
| fare in effect regardless of the fact
that the Wilson Record public utility
law apparently DEGREES illegal such
concession to hundreds who are strus-
Cling for an education. as well as 9TH
ers more highly favored by fortune
/ l. a l. -
will compel the trolley company to
maintain the reduced rates. In no
ordinance examined appears any pro-
vision relating to school children.
! In many of the traction ordinances,
passed years ago, it was distinctly set
forth that three-cent fares should be
given to children between and 10
years old. Subsequent franchises were
granted, subject to the provisions of
these ordinances. but that is an avenue
OF small comfort for the families in
which there are children past 10 years
of age.
Section is OF the public utilities law
makes 1t violation to grant any dis
elimination whatsoever in fares or
course this provision cannot affect the
three-cent fares to the children under
10, as there was a consideration to the
trolley company from the city for those
reduced rates. 1t was one of the con-
ditions under which they were per-
mitted to build various lines and oper-
ate them. These provisions remain
just as much in effect as, for in
stance, the per cent ordinance AS
violations of the public utility law are
a misdemeanor, making the heads OF
the corporation subject to imprison-
ment, the directors of the company are
stacking up against a serious proposi-
ton in continuing rebates in fares to
children over ten years of age.
Outstanding tickets issued by the
Public Service to the school pupils at
the three-cent rate will be honoroj on
all cars, but as fast as these books are
used UP the rebates TO the school chit
dren over 10 will be gradually discon-
tinued. There will be no renewals at
the old rate unless ruling is received
from the Public Utility Board that the
company may do so without fear a.
prosecution. Sale of three-cent tickets
will be resumed at once If the Utility
Board decides such a course IS valid,
In permitting the outstanding tickets
to be honored the compiny is taking A
chance"
AhS SCNiioH VI bHe puDlc UTILITIES dct
which is regarded as possibly prohibit
ing the continuance of three-cent fares 1
to school children sets forth that no
corporation shall make or give undue
or unreasonable preference or advan-
tage to any person or suffer
any particular person TO any
prejudice or disadvantage in any re-
spect whatsoever"
IT is nninted nut that tba Ioet fa..t.
words of this section-'in any respect
whatsoever'-may have the effect OF
making the sale of tickets, except
where expressly provided in the franz
chise. at lower price than is general
ly charged Illegal.
The contrary view is that rebates
to school pupils cannot be regarded as
undue" Both possible interpretations
we're considered by the Public Service
before the matter was referred to the
Utilities Commission,