WELLINGTON CITY TRAMS

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21355, 24 December 1934, Page 11

WELLINGTON CITY TRAMS

DECLINE IN RECEIPTS CHECKED A BRIGHTER OUTLOOK [THB PREBS SpacUl SarYice.] WELLINGTON, December 22. ! Though the concessions in fares given by the Wellington city tramways department have prevented the cash returns from regaining their' former position, there is evidence that the decline in the numbers of persons using the trams has been checked, says the general manager of the department (Mr M. Cable) in his seasonal message in the Tramway Journal. "After having experienced a continued heavy fall in traffic receipts and passengers since the early months of 1930, it has been evident from the returns of recent months that the de-> cline has been checked, and although the recovery in traffic up to the present has been comparatively light, the outlook appears brighter as we approach the portal of 1935 than at any time since the prevailing industrial stagnation began to adversely affect the business of the city's transport undertaking," says Mr Cable. "The introduction of the 10-ride one-section ticket early in the present year has been the main factor responsible for this improved position, as it has led to a greater use of the cars by shortdistance riders. This improvement in passenger traffic, has, however, only been secured by substantially reducing the fare, and it will consequently require a large increase in the volume of traffic to compensate for the lower revenue return. "Although it is gratifying again to find an improvement in traffic it is evident that unless the increase is greatly accelerated, a long period will elapse before the volume of business lost since 1930—more than 12,000,000 passengers—will be regained. The revenue for the current year is substantially below last year's figure, and with the higher working expenses due ; to restoration of portion of the salary and wage 'cuts' there is every indication that the position at the end of '< the financial year will be unfavour- | able as compared with last year." |'