TRAMWAY FINANCE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 53, 26 November 1920, Page 8

TRAMWAY FINANCE

NO NEED TO "GET THE

WIND UP"

USE OF CONCESSION TICKETS

CASH FARES ON SUNDAYS

The much-discussed topic of tfrnmways finance was again beforo the City Council last night, when the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) urged that councillors should not "get the wind up" over the position, as he was of the opinion tlia.il the council would come out on the right side of tho ledger at the end of the financial year. The Power Stations iand Tramways Committee reported that, acting on tho resolution passed by t'he council on the subject, they had directed that on and after Sunday, December 5, the fares on the tramways on Sundays should be by cash only.

The Matfor said the committee had not come to any settled policy as to tho financial .position of the tramways, but it would be able to "present a definite statement to next meeting. Regarding the recommendation of the committee with respect to concession tickets, Mr. Luke .said he did not -.Giink there was nuy tramway undertaking in the Dominion which allowed the use of concession tickets on Sundays. The effect of abolishing the use of the concession tickets o.n Sundays would result in a saving of abouf £2i, or nearly ,£23, per day. For the 2G-weekly period, May 16 to November 7, 1920, tSie value of the cash fares collected was .£8393, and the estimated value of concession, tickets w;as .£2093. The Minimal- car mileage dues totalled i'22o, and the total receipts were .£10,711. The expenditure during the same period was .£13,835, and 1 the actual loss on running was ,£3124. The average Sunday revenue from concession tickets was «£BO per Sunday, and the average difference in fares between concession rates and cash fares was KJ per cent., therefore, if the concession tickets were abolished on Stuidays rfie council would effect a saving of about £2$ on each Sunday. The recovery would not be very great, bui: would amount to about XlSOfl a year. "I do not think anyone in Wellington will cavil at the fact that the council is going to instilir.e a cash system on Sundays," added the Mayor. "I think everybody in this citv realises that we are 'up against' it. We want to do the fairest thing, and oppress people as little as we possibly can." For die four weeks ended November 10, compared with tho corresponding period of last year, the net increase in working expenses was .£6383, and durthe thirty-two weeks from April 1 to November 10, compared with the corjssponding period of last year, the net increase in working expenses was .£51,279, The increases had occurred under tho following heads:—Wages of inovormen and conductors, .£22,816; wages of othertraffic employees and traffic staff, .£727; cleaning, oiling, and sanding cars, .£1463; cleaning track, ,£511; ticket check, .£804; printing and stationery, ,£287; accident insurances. JTS2S j repairs and maintenance permanent wny, £1531; repairs and maintenance cars and other rolling stock, £6353; repairs and maintenance powerstation plant and machiery, .£5615; wages and salaries, J12912; coal, X9BG4; These increases totalled .£56,801, but 1 , deducting the proportion of the increase in the power-station expenses chargeable to the rjower supply account, the net increase in working expenses for the period was .£51,279. The Mayor said he considered the council paid from 300 to 400 per cent, more for fuel to-day than it did in 1914— it was certainly paying 300 per cent. more. But, to his mind, the most marvellous filing to remember was tho earning power of the cars. In 1914 the revenue per car mile was IG.Sd.; in 1915, 15.92(1.; 1916, 16.19 d.; 1917, 16.48(1.; 1918, 17.59(1.; 1919, 24.77(1. The expenses in the same period, however, were:—l9l4, IO.SSd.; 1915, 10.57(1.; 1916. 10.2-ld.; 1917, 11.53 d.; 1918. 12.56(1.; 1919, 51.24 d. While the revenue was going up, the working expenses were increasing at a greater rate. "I believe tye are improving every month under present conditions," continued Mr. Luke, "but tilings may be different a week or so hence. Under present conditions we arc making headway, and I think we may come out without any serious debit at the end of the year. There is no need to 'get the wind up.'" The Mayor stated tilmt until tho Arbitration Court hud determined tho position iu regard to the cost-of-living bonus, lie did not think the council should discuss tho question of tramway finance further.

"We Always Pay Up." Councillor J. Hutchison: 16 tlho council contesting the bonus? Councillor T. Forsyth: No, we ■ always pay up. The Mayor: As a matter of principle wo stand in with all other paying authorities. The council will not shirk its financial obligations. Councillor C. H. Chapman: I would like to ask when it is expected that the additional it'2o revenue will he obtained on Sundays by cutting out concession tickets. The Mayor replied that he thought the additional revenue would Ire obtained if fine weather was experienced. The fares in Wellington compared favourably -with those obtaining in any other part of New Zealand, nr even of the world. Compared with the ensh fares, concession tickets represented a value to the people of Wellington of .£70,000. Councillor J. M. Dale: Has the dodgo of "part concession fare, part cash" been stoppcdi' The Mayor: The new regulation will come into force with the new timc-tablo on December l). , Councillor Chapman regretted that for the. *akc of an anticipated increase of about .£2O on Sundays the council was going to reduce the convenience of the tramway service to the citizens on Sundays. Every increase in fans meant a reduction in. the number of passengers carried. He thought, the council would be lucky if it obtained an increase of Councillor T. Forsyth said that by cutting out the concession tickets on Sundays the tramways management would,be able to ascertain exactly what was being lest or made on Sundays. At present it I wa6 not possible to do that.