TRAMWAY FINANCE.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14546, 24 December 1912, Page 5

TRAMWAY FINANCE.

GLOOMY OUTLOOK,

REMEDIES PROPOSED

The matter of tramway finance and tha general outlook figured prominently at the meeting of tho Christchurch Tramway Board yesterday. ■Tho following important report was presented by tho Fares Committee: — The results of the year's operation, so fr.r indicate that thero will be a deficiency on the year's working of about £?,000 on March 31st next. This amount does not. make any allowances for tho writing down of the preliminary expenses account which still stands at'£l3,SC7. The financial position of tho Board has received close consideration for I some time past. At the commencement, of tho winter month?, with a view to assisting the finances, tho servift's wore curtailed in various directions, and theso have not been restored during tho summer months. On tho recommendation of tho committee various changes have been made, viz., the withdrawal of concession tickets and passes on Sundays, increase in the price of special seaside excursion tickets, and tho reduction of the first section on tho I Woolstoii lino to its original length. It : was hoped that tho general jvosition I would so improve that no further change would bo necessary, but expectation not being realised it is now reluctantly compelled to bring clown further recommendations in regard to the. scale of fares at present in force. It is jpos.siblo that further reductions in service may be. made immediately tho summer traffic is over, but in tho best interests of tho servico and of tho community those cannot bo made in a wholesale'manner. It is clear that any I saving which may be possible in this 1 direction will fall* far short of securing tho desired results. There are three methods by which the traffic rovenuo may be increased. (a) Increasing cash fare rates throughout tho system. (b) Shortening tho sections generally. (c) Reducing tho discounts given to concession riders. Tho fact that tho prices of concession tickets now in vogue are so cost, and lower than those of r/"./ other system in Australasia, compels attention to bo first given to thi3 aspect of tho question. Thero are two classes of concession tickets now issued to the public in addition to the school and apprentice tickets, which are sold at nominal : prices. Trip tickets which are trans- ' ferablc—-without limit with regard to ' lino or time—-aro sold at discounts varying from 14 per cent, to 2o per cent, and bi-monthly or residential tickets which aro non-transferable and limited in rospect of lino and time, the discounts on which vary from 33 l-3rd I per cent to 51 per cent. Tho amounts of discounts given to the public last year were:— £ Trip tickets ... 3,333 Bi-monthly tickets ... 6,617 9.950 There are a number of objections to the "trip" ticket, the chief being:— (a) They induce "overriding}" particularly on the penny sections. (b) They permit "group" riding on. public holidays (picnio parties purchase them instead of paying cash). (c) They permit re-sale by the purchaser. A trip ticket-holder may use it for the rides of friends who accompany him, and collect fares from them at cash fare rates, thus pocketing the discount. (d) They arc used by visitors to Christchurch who ought to pay cash. (c They do not permit the revenue from each lino to bo accurately ascer■ained, as they are available for use on any line. I (f) Tho -necessity for separate accounts prevent their use on Special Rating Area Lines. Those now in use bear —"Not available for uso on ltiecarton, Hackthorno road, Dallingtbn, Fendalton, Papanui, or tit. Martins Extensions" This is confusing to the public, and also to , tho conductor. The revenue of the I Special Rating Area linos may suffer through their use on these I lines escaping the notice of the con- ! ductor. I (g) They are used in wet weather by the cyclist who cycles in fine weather. That many of thorn travel on trip tickets is proved, not only by obsorvation, out also by the tact that during a long spell of wet weather in tho winter the Bales of trip tickets, ns previously reported, showed a considerable increase, dropping again to normal when the fine weather returner*. The same varia. tion does not apply to bi-monthly tickets, With respect to the wet weather cars the returns show that for morning and mid-day wet weather care, tho wages paid for motormen and conductors (for i the most p-rtrt at overtime rates), I amount to £7 19s per* day, of which j only £2 12s Cd is for time employed in ! producing revenue. This is the consei tjuence of the timo allowed to the men tor .signing on and signing off, the empty running both ways between ( Square and sheds, and tho empty re- '■ turn journey after the passengers have 1 been taken to their destinations. , The evening wet weather care, which i are not easily separable from the ordift* I ary cars, are not included in the above ■ returns. The increase- in overtime for s, ' fortnight in July Jast (continuous wet) amounted, to £70. i Tho popularity of tho bicycle in ChiNstchurch create* difficulty in tram traffic operation not experienced in any other centre. This is most notioeoblo in wet weather. It is o\w of the looal tramway difficulties which has to be dealt with. It U well known that tho casual riders, cyclists, and others who only patronise the cars in wot weather, are the loudest grum'plers :n respect of inadequate car accommodation. It is not unreasonable that whatever concessions the Board is able to make should bo given to the passenger wnu travels every day. and tin , casual wet weather rider, who now travels on ;i trip ticket should pay cn.«h faro rates. In view of the forogoing tho Comniitee has considered the advisability of tho total abolition of tho trip ticket, but inasmuch n.t tho ticket .is used by I tho women folk and any disability cast J upan them, would really be imposed f upon tho hu&band, who in many cases j travels drily, the Committee is not prepared to that length at the present time. It hos tried to find a via men in, mrl recommends alterations in prices an-*l I conditions which will to a largo extent meet, the' difficulties already rofWred to. Tho Committee therefore recommends :— (1) Tlk-.t trip tickets be available for use for a month from the date of issuo. (2) That they be non-transferable-(3) Ttjat the discounts for 2tl, 3d, 4<l. Sd, and tj'.l sections ho thr same as that at, present givon on tho penny sections, viz., 14-l-7th per cent. (4) That tickes for 21 rides l»f- issued fnr tho Id. 2d. and 3d .sections, and 1-L rides tor the other tactions. (5) That they be'available on all lines (excepting the- Special Hating Area lines), as at present. (6) That pending" the issuo of tho new tickct3 all trin tickets issued from tbi.< date !,? nox available after the 31st day of January, 1913. The Committee reccKEJscs the in- ; creased revenue which is expected will insult 'from the abrjre changes will not ( I be sufficient to moot the anticipated de-

