TRAMWAY BOARD

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17612, 15 November 1922, Page 4

TRAMWAY BOARD

FORTNIGHTLY BEETING. The Christchurch Tramway Board met yesterday. Present: —Messrs 8. A. Staples (chairman), J. A. Flesher, A. S. Taylor, W. J. Walter, D. Sykea, Geo. T. Booth, J. W. Beanland and th« Hon. J. Barr, M.L.C. | Loan Expenditure. | Tho Works and Traffic Committee rej ported that owing to the increase in j costs in some cases and unforeseen con- ! tingencies in others, the £340,000 loan i would not be sufficient to complete the whole schedule of works. An additional i £75,000 would be required to do so. | When the loan was submitted to the i ratepayers the revenue showed conI siderable buovancy, the expansion which i was noticeable before the war continuing right through the war period. The ' revenue for 1912 and following years was as f0110w5:—124,017, £134,281; £137,567.. £142,941, £144,847, £160,000, £160,682, £166/446 £205,989. Owing to unavoidable increases in operating ex- j : penses it was necessary to increase fares in 1920, and the revenue went up in 1921 to £251.354. Next year it went up still further to £264,766, but the financial stringency which the country was experiencing was making itself felt in tramway revenue, as evidenced by the j'act that the upward tendenoy had been checked. The receipts for the current year were only keeping k/vel with last ! year. The increased standing charges j consequent on the expenditure of loan [ monies would be no light burden on a stationary revenue, and in view of that position the committee did not think it wise to ask the ratepayers to sanction another loan at present. Mr Barr said the statement did not ; show the increased expenditure. Tho chairman said the statement showed that the revenue was stationary, while the overhead expenditure was increasing. Mr Barr said there was nothing sliown whereby one could make a comparison. The chairman said the committee could furnish a. supplementary report at the next meeting. The report was adopted. Correspondence. The City Council presented a request, lodged by the &t. Albans Burgesses' Association that the side-channel in various portions of Edgware road should be covered for the convenience of tramway passengers. The matter was referred to the Works and Traffic Committee. The Heathcote County Council wrote stating that the tenders for the extensions to the Colombo street south bridge were considered too high, and none was accepted. The Council asked if the Board's offer to contribute to the cost would standi It was decided to ask the Heathcote Council to make further application, when they were prepared to go on with, the work. The secretary of the New Zealand Tramway Federation thanked the Board for .the use of an observation car during the last-meeting of the Federation in Chrifltchurch. The Sumner Council thanked the Board for sharing the cost of installing a light on the quarry on the Sumner road. The Board decided to grant the usualconcession to the Redcliffs Burgesses' Association. for the regatta, to be held on December 2nd.