ELECTRIC TRAMS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 559, 14 July 1909, Page 4

ELECTRIC TRAMS.

5j RETORT^; £ •V TheTannual report of 'the/engineer and man?, 'ager ■■ofrtheVCity ; -.Tra'inw.ays,; : :covering r ;the 12 is to: be presented at.: .'tb-morrbw'evening's meeting bf .the: City : , Coiin-; "eil.'>- revenue,:expendi-; •rtijei''.traffic,' etc.,; ; .w«rer ; published', in ,-The Dominion: on -May 180- V> S • ■;'.:' ■■■'„: -■>'■ : ;•:. i ■■. r ■i"-In- : my '■■ last 'Vreport/ , .. says';-. ] .the ..engineer,;:" I. ■pointed..'out.: the .advisability.' of: extending, ;the traniway •■ linee":. : .frpm ;Willis: ■ Street, , ■■■ ■ through' Customhouse': Quay,".taf.'ilie General .Post Office. J:i : .muit'igain.;-.draw;.yourJ attention work,;'which',should,-litMnk, be.carried out■ at. the'.'first"' favourable opportunity."> The want , ,of ; . ;'thwVco,nne"6tion:;w;ith;the- Jervois.Quay.lihes imakes; it necessary, to run'.'all!cars;.plying..on. Quay route: through the Lamb-; .ton ! Taiiway station.- If 'the linking up 'of; the :Willie- Street; and: Jervois : ; Qnay:.- lines Were Effected,'-the. Post -Office: could be made :the" ter-. minus for 'certain routes, , 'which would result in a.-coneiderable^annuabßaying'.'■ in; the working. expenses.,av,;-':i;\V..''.■"';■• ;■■£<■■(■ ~- :^ y, .■ t. '■:■■■}.■■';■■; ■ ■ ■' :As-the ; load for '.trainways is .an increasing ■ one/ andr-.tho.ideniaiylSfor; power'by private -'consumers*'';is ;i cont'iiiuing; v ;it- ! ,was considered! ad-■.visablbitq-'increaso'tae, plant'this year, and ithe! :opiincil ; : accordhiglj;;..placed -an;-order -.-for addi*-. •tiohalcplaht •.. 'mih\ ;'thei'Electric.: , Construction of■;Wolverhampton.' i ';Thjsplapt::\yill be:*installed':and:readi-for .operation, within a v - :>!:>[': : "{f-- : ?y -?. :; ; ':■ -;r:':'-i :

■•: "The.supply of current to private consumers :has ehoWni a".very - satisfactory .'increase, during :te:year;*:&iid' has )roTy 'materially-: augmented ..**. '?,'■■ ;*'■:;;'i: :j - "::.,-';':

■■■j■" On ~ D.aj,;_when . thb j picnic . traffic ,'was heavy, 'the 'Kilbirnie and- Miramar feeders were, somewhat .'overtaxed, 'exceeding the limit ■iiriposed'f by-.the;'regulations': of vtbe" : Bpar'd;--: of ;.Con.'t^6l^v;^tt■ : l■syyiherefore,^''βvident : ■^that.• : ■■''the. cars'on' this, route-.wjir have to-be" 1 strictly.-;limitedVuntihfduplicate-;feeders are 'Jaid.'.s-^. : .;A.v'-iV ; ->.. ■ h : \'--'..''\- '■:■' ■;'..- :V v ■:■>"::'S-';-: : ,V "Two: , fatal "accidents.. occurred 1 -on'.; the" cam .during i.thovyear."•' These accidents :were.'uufor;turiately.caused -through the deceased alighting, from -moving, cars.,.';:, The i corporation' -was ■ in ; both 'cases, fully exonerated;;-'the jnries' findings ■ being - 'accidental death.! -, A considerable nuni- . -bar, the ■'majority , being'..also due: to' tlio.' ! dangerous' practice -of alighting from -moving 'cars.. One.serious'acci- "■ 'dent- bcotirred ■; to '.. an jejhployee" engaged' in shunting; a 'cor In'. the carshed,: his '.leg: being caught'between : the buffers of two-cars,, ivhion ■ unfortunately .resulted r r in; the 'loss of the: in-' ; jured limb.v '-'>:-_ '■'~'-.■'■'-:■''■:[.■ .",-'■■-': . ..'- ':,'..-.'■ ':.:,:<,' ;■■;.Mr. : ;Ri6hard.Jdh;c'dnqlndes 'with ,an expression • of' approval of. the manner ; - in .' which the -of-; . fleers members 'of the tramways .staff; 'generally; carried ■' out-their duties during the ;thb:jtoe figures; .' The.•retnrn-of. revenue and expenditure-' *po the tramways for "the. , four.: weeke -ended June . 23 shows -,a, : . falling .'.-off' in : tr'affip. revoniie 'of i£263 ; -with ; \-the , corresponding .period of last year, .the revenue'taken on the ; carstrihning'On the' Island Bay and Newtown routes being JE3SO below, :last year. .The: revenue . from . the sale of. current .shows an in- ' crease oi; JUA, in : .the period,, and 'receipts from' ■ other;sources -.an increase,:pf-iEls,..making the' ?ros3 revenue 'irony., all, sources .£2ll lessthaa , dst"year; ; :'''/"■':!'■■"'■' -.;■'' ■'■ : --'- .. .-',-.- •■'•■•; - i ..V.TlieliWprkingiexpenses.show: an increasev*of : jfil?o a9,'Cpnipafed,with-last year. The':renewal of .trolly wire'at thi curves round the Basin '■■ Reserve increased the expenses in --this period : by /jeiso.'. This expenditure has been' charged to repairs and -niaintenance, but is reoJly a cor- : -rect charge against: the depreciation "fundae- ' •■cpuht.';'-':^ > ? : i.,'.'-: : ":'-.-.■',-".'■'■"■'' ■-.- i.■'■'.■.'■:■■ ■•-'.• : -',v' : " : . '.■-■"■'■ .;;Exponditiire. : :pn-renevrals will; • as. -time goes on, greater, aiid the question of charging of plant, or equipment against depreciation '.should' be'-'considered"-this year, :tts the depreciation .'account has not.'so far been although .considerablo. renewals ■ have been made. '■-'■■; •; .;'':■ ■ .'■ ' ■•..i .The gross, revenue to date amounts to j831,205, and the working-expenses to J821.697. .. : After allowing for {proportion: of interest, sinking fund; and'depreciation oharges, the net ' balance to date , is £\%, as compared with £«15, last year. '■•;': ; ; - \ ■'.''".•■. ' .'■'.