GUY TRAMWAYS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9794, 18 October 1917, Page 6

GUY TRAMWAYS

SATISFACTORY REPORT RESULT OF THE YEAR'S OPERA. TICKS. Mr W. H. Morton, general manager of the city tramways and electric ligating departments has submitted the intt annual report to the council. the report states that the tramway revenus for tha year ending March 31st, 191 1, amounted’ to X 207.9«. being an increase »f <£20,082 on the previous year’s working. Tho working expenses (XU5,380) had also increased by X26,5C3, and the net surplus (X18.9C0) had decreased by XB I CO. Tha revenue from the power supply amounted to X 15.1-10, an increase of X 2577 over the previous year,’ and tho working expenses {.£3173) had also increased by X 2075. The net surplus was X 1729 compared with XI3OG in 1915-16. The net surplus from tramways and power supply was £20.689; oxpendituxo on speo.al works. e _ su. wee pay and amount written off preliminary expenses X 7626. which when deducted brought the nut credit balance fpr tne year to X'12,863. Tho depreciation and renewals fund had a creelit hahanon, X 177.14- Of this amount jSI4a,OC9 had been expended on new’ works, and. the sum of X 32.078 was on fixed deposit. -the accident fund, which w a3 _ inaugurated in 19® by the transfer or XlO.rt from the trnmwav revenue account during its e'>ht years cf operations, tad made a clear gain of X 12.362 by its system of self-insurance. Tho tramways, power supply' and public lighting sinking funds total' XBs,lit. Of tms amount X 5203 had been applied in repayment of .cans, XfB.SOf invested by tho Commissioners iu:d' th<? balance (X6CU) was available for investment. The net increase in tho capital account for the year was fiiO.lto'. and tho total capital expendtore at March 31st, 1917, amounted to xVft),3s3, made up as follow*: Tram ways X 752.155. power supply X 04,721, public lighting X 12,182Other items in the report are summarised as follows Or account, of the difficulty experienoxi in obtaining material or.lr six additional cars had been turned out during the year. The roiling stock consisted of 119 vehicles, 113 o. which were passenger cars; additional ears cannot be put into service until tho riant at the generating station is increased: additional ,-,ocomm<jdabon for ears is to lx? undertaken ms scon as conditions arc again normal; *ince theeomm en.ee tnent of the ?’*ar the mi 'rut at the power jtation has increased by over

fifty per cent.: on account of the advancs in tho price of coal and higher wages paid to tho power station staff a revision of the tariff was necessary; the consumers numbered 318, with motors totalling 4612 horse-power; between 2009 and 301 a) feet of cheek rails had been fitted to tho girder rails at the curves on account of wear; the freight eervica had increased, and an additional vehicle would lie necessary to cope with it; the number of accidents to persons through collisions with trams showed a marked decrease compared with the provioma year, there being one accidental death; up til] March 111 members of the staff and employees had joined the Expeditionary Forces. In cases where tho military pay was not equal to tho amount earned pripr to enlistment tho council contributed the difference, tho amount for the year being X3800;' four employees made the supreme sacrifice in France; the total number of officers and men in tho tramway service at March 31st was 70 and 509 respectively. ELECTRIC LIGHTING. The revenue from tho sale of electric light had increased from X 67.623 to X 79.472, and the working expenses from .£23,508 to .£34.722, and tho net turpiuj had increased hy X 5675: the credit balance for the year was X 16.255, after X 7815 had been written off the plant; tha sum of X 50.470 had been expended on new works and there remained the sum of X 17.303 to credit of the depreciation and renewals fund; the sinking funds totalled .£37.736. and the accident fund was in credit to the extent of.-£2507; tho expenditure on new works during the year amounted to X 5932. the total capital expenditure being X 227,370, tha amount paid out of loans being J5176,?'0; the sum cf X-30,000 had been written off the old station plant, and X'30,000 off the goodwill account; tho total number of connections was 13,819, being an increase of 1683 over tha previous year; on account of the necessary additions to the power station plant it may became necessary to refuse application for connections.

In concluding his report Mr Morton places on record the appreciation of the manner in which the officers and employees of all ranks in the various branches have carried out their dutie during the past year.