EVIDENCE FOR CITY

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 369, 1 June 1928, Page 13

EVIDENCE FOR CITY

Tramways’ Expert Appears COMPARISON WITH WELLINGTON Conference Inspires Statement A STATEMENT of the effect that the conference between city and suburbs would have on the deliberations of the Transport Commission was made by Mr. J. S. Barton, S.M., this morning l . Counsel for suburbs commenced the cross-examination of Mr. Matthew Cable, general manager of the Wellington tramway system, who gave evidence yesterday afternoon.

“In my opinion tramways are sftll the most important factor in transportation in every large city,” said Matthew Cable, general manager of tramways and electricity for the Wellington City Council, called by Mr. Stanton for the city.

“ They are cheaper to operate than any motor vehicle at present constructed, more especially in New Zealand, where electric power is relatively cheap and petrol relatively dear. Further, tho rate of depreciation on rolling stock is almost negligible. Tramcars are adapted for the carriage of large loads and experience showed that they are extremely safe to operate.”

He went on to state that he had examined the figures of the Auckland tramways system with reference to expenditure on maintenance and renewal of tracks since the city took over the services. They compared favourably with the figures of the Wellington tramways. Since arriving in Auckland last week he had inspected the tracks on a number of routes and with the exception of considerable lengths on the Remuera and Mount Albert routes he considered the permanent way generally in good order and comparing favourably with Wellington tracks. Ha thought the Auckland City Council fortunate in securing the Gaunt Street depot situated so near to the heart of the city. “I consider the decision to abandon the Ponsonby depot was a wise step, as apart from th© location of the site, any attempt to extend the buildings would be costly. The cutting out of the Ponsonby depot and the running costs there should result in a substantial economy to the department,” declared Mr. Cable. OPERATING COSTS Discussing operating costs of buses, witness said costs a mile were taken in Wellington, as in Auckland, on a general average over the whole system. He produced a schedule detailing operating costs a bus mile in his city. For the year ending March 31, 1927, his buses cost 17.55 d a mile, including depreciation at 3.35 d. For the last financial year costs rose to 21.75 d, an admittedly high figure brought about by cutting down to a minimum the running of the buses along comparatively level cram routes and confining operations largely to hill routes with services mainly limited to morning and evening loading hours. Th© Tramway Committee realised that costs had to be kept in check, otherwise the 3s universal concession ticket available over the whole tramway system could be retained. The average revenue for the past year was 13d a bus mile, but on several routes the takings did not exceed lOd a mile. Having checked the extent of the losses it was intended by the committee to extend the use of buses on sound lines. Mr. Cabl© considered that the Auckland figures were more favourable, probably due to the higher mileage run by the buses in this city. “After inspection of the routes here I am very doubtful whether a number of the services running through sparsely-populated districts can be justified,” said Mr. Cable. “They certainly could not be sustained jn the Southern centres.” Ho expressed the view that if the transportation system of Auckland city and suburbs was to be developed without increasing fares the question of continuing bus services far below operating costs would have to be faced seriously by the controlling authority. Summing up his impressions of the changes in the Auckland system, the development of which he had watched closely for a period of 21 years, as a frequent visitor, Mr. Cable said it was hardly necessary to refer to the laxity of car staffs which prevailed six years ago. Th© through routing adopted early in 1923 marked a distinct improvement in traffic arrangements. TRAM SERVICE IMPROVED While the coming of the bus and its attendant difficulties had given rise in certain quarters to criticism of the undertaking witness was convinced that all unbiased observers would admit that the Auckland service had greatly improved in efficiency in recent years. He considered that Auckland possessed a first-class asset in its tramway system. With the elimination of wasteful competition and the placing of bus services upon a reasonable paying footing by reduction of hopelessly unpayable routes, it would soon become a valuable paying utility. Thirty years ago an expert was sent out from London to investigate the prospects of tramway development in the Dominion on behalf of investors. Auckland was selected, on account of its topography and climate to be the city likely to giv© the best return on the investment. “The view expressed in that report, in my opinion, still holds good, even with changes brought about by the advent of the motor vehicle,” concluded Mr. Cable. Concluding his evidence, Mr. Cablesubmitted figures showing comparative costs of car sheds in Auckland and Wellington. In Auckland Gaunt Street and Epsom car sheds, with space for 226 tramcars, had cost £106,641, a cost of £472 a car. In Wellington, Newtown, Thorndon and Ivilbirnie car sheds, with space for 201 tramcars, had cost £105,000, being £521 a car. Gaunt Street Depot, Auckland, with walls and pits erected on reinforced concrete piles, had cost 17s 9d a square foot; Kilbirnie sheds in Wellington, built on sand foundations, cost 11s Sd a square foot. Cross-examined by Mr. E. H. North-

