THE WANUANUI TRAM SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 397, 5 January 1909, Page 4

THE WANUANUI TRAM SERVICE.

.;■■■... ; OTJTJ.OOIC (5000., ; ;CV '^ [HI TKLtOUiPU.—srECIAI.;CORIIKerONpi!NTi ;,' ; , . .■■•:■; Napier, January' 4. Mr. C. E! M'Kay, Mayor of, Wanganui, who is.on.-a holiday. vjsit to Napier, gave all interview to: a Hawke's Bay: '?Herald" reporter in which he expressed his ■ opinion ■Oα the; Working of the Wanganui-trams.' .'Mr. M'Kay stated that'the trams had: now been running about aj month, and, although it had been estimated that there would: be'a considerable-loss, so. far: the takings had greatly exceeded expectations. If theyyepritinued* on the present scale the system would, be a commercial , success. ; Mr/ ■■■ M'Kay. did not think:. that'the ,amount of. patronage they received was a mere flash'in:the pan; or. that it: would decrease as the novelty wore off. The average '.takings' had been maintained'oh,wet and. alike, and wore.mostly.made up. of penny, fares, which : would not be. the case if, people were, travelling on the" cars merely.: for .the sake of the rido. Indeed, the cars had really proved' such a convenience that the; burgesses.would bo quito content even if there'were, a alight loss-on the running of the system. ■Sα far . the working expenses,-with; interest, sinking i'vmd, etc., amounted to. some: £23 10s. a day, and tho average tskirigs. to' £2o a day. Those- .results Would probably be 'im- ■ proved, on as the .system got' into working order, and it was discovered:what was the most suitable time-table, and also. as ■ tho people grew into tho.habit of using '-trams and disoarded- their bicycles. At present there were only four cars running, but'.that had been found quite '.inadequate to cope with the .traffic, -and the dumber of ..cars', was to be increased at once..',.Tho.■'totaJ - : cost had., been- 50me : £43,000.: .. ...■,, ']■:■'■