HARBOUR FERRIES

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 124, 21 November 1925, Page 7

HARBOUR FERRIES

INCREASED RECEIPTS FOR OCTOBER ALTERATIONS TO FARES. Dealing with ferry, matters last even* ing, the Eastbourne Borough Council received a report from the general manager' stating that work on the Duchess was almost completed, Captain Bullock reported that there was shoaling at the berth at Day's Bay. It was decided that the matter be reported to the Harbour Board, together with a request that something be done in regard to the matter to prevent furher shoaling. Receipts and expenditure in connection with the ferry service for the month of October were submitted, the figures for the same month of 1924 appearing in parentheses. Receipts total- j led £2289 Oa 4d (£1997 4s 6d)> the chief items being casual passengers, £977 Ss j (£1092 6s 6d); weekly tickets, £179 16s 6d (£lOl 16s 6d); monthly, £88 10s (£llß 8s); season, £658 Is (£519 ss); freight, £66 0s lid (£B7 8s 9d); charters, £28 (—); towing, £24 3s 4d ( —). The total expenditure for the month was £2XIB 0s 8d (£2079 13s 6d). 'The biggest items under this heading were: Administration, £222 3b (£152 45.10 d); Muritai running and overhaul, £697 2s 9d (£699 7s 4d); Duchcas.. £304 9a 7d (£561 15s 2d); Cobai-, £518 12s Id (£487 5s Id); wharves, £76 16s 8J (£32 6s-lid); berthage, £52 8s (£52). For the period from Ist April to 31ist October, the receipts totalled £21,383 2s 3d -(£11,331 16s 2d)V the chief items being: Casual passengers, £5615 8b 3d (£5735 18s 9d); weekly tickets, £1253 4s (£6&B 5s 6d); monthly, £638 2s 6d (£720 8s); season, £2529 16s 2d (£2315 : 18s. 4d); freight, £485 12s 8d (£549 13s 6d); special excursions, £274 16s 3d (£l2) •» charters, £64 (—). The expenditure for the same period totalled £16,701 18s lid (£16,797 2s lid), of which the chief items were: Administration, £1412 13s 2d (£947 15s 8d); Muritai running and overhaul, £2720 0s 4d (£2579 19s 7d); Duchess, £2567 lOs lid (£3292 9s 3d); Cobar, £3491 5s 9d (£3133 11s 7d); wharves, £538 9s 8d (£SOO 6s sd); berthage, £364 4s (£3BB 16a); insurance, £99f 17s (£1294 15s 9d); sinking fund and interest, £2451 15s (£2456 ISs); interest on overdraft, £341 11s ( —); transfers to loan accounts. £1340 14s 2d (—). SUMMER TIME-TABLE. The special summer time-table was discussed at some length, and the suggestions made by the general manager were adopted subject to some slight alteration. It was decided that the boat at present leaving at 8.8 a.m. shall leave Rona Bay at 8.5. It, was also decided to run an extra boat on Sundays at 9.30 a.m., as was done last summer. The Mv t/me-table comes into force on Ist* December. A petition was received that the >iIQ p.ml boat from town should leave at 5.50 p.m. to suit thoge who leave work at 5,30 p.m. It was decided that the request could not be acceded to. . A further request was received for a boat from the East Har» hour district at 9.30 each evening, but ■this also was refused. FARES AND FREIGHTS. The Mayor said that' the question of fares had bean considered by the Ferry Board. The present fares of Is 9d and Is 3d at week-ends had been investigated, aud he bad found that there wag a decided improvement during week-ends. If the fares wero altered as suggested to la 6d per trip all round there would bo a decided,, improvement in favour of the .council, • Bus competition was here to stay, and they were charging 2s return. ■Duving three months under review he .found thnt tickets actually sold in that period were 5000 wore than for the same period last year. The bus had some bearing oh single tickets which - had ' totalled. 2"l00 for the three j months' period. Tickets sold this year showed au increase on the previous year. The Ferry Board now recommended that a uniform fare of Is 6d be charged from Wellington, this being a return fare, single fares to remain at Is, The recommendation was carried, the ! new scale to come into force on Ist December. ' ' • : •' . It was decided that all tiokets shquld he available for one week. '■ :. DROP IN FREGHTS. "I am very perturbed at the dropping off jn freights," said Councillor Laing. He considered this was caused by unnecessary , delay' which had occurred. VVhcever was responsible should be ■given explicit instructions that . there should be no delay. Cargo should be* dispatched up to the latest possible time. [ A report submitted in regard to cargo stated that retailers were willing to use. the boats if the council readjusted the tariff to compete with the charges by i road. • ' , ;■ It was decided that the matter be referred to the Ferry Board with power to act. •