A HARD BATTLE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2955, 15 December 1916, Page 8

A HARD BATTLE

BETWEEN TRAMWAY REVENUE AND, EXPENDITURE. • The figures presented to the Tramways Committee of the City .Council, yesterday were interesting in two ways. They show tlie struggle the .rev.euue .is. . having to hold its own with the increased working expenditure, but furthermore shows that even a. surprising. . increase in revenue cannot do./ much moro than cry evens with the 6teadily increasing and pressing working expenditure and other calls, on. the revenue. The extra 10 per cent, given to tramway employees is a heavy drain «n 'the revenue, and the council's contract to pay half-salary to train-men who went to the front (even single men) is proving a strain. _ ' As showing the vitality of the service, the revenue returns for November were £653 greater than for that: month last year, but the increase of the expenditure en tramways working' was £561. 'The'. November credit balance has been, therefore, increased by £92,a very slight increase in view of .the large accretion in revenue. During tho eight months-' ended November 30 the increase in rovitnia over tho corresponding period of tho previous year amounted to £7958, whilst the working expenses-went up £3336 (which does not represent the result bf full time under the conditions). Thus with tlie credit _bal-' ance increased by £4622 'in eightmonths (at the rate of nearly £600 a month), the figures do not look so bad, but it. must be considered that the position has only been made so" satisfactory by tho extraordinarily ..buoyani state of the revenue. The figures for November,'compared with those of the corresponding month last year, are as follow: — . 1916. , .1915. Revenue £5,674 '£5,021 Working expenses- £2,905 42,344' Capital charges ... £1,517 . £1,517.Credit balance £1,252 £1,160 Units sold ......... 325,640 '276,259 New connections made during month 188 141 The returns for the period between April 1 and November 30, with thefigures for the corresponding period -oflast year, are as follow: — -1916.- 1915. Revenue £56,842 £48,884. Working expenses £22,647 £19,311 Capital charges ... £12,133 £12,133 Credit balance ... £22,062 £17,440 Units sold ......... 3,383,901 2,839,406 New connections made in eighty ' months . 1,337 1,236 Total connections at November SO . 13,375. 11,617