DROP IN TRAMWAYS REVENUE.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 November 1922, Page 4

DROP IN TRAMWAYS REVENUE.

The New Plymouth Borough Council, at its meeting on Monday evening, expressed concern regarding the decrease in the tramways receipts. Various reasons were assigned for the drop. One member said the closing down of the

freezing works had made a big difference. This, however, was hardly possible, seeing that, the works did not open till December 12, and the season lasted well into the following year. The decrease in shipping was also mentioned. This may have been partly the cause of the decrease, but the real one, of course, is the reduced earning power of the people. This condition is not peculiar to New Plymouth; it is general, but there are signs of improvement in the near future, and an early return to more prosperous conditions may confidently be expected. The tramways, however, are not yet in a particularly bad way. Last year’s profits allow of a considerable falling away in revenue without endangering the finances. The net profits amounted to £2735, after allowing the following substantial amounts: Depreciation £1328, reserve £857, renewals £857, interest and sinking fund £3350. At the same time the system should be conducted on business lines, and the profits maintained if at al! possible, consistent with giving the public reasonable treatment in the matter of fares. At present this is far from being the case, and no one is to blame but the council itself.. Last year both the tramways engineer and the borough manager recommended the adoption of the one-man cars, for which authority had been obtained from the Public Works Department. The saviiih effected- by the change was estimated at £l6OO. The council agreed to put the system into .force in respect of one section only, that of the Strandon-Morley Street. The cars were fitted for the one-man operation, and the idea was to lengthen t'he various sections, thus cheapening the service to the public. But the officers’ recommendation was passed by. Why? The public would like to know, and should insist on the obvious course being followed to meet the decrease.