TRAMS AND LIGHT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 100, 22 January 1919, Page 8

TRAMS AND LIGHT

A BAD PERIOD

LOSSES BY EPIDEMIC

Returns are available' of tramway revenue and expenditure for the four weeks to December- 8, 1918, and the 36 weeks from April 1 to December 8. The principal items in. tho returns are as follow: —

Four Weeks to December 8. 1918. 1917. Revenue £10,322 £17,147. Working expenses £10,955 £12,199 Credit balance .' — £1,172 Debit balance ...... £4,397 — Rev. per car milo ... 16.26 d. 17y0d. Working expenses per car mile 17.33 d. 12.59 d. Percentage of working expenses to revenue 10b' p.c. • 71 p.c. Passengers carried 1,541,246 2,603,193 Car miles run'...... 152,266 232,495 ( Thirty-six'wceks from April 1 to December 8. .\ • ' 1918. 1917.' Kevenue £147,388 £145,422' Working expenses £110,642 £105,548 Credit balance. £2,264 £5.512 Rev. per car mile... 17.66 d. 17.00 d. Working expenses per car mile ' 13.26 d. 12.34 d. Percentage of work- • . ■ ing expenses to \ revenue 75 p.c. 73 p.c. Passengers car'd. 22,577,051 22,274,943 Car miles run ... 2,002,581 2,052,184 POWER SUPPLY AND TRACK LIGHTING. Thirty-six Weeks from April 1 to December 8. £ £ .Revenue 14.881 12,444 Working expenses ... D,004 . i,oi\j Capital charges ...... 4,388 4.119 Credit balance 1,139 415 Commenting u£ou these figures ,iu an interview witli a reporter, the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) said that the fourweekly return which • covered the influenza epidemic period showed that the epidemic had affected the tramways finance in a marked degree. There was a debit baluiico of £4397 against the credit balance of £1172 for the corresponding period of last year, the actual difference thus, being £5569. In ttfo revenue per car mile, the effect was a reduction from 17.70 d. to 16.26(1.,while working expenses per car mile rose from 12.59 d. to 17.33 d. In.-per-centage of working expenses to' revenue the increase was from 71 to 106. It was very patent that, with other industries, especially those % connected with public transit, the tramways had suffered during the period. For some time while the epideniic was here there was a cessation of car traffic, and for a further period theje was a much-re 3 duced service; but all this time the overhead charges and wages were the same as for normal working, while the 'revonue was considerably reduced. Taking the thirty-six Weeks from April 1 to December 8, tho position was not altogether one to cause alarm. So far, the summer had not been a good one from the tramways point of view, owing to the uncertain weather. There had not been the numbers of people travelling to the seaside or.using the cars to go to picnic resorts.. There had been a considerable falling off in all directions; but during the thirty-six weeks the revenue per car mile had increased slightly, indicating that the general every-day traffic had been well maintained, though the 'revenue from holiday-makers had not been so great. The credit balance for the longer period was £2264, as against £5512 for the corresponding thirty-six weeks of last year. Considering this, in conjunction.with,the return for the epidemic period, it was an indication that the disturbances of the finances came almost wholly within the timo of sickness. One pleasing feature in the thirty-six weeks' return was that- notwithstanding the considerable stress upon the undertaking, the percentage of-working expenses to revenue had risen only from 73 to 75 per cent., not at all an alarming' amount considering all the difficulties that had to be contended with. .- ELECTRIC LTfWTTNG DEPART- . l . -MENT. ". Tho returns of the electric lighting department are as follow':— - November. 1918. 1917. Revenue £6,115 £6.457 Working, expenses £3,423 £3,657 Capital charges ... £1,400 £1,400 Credit balance ...... £1,292 £1,400 Units sold 348,858 368,170 Eight Months from April 1 to November 30. ' 1918. ' 1917. Revenue ...- £67,1/12 £62,323 Working . expenses £32,742 £27,735 Capital charges ... £11,200' £11,200 CrcdiH, bahnee ...... £23,200 £23,388 Units sold 4,133,356 3,728,669

The Mayor compared the credit balances of £1292 for the month and £23,200 for eight months'of this year with the corresponding-credits of £1400 and £23,388 for.last year. The electric lighting undertaking offered great opportunities for benefiting the public, but the drawback under which the council had labourod.had been its inability to obtain additional v>lant to increase the output of current which had been so much desired, both for lighting and for power. There had, also been difficulty in obtaining wire) and transformers. _ Altogether during the war period this service, which offered so many advantages for municipal development smd.the provision of facilities for domestic and industrial progress, had been practically holding its own since the essentials for progressive development were unobtainable. The period which was now being entered would offer facilities, and it was hoped very quickly, for bringing about the improvements which were so much desired. There was a substantial amount to the credit of the undertaking, as it had been necessary to make the enterprise stable, and. money could not bo spent in expansion. - Now, however, there must be a forward move, and the amount that had been funded in the meantime and kept liquid would be available for this purpose.