; 1O-cent fare for six months, res-

EFFIE JONES HAS CAMPAIGNED SINCE 1947

Long fight wins fare reduction

By BERT WHYTE

For the first time in history, Vancouver transit riders are enjoying a decrease in
ares. Long accustomed to ‘‘interim increas2s’’ which always became permanent, city
Straphangers, ‘victims of a 15-cent holdup for rides since last September, are again able to
Purchase four tickets for 50 cents, and slacks at four for 45 cents.

The unprecedented cut in fares came about because the B.C. Court of Appeal last

Week set aside the decision of the
Public Utilities Commission, effec-
tive September 7 last year, author-
zing a boost in transit fares in
Yancouver, North Vancouver, New
Westminster, Burnaby, Coquitlam,
ichmond and University Endow-
Ment Lands.

In handing down the decision,
pbc Justice Gordon Sloan and
a five-man Court of Appeal said

€ judgment was made on the
Auestion of law. Sloan in his writ-
ten judgment said:

“Tt is our opinion that this ap-
Peal should be allowed and the
order of the PUC under review
Which grants the BCE an increase
im fares on the mainland be set
aside upon the grounds the PUC,
after the conclusion of the hear-
ng, obtained: from the BCE fur-
ther and revelant material and
are upon it without affording
ae appelant (Lower Mainland
ities and municipalities) the op-
Portunity for the right of cross-
€xamination, or to adduce evi-
nce with respect thereto.”

On Sunday fares came down.
Whether the BC. Electric will
eas 8all enough to apply again

T fare increases remains to be
Seen,
pace the court. decision, demand

firing of the PUC has been
Stowing.

edi Vancouver Daily Province
itorial Monday pointed out that
ee decision “has destroyed the
ace vestige of public confidence
a the utilities commission” and
€clared:
eee only decent thing for the
ie fe-man commission to do is to
ee With as good grace as pos-
le. If its members do not ap-
Uxciate their position, the pro-
he government should make
Plain to them.”
The Fare Protest Committee
(representing B.C. Senior Citi-
zens Association, Civic Reform

CHIEF JUSTICE SLOAN
A question of law.

money they had taken in increas-

ed fares.

Vancouver City Council, which
took up the fare protest under
tremendous ‘public pressure, this
week instructed lawyer T. G. Nor-
ris, QC, to “take any necessary ac-
tion” to recover from the B.C.
Electric the money the company
has illegally collected, and indi-
cated that it might fight a test
case in court and press for 11-
cent fares for the next six months.
‘Mayor Charles Cates of North
Vancouver lauded the court's de-
cision and remarked that ‘nothing
like this has ever happened be-
fore.”

Vic Forster, secretary: of Van-
couver Labor Council (CCL) said
the provincial government should
ask the PUC to resign.

* x *

Behind the unity of Lower Main-
land municipalities, trade unions |
and organizations which led to the}

iation, Grandview Ratepay-
Norquay Ratepayers, and .
deral Superannuated Civil Ser-
vants) went on record demand-
Ng public compensation for il-
“gal bus fares by a return to the |

ers,

'9hation of the three-man PUC

end public ownership of the B.C.

lectric,

4 ancouver Trades and Labor |
oe called for immediate resig- |
thee of the PUC and suggested
4h the travelling public be re-
ears for higher fares illegally
in far PY a still further rollback

ares for the next six months.
ine re than 300 citizens at an
or Botonal Women’s Day rally

4. ender Auditorium last Sun-
aie ranimously endorsed a re-

demon. Presented by Effie Jones
Soc naing that the provincial
oN Ruddala “order the B.C. Elec-
sa sh compensate transit users
lay Rees illegally collected since
the eptember by introducing
month pa fare for the next six
ed fo S. The resolution also call-
PUc " Immediate dismissal of the

Reeve Ch
arles MacSorley of
numaby blasted the PUC for fail
este 0 safeguard the public inter-
moe os said the BCER might be
ie ~~" _ obligated to return the

Reception for Endicott

oe reception and social for Dr.
£s Endicott, chairman of the

anadi yen
Sao Peace Congress, is being
this pon by B.C. Peace Council

Street Hall, 138 East Cordova

Ln

turday, March 19, at Fish-|.

