THE TRAMWAYS.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 June 1919, Page 5

THE TRAMWAYS.

TOWN CLERK'S REPORT. Mr. F. T. Bellringer, town clerk, has submitted to the Borough Council a report together with tabulated comparisons of the above department for the year ended March 31 last. This shows that the income amounted to £10,051 5s 6d, against £9474 10s 9d in 1017 and £10,231 18s 4d in 1918, and that the expenditure amounted to £7OIB 15s 8d against £0847 8s lid in 1917 and £BO9O 16s 3d ia IMB. After giving details of the net income and expenditure, Mr. 3eUringeT goes on to say: "From the above figures it will be seen that the net loss for the year, after allowing for depreciation and renewals, amounted to £4OOB 6s 4d, compared with £4295 3a 7d for the preceding year, a decrease of £286 17s 3d. The actual revenue received, however, was £IBO 12s lOd less than that "of the preceding year. This decrease in revenue was due entirely to the influenza epidemic, the tram service being discontinued for approximately three weeks and several weeks elapsing before the traffic became anything like normal again.

The revenue from the passenger fares tor the months of November and December amounted to £1149 12s 9d, compared with £1671 3s 2d for the same months of tho preceding year, showing ft direct loss due to the epidemic of £521 103 sd. The loss was even greater, inasmuch as prior to the epidemic the revenue from passenger fares was showin? a steady increase each month as compared with the corresponding month of the preceding year. The .reduction "of the net loss for the year was therefor© not caused by any increase in revenue, but by a decrease in the working expenses of the department. The total working expenses amounted to £7BIB 15a sd, compared with £BOOG Ifis 3d for the preceding year, a reduction of £479 Os 7d. Thas reduction was mainly in the following items:

m £ s - i 1 raffic expenses 212 13 9 General repairs and mainten- „ an <=e 311 1 2 Electric power 71 710

r 595 2 9 Less increase in general expenses 117 22 478 0 7 Analysing still further it will be found that in the traffic expenses the principal reductions were in the following items: Cleaning, oiling, and sanding cars, tickets and ticket-hooks, uniforms and badges. Under the head of general repairs and maintenance the principal saving was in repair to the permanent way, the cost being £239 8s 3d, compared with £523 0s Id for the previous year. GENERAL. After making allowance for the loss occasioned by the influenza epidemic, ths result of the year's working must be considered as satisfactory, and had it not been for the epidemic in question the result would certainly have been much better than could reasonably have been anticipated at the beginning of the year. In my annual report of March, *1916, the following paragraph appears: "Taking a reasonably optimistic view of these figures, in my opinion it would not be safe to anticipate that the revenue will be sufficient to meet all outgoings until at least the fourth year's running. After the fourth year the revenue should be sufficient to allow some provision to be made for depreciation and to relieve the ratepayers of the payment of anything in the way of special rates in support of the undertaking."

We have now concluded the third year's running, and there seems every probability that the above anticipations will be realised. Should this prove to be the case the position may be considered to be extremely satisfactory, more especially when the abnormal conditions which have ever since obtained are taken into consideration.