Transport Deficit of £7,987 Expected

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 735, 7 August 1929, Page 11

Transport Deficit of £7,987 Expected

£IO,OOO EXTRA VOTE OTHERWISE SMALL PROFIT But for the fact that the Transport Board has decided to spend an additional £ TO,ooo*on' its permanent way this year, as compared with the expenditure for the year ending March 31 last, there would have been an estimated surplus of £2,013 on the combined operations of tram and bus for the year ending March 31 r 1930. As it is, a deficit of £7,987 ia expected.

The extra vote was decided on to assist the unemployment situation. Reporting to th,e board yesterday, the manager, Mr. A. E. Ford, budgeted for receipts totalling £691,250, and an expenditure of £689,237, to which £IO,OOO expenditure on permanent way must be added. “Very careful consideration lias been given to the estimating of the receipts, but I regret to say it has been found necessary to budget on receipts less than were obtained during last year,**' said Mr. Ford. “The receipts have been estimated on the existing sections, continuity of services, present scale of fares and running conditions, and on very careful estimates of car and bus miles to be run. “The combined mileage is estimated at 7,389,661, and the traffic receipts therefrom at £679,000. The advertising receipts (gross) and sale of fecap, etc., is put down at £12,250, making the total receipts £691,250.

“The reduction in the estimated revenue, compared with the actual' receipts for last year, is attributable to the general depression and to the volume of unemployment. The revenue received from the industrial community represents a very large proportion of the total. lii a lesser degree the establishment of picture theatres at the outer section points reduces the number of tram passengers to the city. The transfer of the Henderson, Glen Eden and New Lynn services to the Auck-' land Bus Company as from March 31 last also reduces the bus receipts. “It is to be remarked that the present number of private motor-cars is largely in excess of those registered even as late as twelve months ago,"' the manager commented. “The actual receipts last year Were £720,491 or £29,241 more: DETAILS OF EXPENDITURE “On the expenditure side the needs of every department has had detailed consideration and in estimating the amounts required every attention has been given to the necessity for full economy without Undue ’ sacrifice of efficiency. “Provision has been made for the depreciation of all the buses, and in this connection it has to be stated that the provision this year provides for. the complete writing off of all.of the ompibuses purchased in terms' of the. Motor Omnibus Traffic Act, and at March 31, 1930, there will only be the 30 English buses still to provide for. “The estimate of £691,250 for the combined tram and bus receipts, less the estimated expenditure of £689,237, leaves an estimated credit balance of £2,013 on the year’s working,’'