Evening Post. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1912.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 154, 27 December 1912, Page 6

Evening Post. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1912.

THE PUBLIC TRAMWAYS A problem faces the Christchurch Tramway Board, which estimates a loss of £3000 on the municipal enterprise for the financial year to end on 3lst March next. This deficit is due to various causes, of which one is a liberal system of concessions. Last year the board gave discounts totalling £9950 (£3333 on trip tickets and £6617 on bi-monthly tickets). This 1 largesse ranged from 14 to 25 per cent, for trip tickets and from 33 to 51 p.er cent, for the others. The board, which has thirteen lines radiating over flat country, was obliged to compete with cycles, of which the residents of Christchurch and suburbs own between 20,000 and 30,000, and in addition'there are over 2250 motor-cars and motor-bicycles registered in the district served by the tramways. A brave effort was made to create the "tramway habit, but it seems that the cycles are still strongly ' in the running. I'The popularity of the bicycle in Christchurchs creates a difficulty in tram traffic operation not experienced in any other centre," the board states. "This i 3 most noticeable in wet weather. It is one of the local tramway difficulties \ which has to" be dealt with. It is well known that, casual riders, cyclists, and others who only patronise the cars in , wet weather are the loudest grumblers in respect of inadequate car accommodation." These persons expect a comfortable seat when rain drives tliem to a I car at a rush time. Yet compared with Wellington, Christchurch has evidently much more car .accommodation on the average. A 1 statement made a few months ago credited 11.01 passengers per car mile to Wellington, and only 6.80 to Christchurch. The Southern board is evidently striving valiantly to keep down the working, costs, but the expenditure has forged ahead of the revenue by reason of an unscientific system of concessions. The board's task now is to work out a differential scale of discounts (to operate against casual trippers and visitors for the benefit of regular users) without adding to the popularity of the bicycle. It will be an exercise to give the board much tribulation, Christchurch has the advantage of Wellington in the first cost of tramways. The fixed charges and the cost of maintenance are lower in the south, but the Wellington City Council has no appreciable competitor in the motor-car or the bicycle. The corporation has practically a monopoly of the transport of people in the city and suburbs ; the "tramway -habit" is forced upon the public here, and the Bervice should be profitable/ at reasonable rates. In recent times the high working expenses and the low fares combined to bring a loss. The fares have been pushed up in some cases, but the working costs remain lofty, and therefore the surplus is not reaching the figures anticipated by the Tramway Board six months ago. It was then expected that the rearrangement of sections and fares would add £10,250 to the yearly revenue, but the interim- returns are falling short of the estimate. Possibly a satisfactory explanation can be given by the management. It would certainly be interesting to have soon a complete statement of the results of the^ new regime.