THE TRAMWAYS.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 November 1922, Page 4

THE TRAMWAYS.

HALF-YEARLY STATEMENT. I THE FINANCIAL POSITION. DROP IN TRAFFIC RECEIPTS A statement setting out the financial position of the New Plymouth tramways for the six months ended September 30, compared with the corresponding period last year, was submitted to the meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council 'by the general manager (Mr. F. T. Bellringer) Jaat night. “From the statement,” the report said, “it will be seen that the traffic receipts have dropped by £720, while the expenditure, for the period has also increased by £784, the principal items making up the increase being as follow's: —Care upkeep and cleaning, etc., £3Ol, permanent way £B7, traction, power, £B9, interest and sinking funds £B9, depreciation reserves and renewals £337, a total of £903;. less small savings on various other items £ll9, leaving £784. These increases are all easily explained. The increase in car maintenance is due to the fact that, until the new cars were available, necessary repairs to the old cars were held over in order that the regular service might not be interfered with. When the new cars were running the repairs to the old cars were then effected. , , “Permanent way. —The cost of repairs , to the permanent way will naturally increase as the undertaking become older. As soon as the £22,500 loan is raised money will be available for deeper asphalting alongside, the rails, and it is hoped in this way to prevent the annual track maintenance reaching an unduly high figure. Traction power. —This increase is due to the extra cars and more frequent service. Interest and sinking funds.—This increase is due to the amount payable on that portion of the £22,500 loan already raised. Depreciation reserves and renewals.— This increase is due to allowance having to be made on the three extra cars .purchased. “Combining the drop in revenue and the increase in expenditure,” the report continues, “the undertaking is down £1504 for the half year in 1922, as compared with the corresponding half year in 1921. The 1921 half year showed a profit of £799 4s lid, whilst the 1922 half year shows a loss of £704 0s 6d. This is a serious matter, although perhaps not so serious as it looks when we consider the balance sheet for the whole of the previous financial year. This shows a net profit of £2735 12s 3d. As the profit for the. first half year was only £799 4s 1 Id, the profit for the second half of the year must necessarily have been £1936 7s 4d, nearly 2A times the profit of the first half year. From this we are justified in anticipating that during the second half of the current year the position of the undertaking/ will make a much better showing than it did in the first half year, and it lay ( be possible to complete the year without showing any serious loss at the end. With good weather at Christmas and during the band contest week in February this should be possible. “The present position was partially

anticipated (although it was neverthought that it would be nearly as serious as it turned out) some time ago and steps were taken to meet the situation. Authority was obtained, from the Public Works Department to operate the cars on the one man system, thus effecting a saving on the working expenses estimated by the electrical engineer (Mr. R. H. Bartley) at something over £l6OO per annum. The system is in force only on one car, that running between Morley Street and Strandon. Four other cars were fitted for one man operation, but authority to bring the system into operation on the main route* has not yet been given. “The time to bring a complete new system into operation is in the months when traffic is normal. If the system had been brought into operation some months ago the public and the motormen would have been familiar with it, and would have settled down to it. We are now approaching Christmas, with its abnormal traffic, and this will be followed by abnormal traffic during the band contest in February. Under the eircumstancee, I am therefore unable to recommend that the system be brought into immediate operation. I suggest, however, that authority be given for it to be brought into operation the second, week in March so that the new financial year will commence with the system in operation on all routes. “In the meantime consideration could be given to the question of rearranging the traffic sections. At the present time the sections are very short for the fares charged, and this in my opinion leads to less revenue being obtained than would otherwise be the case. I recommend that thia phase of the question be referred to the electrical and tramways engineer for a report and that he also report generally upon the question of the fares.”

REPORT FOR THE MONTH. DECREASED FIGURES. In his monthly report, Mr. Bartley submitted the following returns:— •Main route.—Miles rqn 15,681, passengers carried 127,235, fares £1377 3s 7d. Morley Street-Strandon route. —Miles run 2532. passengers carried 11,834, fares £BB 13s. •Combined routes.—Miles run 18,213. passengers carried 139,069, fares £1465 16s 7d. “A comparison with October, 1921,’ the report said, “shows a decrease of £153 12s 4d in revenue from fares, and that 15,484 fewer passengers have been carried. Generally speaking the whole of the tramway plant and equipment is operating satisfactorily ana there are no irregularities to report.” ELECTRIC ’BUS SERVICE. / The above service has been maintained as per timetable throughout the month and is operating satisfactorily , under the conditions. The miles run during the month were 2260, the passengers carried 10.984. and the fares received £lO9 6s fid. Passengers carried: Westown 6536, Vogel town 3803, Frankley Road 585, total 10,984. “This service in common -with the tramways and with almost all other passenger transport service throughout the Dominion, is showing a decrease in the traffic as compared with the previous year. In this case the revenue is £l2 Ils lass and 210 fewer passengers were carried ”