1.—15

(c) Trading Activities Adequate details are not available to analyse the full financial implication of all local bodies' trading activities. Certain figures are available, but are not altogether satisfactory, as it is more than probable that the figures shown as total payments do not include in every case payments on account of loans. This is particularly the case where loans by local bodies have been consolidated, and it is impossible to isolate the loans referable to a particular trading activity. Among other operations, some Borough Councils undertake one or all of the following types of trading activities : gasworks ; electricity works ; tramways, buses, or ferries ; ownership of buildings from which rent is received ; ownership of quarries and other territorial sources of revenue; ownership of picture-theatres ; ownership of abattoirs ; and, in one case, the ownership of a milk-supply institution. (i) Gasworks.—The following table shows receipts and payments on account of gasworks owned by Borough Councils : —

Table showing Receipts and Payments of Borough Councils on account of Gasworks from 1924-25 to 1943-44

53

Financial Year. Number. Receipts. Payments.* £ £ 1924-25 .. .. .. 34 456,943 290,191 1925-26 .. .. .. 29 451,898 461,179 1926-27 .. .. .. 28 457,272 438,684 1927-28 .. .. .. 29 443,098 "443,141 1928-29 .. .. .. 28 442,437 436,627 1929-30 .. .. .. 27 455,456 384,171 1930-31 .. .. .. 27 446,898 417,926 1931-32 .. .. .. 27 413,395 354,711 1932-33 .. .. .. 27 384,800 299,096 1933-34 .. .. .. 27 372,809 282,541 1934-35 .. .. .. 27 368,583 290,628 1935-36 .. .. .. 27 377,726 315,868 1936-37 .. .. .. 27 391,707 343,531 1937-38 .. .. .. 27 414,499 379,794 1938-39 .. .. .. 27 439,255 413,216 1939-40 .. .. .. 26 470,590 410,575 1940-41 .. .. .. 26 459,096 406,661 1941-42 .. .. .. 26 467,910 418,937 1942-43 .. .. .. 25 490,826 418,173 194-3-4-4 .. .. .. 25 527,572 460,843 * Does not include payments on interest and sinking fund.