TRAMWAY, MEN'S PAY
AND THE TRAMWAY FINANCES. The Mayor '(Mr. J. P. Luke) trusts that the tramway men are not basing their claims for an increase in pay (whilst an award is in operation) on the financial results of the tramways as a business undertaking. Jf they do, ho made it very clear to a Dominion reporter yesterday that they wero leaning on a broken reed, for the tramway finance was not at all an inspiriting Subject with councillors, owing to tho very, heavy increased cost of running, and the impossibility .of being ablo to do the renewal work which would have beon dono long ago had times not been abnormal.
Dealing with the tramway finances as disclosed by tho last balance-sheet, His Worship pointed out that the total capital expenditure of tho whole undertaking, was £806,365 (in round figures). The success or otherwise of a business undertaking of this sort was tho profit it would yield after making due provision for all fair contingencies (which must be provided, for if the business was going to remain sound at core). As was shown in the balance-sheet (published quite fully a fortnight ago), tho net prolit made for the year 1917-18 was £12,606, or just a shade over 1J per cent, on the total capital expenditure. The net profit was really £17,899, hit this amount was reduced by grants largely made to tramway men, namely, £4117 war pay allowances, £396 contribution to superannuation fund, £52 .subsidy to Tramways Band. Another item under this heading was £275, cost involved in altering the overhead wiro system from centre to side-pole construction. So it would bo seen that there was so small a profit on the 'tramways at present that it could not be called a good business proposition in a business man's sense, but the long sections and cheap fares inado it a good one - for. the citizens. If the wages of tramway workers were increased all round —by a war bonus or. in any other way—it would most probably mean that either the sections would have to be shortened or fares increased, and they did not desire to do either. If either were done it would be hurtful to those people who have built homes in the suburbs, and would upset their calculations. In that manner the granting of concessions to tramway employees must, and would, be immediately reflected on the finances, and it would be tho general public which would liavo to pay. As to the resolution passed by tho tramway men on Wednesday evening, the Mayor said that so far no proposal bad been made to the union. The ss. per week extra for married men was only a suggestion. He had not said in his remarks in tho council that tho amount was too much or too little, but as tho men at the deputation to the council had based their claim for consideration on tho increased cost of living, he felt that it was only right that the married men were tho ones particularly to bo assisted. The rising cost of living only meant a shilling or two extra to the single man, but it meant a very groat deal to tho married man, especially tho one with a large growing family. Jt was nil very jll to talk about no discrimination between married and singjo men, but when in abnormal times like these tho conditions pinched somo more than others, it was surely right and proper to think of those who suffer most.
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Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 293, 30 August 1918, Page 6
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586TRAMWAY, MEN'S PAY Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 293, 30 August 1918, Page 6
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