COMPARATIVE TRAM COST.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1509, 3 August 1912, Page 7

COMPARATIVE TRAM COST.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)' Christchurch, August 2. The attention of the general manager of the Ghristcburch tramways was drawn to the statement that, whereas it cost Dunedin tramways vCS7 13s. to earn .£IOO, in Christchurch the costs were .£59 Is., and in Wellington .£72 7s. Mr. Thompson said that tho figures wero correct, but that when comparisons were made with the previous year, it would be seen that whereas the cost in Dimedin had risen from ,£53 Gs. to «£57 135., those in Christchurch had decreased slightly, from MO 9s. to JS9 Is. There had always been keen, but very desirable competition between Dunedin nnd Christchurch, so far as economy in administration was concerned. There were, however, unavoidable disturbing factors at work which rendered close comparison impossible, h'or instance, although a comparativcly greater number of people travelled in. Dunedin on concession tickets than in Christchurch, the concessions given were not so liberal. On the pciniy-a-milo basis the highest discount given in Dunedin was 33 per cent., whereas in Christchurch the highest discount giveD is G2 per cent. This had considerable bearing ou a comparison between thy two -pities on the percentage of expenses to receipts basis. Ho noted that Dunedin expected to have a further increase in working expenses for the current year, owing to • increase_in wages and were considering the question of reducing fares. The increase in expenses in Christchurch was also unavoidable. Another interesting comparison was the number of passengers per car mile. The figures were: Wellington 11.01, Dunedin 10.39, and Christchurch C.SO. In other words, Christchurch provided, on the everoge, 31 per cent, more "car-room for its passengers than its .'heaviest rival, but this threw an interesting side-light on the complaints, sometimes heard, of infrequent tram' service -in Christclnirch as compared with other place.*, and on the overcrowding problem which is said to exist here.