ELECTRIC TRAMS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 269, 10 August 1938, Page 7

ELECTRIC TRAMS

Increase In Passengers In New Zealand SOUTH ISLAND DECREASE Passengers carried by electric tramways in New Zealand during the year ended March 31, 1938, totalled 141.901.891, an increase of 5,740,000, or 4 per cent., over the figures for the previous year, states the monthly Abstract of Statistics. In view of the increase in the number of motor vehicles, this advance in the tramway passenger traffic is considered noteworthy. Auckland again showed the greatest increase with 608,000 passengers, and Wellington was next with 509,000. A decrease occurred in Dunedin and passengers carried in Christchurch declined by 293,000. Wages paid in connection witli electric tramway activities during the year 1937-38 totalled £808,233, tin increase of £59,823 over the previous year. Expenditure exceeded revenue by £23,087, although an excess of revenue over expenditure was shown in Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin. - Au analysis of the revenue shows that the amount received from cash passenger traffic advanced from £862,376 in 1936-37 to £979,038 in 193738, but revenue from concession tickets fell from £458,529 to £454,049. Both 1936-37 and 1937-38 recorded an increase in cash passenger revenue and a falling-off in concession revenue. Dealing with the four cable-tramway systems operting in New Zealand (one in Wellington and three in Dunedin), the report states that the total revenue in 1937-38 amounted to £53,706, while the expenditure totalled £52,007. The total revenue derived from traffic during the year was £53,010, showing an average of 2.09’d. per passenger carried. The number of passengers carried increased from 6,001,651 in 1936-37 to 6,080,716 in 1937'38. The report mentions that one of the Dunedin cable tramways (Roslyn) was the first constructed in the Southern Hemisphere and was opened for traffic in February, 1881.