ficiency, but i>s not yet ready with any further recommendations. TILE REPORT DISCUSSED. Mr Sykos suggested that the report should bo held over for a full Beard meeting. iir Flasher moved the adoption of the report. The duty of the committee in the matter was not a pleasant one, but the position had to be faced and proper action taken. As far as could bo seen at tile present timo, there would bo s. deficiency of £3000 on March 31st, the end of the financial yeai. it was the aim of the committeo to introduce economies and effect such re-arrangements as would kocp down expense and increase tho revenue of the Board. The travelling public had in the past been treated too liberally in the matter of concessions, and many people had been carried at an actuaJ loss. \t was only reasonable that tho users of v public service should pay approximately what it cost to sorvo them. Air A. \V. Bcaven, who seconded tho motion for the adoption of the report, said it was the duty of tho Board to consider the interests of tho ratepayers as well aa.those of the travelling puDlic, and tho cost of tho service should undoubtedly bo paid for by those using tho service. It was a matter for regret that the year's operations would result in a loss, also that nothing could bo written off tha preliminary expenses account. He hoped tho public would realise that the Board wore now doing what they considered to be best in tho interests of overybody. Mr Gray suggested that the report should be put clause by clause. ©ir Pearce said he approved of the report, for ho considered that tho present concession ticket-holder was too well treated, and might well be expected to pay more. Mr Sybes expressed the opinion that the year would yet end without a. loss. JMr Barr considered it a good sign that so many people were purchasing concession tickets, for it (showed that tho city was expanding and not congesting. If a loss had to bo faced, then some other method should bo adopted to that proposed. Tho timetable, for instance, should be gene through, and as many unprofitable trips as possible should ho cut out. The recommendations were then put seriatim. Clause 1 was carried, Mr Gray voting against it. Clause 2 was carried unanimously. Clause 3 was carried, Messrs Sykes and Barr voting against it. Clause I was amended to tho effect that all tickets should b© for fourteen rides. Clauses 5 and 6 were alao adopted. OVERLAPPING SECTIONS. Pursuant to notice, Mr Pearce movod "That the overlapping sections in tho central part of tho system bo withdrawn." Mr Pearco sa:d it was high time that the whole system should bo reviewed, for according to the figures for the four-weekly period ending December 4th last, which included tlio Carnival Week season, only two linc3, New Brighton and Cashmere Hills, were paying their way. Mr Pearco quoted the following figures showing the revenue for tho period earned on tho different lines and the expenditure :— Receipts per car mile Cat,

Sumner •• •• !3.739 14.805 "Woolston .. .. 12,603 13.596 New Brighton .. 16.035 H.001 Linwocd-Square .. 8.553 10.89t Burwood .. .. 0.053 15./>e:> Pepanui .. .. 15.553 12 2SI Opawa-Fendalton .. 11.239 U.jni C«s!miere-Edgo«-ure R. 18.127 ii-FS'i Hackthonin Road .. 14.757 . 20.330 Cranfosd etteet-Corona-lion etrect .. 12.C3:i 13.95S AclfUngton-Ljnwood .. l3.6Jf> 13 GST Hiocarton .. .. 21.580 ■ 13.1)01 D*llington .. .. 7.830 H.ioj The matter was rofrrrecl to the Works and Traffic Comniitteo.