THE TRAMWAY BOARD

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22308, 24 January 1938, Page 3

THE TRAMWAY BOARD

CHRISTMAS TAKINGS

INCREASE ON LAST YEAR'S FIGURES

An increase of £ 1076 in the cash takings on the Christchurch tramway routes for the last Christmas and New Year period, compared with the same period last year, is shown in the detailed receipts presented by the Christchurch Tramway Board's works and traffic committee, at a meeting of the board on Saturday morning. The report gives the figures on all days from December 24 to January 3. Decreases are shown on only two days, notwithstanding poor weather in the early part of the holidays including rain on Boxing Day and on New Year's Day. The highest amount on any single day this year was -iS94 on January 2, compared with the largest takings last year, of £Bl2 en Christmas Eve. : A claim that the figures indicated the result of the infantile paralysis epidemic last year, was made by Mr G. Manning; but this view -was not supported by several other members. Mr Manning said that ha thought that the increase of £IOOO definitely showed what was lost through children not being able to came into town —"to see Father Christmas." The precautions came in in December and affected the Christmas figures. During the epidemic people went further afield out of the towns for their . holidays. They travelled in motor-cars and not in the trams. ... Several members in interjections maintained that the increase was a result cf the Labour Government's legislation. "It's due to the fact that there is more money circulating," remarked the chairman. Mr E. Parlane. Mr A. A. McLachlan: Will you take the blame when the time comes? The highest Sunday receipts since January. 1932—£364—were collected on all t-amway routes on January 16 thi- year, pccordir.c to the works and traffic committee's report. The figures «howcd an increase of £69 over the figures for the corresponding day last year. An increase of £lOl was shown i in the figures for Saturday, January 15. making a total increase for the week-end of £l7O.