The Monmouth inquirer., 1923-10-18
Utility Board Chairman Says In
euuaIities Will Be Adjusted If
New Rate Is Practicable.
NO FIGURES ARE AVAILABLE
state Police Head Says Troopers Are
on Highways TO Help Motorists
Make Repairs, Change Tires
and Bring Gas to Dry car.

49,
ent trolley fare schedule will be adj
justed in the future if the 5 cent base
rate is found to be generally practi-
cable, Harry v. Osborne, chairman Of
the Public Utility Commission, de-
clared.
The experimental plan which was
inaugurated has not gone far enough
to justify any deductions as to its
ultimate success or failure" he add
ed. while some people, Of course,
pay a slightly increased fare, as is in
evitable where the fare mas some re-
lation to the length Of ride, a great
many more people pay, less.
while there is some criticism of
the plan, it scomes from those who are
obliged to pay the higher fare. But,
generally speaking, the plan seems to
have public approval.
Adjustments May Be Made
THE adoption of municipal lines as
an arbitrary limit of the 5 cent area
and the elimination of all transfers
and combinations may have in some
cases brought about inequalities
which may have to be adjusted in the
future.
"But it would not seem to be advis-
able to interfere with the working of
the plan by attempting to adjust these
situations until it car be determined
by experience whether the plan will
be successful or not, as such attempts
may otherwise only tend to confuse
the 0uestion at This time"
No Figures Available
Public Service railway officials ex-
pressed opinions similar to that of
Commissioner Osborne on the present
situation in the tryout of the present
plan Of trolley fares. They would
make no definite statement involving
figures, declaring that there had not
been sufficient time to make worth
while computations for the purpose of
ascertaining whether there were inc
qualities in the fare rates Of various
zones that should be changed or
whether the riding in the 5 cent areas
has increased in sufficient volume to
overcome the loss in income from
what would have been received dur
LIZ Tx 0dAlC pCl lCu q Al6ACl
fare.
Continued pleasant weather of an
unprecedented nature is held to have
much to do with inability to accu-
rately judge conditions or to say def
nitely whether the present plan will
be a success. Many persons who got
into the walking habit during the
t~rolleyIess days are still walking.
Others who got into the jitney hab-
measure continuing to ride in jitneys.
A spell of rain or other weather diff
ferent from that of the last three
months will be necessary before the
tale can be told.
Troopers to Help Motorists
That a better understanding be-
tween motorists and the officers
chosen to enforce the motor vehicle
and traffic laws would result in a gen
eral improvement of the conditions
which are now irritating automobile
owners, was the opinion which came
out of the conference between a COM
mittee from the New Jersey Automo-
Bile and Motor Club and Colonel H.
Norman Swarzkopf, superintendent of
the state police.
Colonel Swarzkopf, whose home is
in Newark, came on from Trenton at
the request of the Motor Club officials
and met DR.. L. G.. Morgan, vice presi-
dent of the club; Wilkes McClave, a
member of the clubs trustees and
president of the Motor Truck Club OF
New Jersey, and Joseph HI. Gum, sec
rotary Of the Motor Club. The confer
ence ran nearly two hours and prac-
tically every phrase of the situation
was discussed.
The motorists got across h point
to Colonel S%warzkopf that the opera
tors of motor cars are of the opinio1
that they are being harassed by police
officers, in some cases the state po-
lice and in other cases the police OF
various municipalities below the city
class, over the right Of the motorist to
pass a motor vehicle going in the
same direction. They also made 1t
clear to him that they believe a mo-
torist is virtually convicted upon Ell
ther his arrest or his receipt Of a sum
mons, as the magistrates before whom
the motorists are arraigned simply
take the officers word and inficts the
penalty. The testimony of the motor
car owner is never given any cred
q it was said, and it is the gen.
eral rule of these magistrates, 1t is
claimed, not to allow other witnesses
In the car at the time of the arrest to
testify.
Further, the Auto Club representa-
tives said they believed hat the ma
jority of the magistrates sought the
conviction of motorists as a business
proposition. When there is a convic-
ton there is always court costs, and
1t is in this respect that the magis-
trate makes money, they said.
Colonel Swarzkopf agreed with the
motorists that there should be no per-
secutions, and he asserted that his
troopers are cautioned not to prac-
xton n He azSarfad Though that