croft, witness admitted that his experience in tramway management was almost entirely confined to New Zealand, where he had been since 1907. Before that year he had been associated with the Reading Corporation Tramways, a small system with about eight miles of route track. TRANSPORT CONFERENCE CITY AGREES TO MEET LOCAL BODIES SPIRIT OF CONCILIATION An announcement that the City Council had agreed to meet representatives of suburban local bodies in conference to discuss questions relating to transport problems was made to the Transport Commission yesterday afternoon by the city solicitor, Mr. J. Stanton. The decision was made by the council at a special meeting in committee during the afternoon. The council delegates will be the Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon, the deputy-Mayor, Mr. A. J. Entrican, and the chairman of the Tramway Committee, Mr. J. A. C. Allum. These representatives have no power to bind the council but will report before action, if any, is taken. The date of the conference has not yet been decided upon. \ The suburban local bodies will also appoint three delegates. No announcement can yet be made as to the personnel. The suggestion of a conference was made by Mr. V. R. Meredith, counsel for suburban local bodies, during Tuesday’s proceedings before the Transport Commission. Counsel expressed the hope that past dissension would be forgotten. and that the parties would meet in a spirit of conciliation. PROCEDURE UNALTERED EFFECT OF CONFERENCE Before continuing the hearing of Mr. Mathew Cable’s evidence this morning, the chairman of the commission, Mr. J. S. Barton, S.M., read the following statement: “We think it desirable to make a statement concerning the effect on our duties of the conference between local bodies which we are informed is to be held. The position is that the local bodies, all of whom have been cited to appear before us, are conferring"" on a question which has been remitted to this commission for consideration and report. “The questions of the desirability of establishing a transport board, and, if so, with what constitution and powers of control and whether it should take over existing services, and, if so, upon what terms and conditions, are still before us; we must, on the evidence before us, make our report and recommendations on these matters. They are therefore still under consideration by the commission. “The result of the present move in the direction of a conference may be put before us, it will then be evidence in the same way as the evidence we have received to date of expressions of opinions and desire by local bodies. “As SLich it will receive due consideration, firstly by us, and ultimately by his Excellency and his advisers. We repeat: “The whole of these questions is still under the commission’s consideration, and this Has a bearing on the right of newspaper comment on the subject.” Jn regard to the comparison in costs between Kilbirnie workshops in Wellington and the Auckland depots, Mr. Northcroft submitted that the comparison was not fair, as the Kilbirnie depot was not built to house trams. Mr. Cable: We could easily put down a few tracks and use them for that purpose. Mr. Northcroft: Perhaps, but that does not mean that the building was erected for storage purposes. You might as well say that the Town Hall next door could be turned into a dormitory. So it could, but that does not mean the hall was built to sleep in. “Mr. Cable gave it as his opinion,” said Mr. Northcroft, “that the Auckland tramway authorities were wise to abandon the idea of enlarging the Ponsonby depot, as it would necessitate the acquisition of residential property. Surely sections, particularly in Ponsonby, would be cheaper to purchase fpr tramway purposes than would property any nearer the city.” BUS COMPARISONS Though witness had admitted that 100 miles for each bus each day was a reasonable figure, Wellington buses had run 47 miles a day at a running cost of 17.55 pence a mile. Private buses in Wellington running to Eastbourne had proved profitable, said Mr. Northcroft, and incidentally had closed a ferry steamer service that was at one time profitable. Mr. Northcroft asked witness whether he did not think that, taking the Point Chevalier service for example, the Auckland City Council should have been able to run its buses as economically as the service to Eastbourne. Witness said that the differences were in grade, the Eastbourne run being flat, and differences in wages. Comparing the running costs of the Passenger Transport Company and the Auckland City Council, witness stated that, the chief reason for the higher cost was the difference in wages paid. Figures supplied by the Suburban counsel showed that the council’s wages amounted to 4.75 pence a mile, 1.58 pence mors than those of the Transport Company, which by no means accounted for the great difference in costs. Witness said that as the City Council learnt more about running buses and replaces its old machines with modern types necessitating less expenditure for maintenance, its costs would go down. Mr. Cable admitted that there was little difference between the routes covered by the Transport Company and those of the council. Mr. J. A. C. Allum: We would change with them. Mr. Northcroft: They are ready to take over the Point Chevalier service any time you like.