‘clause

running for the mayoralty on an
anti-BCER platform. The WNon-
Partisan dominated Vancouver City
Council had refused to oppose a
hoist in transit fares to 10 cents,
which became effective December
1, just a few days before civic
elections. The mayoralty race be-
came a contest between “High
Fare” Charles Jones of the NPA
and “Low Fare” Effie Jones of
the Civic Reform Committee.
Effie polled more than 19,000
votes and trailed her opponent -by
less than 5,000.

“We can win the fight for low
fares,“ Mrs. Jones said in her
post-election statement. She
pledged to continue the battle
against the B.C. Electric “every
day of the coming year.”

In 1948 Effie Jones again con-
tested the mayoralty, campaigning
for a.reduction in B.C. Electric
fares and return of the weekly
car and bus passes. Highlight of
her activities was the sponsoring
of a petition to restore former
transit rates. '

In June, 1949, Mrs. Jones warn-
ed the, public that the BCER was
scheming to raise fares again; just
two weeks later the company ap-
plied for an “interim increase.”
She produced facts and figures to
show how the transit company
“bamboozled the public” through
operation of a misleading book-
keeping system. Civic Reform As-
sociation staged a postcard cam-
paign against the hike. :

When the dime fare was intro-
duced, the CRA staged a protest
rally in Pender Auditorium July
23, 1949, at which Effie Jones
called on the city to step in and
take over the B.C. Electric. (A
in the 20-year franchise
would have made it possible for
the city to take over the BCER
on January 1,°1951, providing no-

successful fare appeal. stands the. tice to this effect was given before

Effie Jones, whose indefatigable !
years have earned her the nick- |

Number One.” .

It was back in 1947 that Effie,
the public eye by|

Jones caught

,long-term work of one woman,/the end of 1949.)

Proving that the dime fare ‘“‘buys

‘campaign for lower fares over the a new bus for the BCER every

three days,’ Mrs. Jones started a

|name, “B.C. Electric Public Enemy 'chainletter campaign advocating
|public ownership, which won wide

support.
In January, 1952, Effie Jones, as

am

The united demand of 49,000 Vancouver straphangers for no

further fare increase was carried to city council in this huge

Jones.

president of Civic Reform Asso-
ciation, launched a petition ~op-
posing another proposed bus fare
hoist and calling for the firing of
PUC members. On March 2 she

QA WO SEERA L

BAW SS

DALSUTOPIASH

————

-

ee [oe

“You're paying for the BCER—why not take it over?” was Effie Jones’ appeal to transit

riders in 1949, when the B.C. Electric applied for another in its series of fare boosts.

Mrs Jones

has sparked the battle for lower fares since 1947, when she polled over 19,000 for mayor on an anti-
BCER platform in Vancouver civic elections.

petition presented on March 2, 1952, by Elgin Ruddell and Effie
Despite public opposition, the BCER hoisted fares at that
time, and again in September, 1954.

presented a monster, four-block
long petition bearing 49,000 names
to Vancouver City Council, and
upbraided aldermen for failing to
protect the public’s interests.

So the record’ reads, down
through the years. Every fare in-
crease proposed by the BCER has

|been staunchly fought by Mrs.
_Jones—and each time more and

more citizens have supported her
stand, until at‘long last even city
and municipal councils have been

drawn into the struggle.

: For. Effie Jones. the reduction
in fares this week-.represents a
victory, but not the.end of. the
battle. : a

“Unite and fight, and we'll ‘force
fares back to a dime,” she’ Says.

Women’s Day rally
hears Mrs. Morgan

An audience of more than 300,
heard Mona Morgan speak on the
significance of International Wo-
men’s Day at a meeting held in
Pender Auditorium here last Sun-
day night. “Unite for peace and
friendship,” was. the theme of the
rally.

An excellent program included
numbers .by the Ukrainian String
Ensemble, a Chinese Canadian
choir and dance group, UJPO Folk
Singers, Scottish dancer Heather
McDonald and soloists Donna
Rankin and Perry Friedman.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE — MARCH 18, 1955 — PAGE 7