WELLINGTON'S PROGRESS

Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 92, 18 April 1916, Page 6

WELLINGTON'S PROGRESS

A brief summary of.the city's accounts (apart from tramways) for the year ended 31st March shows that Wellington continues to be in a strong financial position, .despite the war. Ordinary receipts^are vnearly £250,000 a year, and rents bring in nearly £40,000 additional, and this income shows a substantial balance above ordinary expenditure. Of coarse, until the complete statement of details is available, no elaborate analysis of the Bgures is practicable, but the financial situation, as outlined by the Mayor, indicates thaJt Wellington is working well throughout the war period. No doubt the public would like some information about the largo sum of £11,681 outstanding in rates due. 'At the beginning of April last year the amount under that unpleaea-nt heading stood at £12,865, but during the past twelve months about £1100 pf the debts has been: collected. There ma-y bo mitigating circumstances in a number* of cases; therefore until thej facts are presented criticism has to be deferred.

The tramway and lighting enterprises have both had a. good year, and if it were riot for the practice of using the profits as capital for extensions and additions to plant and equipment, the citizens would be entitled to look for an appreciable reduction' of charges. However, it is true that the cost of electric light has been gradually lowered to the public, and the proposed new system of tramway concessions should be helpful to large numbers of suburban residents, if the landlords do not take extra toll by way of rent. The rule (according to various complainants) seems to be, the lower ths car fare the higher the rent.

A very satisfactory feature of the tramways statement' is in the reduction of tlie percent-age (66 to 63) in the working expenses to total revenue—and. better still is the reduction of 'the working expenses per car mile from 10.57 dto 10.24-cl. The freight service has improved in some measure, as shown in the increase of revenun. J8249 (a rise from £713 to £962), but the use of the rails for the cheap haulage of goods is still comparatively slight. It is amazing how tho people who suffer from tho 'heavy cost of cartage to the hilly suburbs have not pressed for a right use of the tramway lbes to cheapen the transport,. Ws givs ths municipal sit; tlwrUks credit for a. noUeaabU improv*.

Mont, but progress is apparently obstructed by some formidable factors. This means a meagre use of facilities (power and rails) for cheap haulage. We feel confident that if the tramway management was encouraged to "go ahead" in this direction, the public -would soon see an unmistakablo advance.