HARBOUR FERRIES

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 120, 25 May 1925, Page 5

HARBOUR FERRIES

FLUCTUATING REVENUE

RETURNS.

The Eastbourne Borough Council, sitting last evening as a ferry board, dealt with a large number of subjects Telatin"to the harbour ferries.

A report submitted by the general manager stated that receipts for the Wf'W for April totalled £2682 Os 8d £1014 10s 6d being from the sale of ordinary tickets, £137 15s 6d for weekly, &H4 6s 9d for monthly, and £1136 7s 9d season tickets. The'total receipts for April of last year were £2725 3s 2d. The expenditure for the same month this year was £1372 15s Od, and for last year £1679 18s Od.

The report stated that the sale of monthly tickets showed a decrease, mainly due to the large number of weekly tickets purchased. The decrease in season tickets was due to the fact that fewer straight-out annuals had been issued, ratepayers taking advantage of the quarterly ticket, which could be purchased without extra payment. Owing to the inclement weather the Easter traffic showed a falling-off from that of last year. The total for four days (Good Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday) was £270 15s 3d. as against £470 19s 3d for a similar period last year.

Approximately 1200 passengers • were carried in couneetion with the funeral of the late Prime Minister, the receipts totalling £69 3s 3d, tho extra expenses amounting to £20 Is 3d. Captain Bullock had taken over the position of senior master, Captain Baigent having resigned to go to England. Captain Cartner had been appointed ■extra master.

Tho Cobar was slipped during the past month, and repairs to tho sternbush were carried out. The Duchess had been slipped and painted and the boiler blown down and cleaned. Several -repairs had also been carried out on the Muritai. A discussion took place as to delay which occurred in regard to tho departuro of the 8.10 a.m. boat for the city. The Mayor said that it was usually two or three minutes late in leaving *Rona Bay, and he thought that tho trouble might be overcome by bringing the hour of departure back a. couple of minutes. It was decided that the captain be informed that the boat must leave punctually to the time-table, irrespective of these who may bo loitering up the wharf.