WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1911.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1248, 4 October 1911, Page 4

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1911.

THE TRAMWAYS,

While the discussion on tramway matters at the meeting of the City Council on Monday evening was disappointing from the point of view that thero was really no close, analysis of the finances, it was not without its value. For one thing it made it clear that councillors have recognised that the management of the tramways calls for improvement and that the finances require, to be placed on a more satisfactory footing. We arc not so confident as some members of the council appear to be that the full remedy is to be found in the appointment of a traffic manager. Nor are we prepared to support those who throw the whole blame on the present officials. From what has transpired from time to time in the disputations which have taken place between the tramway employees and the City Council, it would seem that the council officials have to walk warily where tramway management is concerned. City councillors with Parliamentary aspirations display a tendency to overlook their obligations to the city in their effort to enlist the sympathy of the tramway employees' vote, and this attitude is not calculated to encourage those officials of the corporation who control the working of the tramwavs. It is just as well that citizens should keep an eye on the electioneering efforts of these gentlemen, and let them sec that while no one lias any desire to treat the tramway employees unfairly, the interests" of the city have also to be considered. Councillor Siiirtcliffe, in the course of the discussion on Monday evening, took up an attitude which appears to call for some explanation. Three years ago he subjected the finances of the system to a criticism which we hoped would be the beginning of an era of veal interest on the part of councillors in the financial working of this extremely large and important undertaking. On Monday, however, he appeared ae an advocate of what he called

: local patriotism." "There bad beer too much comparison with other sys _ terns. _ There was a tendency in the council to decry our own tramways.' It is a little curious to find a gentleman of Councillor Siiirtcliffe', l sound common sense objecting tc comparisons boiag made with othei tramway systems to the detriment oJ our own. Surely no question oi "patriotism" is involved in such comparisons when the object is tc sccurc an improvement in our system which will benefit the whole city, Indeed, it seems to us far more . patriotic to direct attention to sucli weaknesses as may exist with a view to remedying them, than to cover up these weaknesses and go on dcceivina ourselves as to the true position, jfc doubt Councillor Siiirtcliffe quite l realises this, and his purpose probably wa-s to make protest against a tendency which exists to decry Wellington; but he should have made himself quite clear on the point. The best and practically the only guides to the success or otherwise of our tramway management arc the results achieved by other similar undertakings, and it is quite proper and necessary to make these comparisons, so long as they are fairly made. As a matter of fact the council has shown itself wanting either in ability or in readiness to scrutinise the financial lines upon which the tramways are run; and the time has come when the whole financial history of the system should be overhauled. It will be remembered that in his interesting special report the engineer stated that last year's gross surplus was £46,823, which interest, sinking fund, and depreciation brought down to £6226. Depreciation is only allowed at the rate of 2J per cent-., but there can be no doubt that this is too low. In Glasgow, no less than 8 per cent, is set aside for sinking fund and depreciation, but this is generally considered to be unnecessarily -highland is of course impossible excepting under the extraordinarily able management that Glasgow enjoys). The best British opinion fixes 5 per cent., however, as being quite necessary. On a 5 per cent, allowance (sinking fund included) there would have been a small loss on the tramways' last year, even under the easy-going system of accountancy that prevails. We are not very hopeful that the appointment of a traffic manager will do all that is required. The ratepayers arc a minority, of coursc, who, being a minority, can be made to pay the piper, but true local patriotism surely requires that the tramways shall for themselves and assist

to relieve the rates. The first step towards reform must obviously be a full and exact statement of what the position would be under a policy of strict accountancy and a prudent eye to the future; How many councillors have reconstructed the tramways balance-sheets, for example, on Glasgow principles? How many know from their own investigation what the true position is; and it is their business to know, just as it is the business of the member of Parliament—a .business too many members entirely neglect—to investigate for themselves the balance-sheets furnished by the Treasury officials. Where would New Zealand be if Parliament were content to leave the national finances unexplored and uncriticiscd 1