THE TRAMWAYS.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 October 1916, Page 4

THE TRAMWAYS.

The tramways statement submitted to the last meeting of the New Plymouth Borough. Council, covering the first halfyear's operations, is very satisfactory, and shows that the time is wear when the enterprise will pay its own way. The total revenue was just under £4OOO, and the working expenses £3237, to which has to be added the interest and sinking fund, namely, £1'512, a total expenditure for the halfyear of £4749. The loss for the halfyear is £750, which is less than was generally anticipated. It covers the worst half-year, and, seeing that for a time the service was incomplete, the result must be considered surprisingly good. The traffic in the summer halfyear is always much greater than ii] tile winter, and judging by the experience of tram services in other towns, it is not too much to expect the service to pay its own -way for the next half-year. But even if it does not, the borough will not lose; the tramways are big consumers of electric current, and this department will be credited with the extra revenue. There has been a fair amount ol initial expenditure, chargeable to revenue, which will not be recurrent, and the amalgamation of the

management of the tramways and electrical departments will ensure a saving • that will be visible in the next halfyear's returns. Added to this is the greater efficiency brought about by single control. The two departments, it is clear, will not in any way 'be a burden to the ratepayers; on the contrary, they give promise of proving highly successful, and a growing asset. There is no doubt the Council made a good choice in appointing Mr. Bartley as chief of these important departments, and, satisfactory as the results are now, it is not too much to expect that they will be much better at the end of the halfyear. The question of extension is one that will need to be faced very shortly, and the sooner the better for the tramways, for every extra mile, it has to be remembered, moans extra profit for the main service. The first work requiring attention is Morley Street extension, most of the material for which is at hand, and then the Vogeltown-Avenue Roacb loop. With the freezing works, show grounds and golf links at Waiwakaiho, an extension there will also be necessary before long. The returns for the first six months—admittedly the worst possible six months with any new service—before thert, ratepayers can look forward with confidence to the tramways proving a financial success, and they will be justified in authorising extensions in the order of their importance.