AUCKLAND TRAMWAYS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17985, 10 January 1922, Page 6

AUCKLAND TRAMWAYS.

REVENUE DURING HOLIDAYS.

INCREASE OP £618 SHOWN. PBECEDING SEASON COMPARED. The Auckland Municipal tramway returns for the holiday season show that for the three weeks' from December 17 to January 6 the revenue amounted to £30,441 3s sd, as compared with £29,823 18s 6d for the corresponding period of 1920-1921, an increase of £618 3s lid. From Saturday, December 17, to Friday, December 23, both days inclusive, the cash fares amounted to £7750 19s lid, and concession ticket sales 'to £2583 15s, making a total of £10,334 14s lid. For the corresponding period of 1920, from Saturday, Docember 18, to Friday, December 24, the total was £9997 5s 4d, made up of cash fares £7336 5s 4d, and concession ticket sales, £2661. The largest takings in cash fares on any one day in the season just closed were recorded on Friday, December 23, which as far as shopping was concernod was observed as Christmas Eve. The revenue on that day was £1670 15s lOd, as compared with £1503 16s lid on the corresponding Friday of 1920, which actually was Christtuaa Eve. The increase for the week was £337 9s 7d. I'alllng-off for Last Week in December. During the next week, however, from Saturday, Decembor 24, to Friday, December 30, the takings snowed a falling-off of £176 4s 3d, the total being £10,059 8s lOd, as against £10,236 3s Id for the corresponding week of the previous year. The principal difference in the figures occurred on the Friday, the takings this season amounting to only £1171 3s lOd, while the same day of 1920 produced £1512 5s jd. Probably the chief reason for this decline of £341 Is 6d was that whereas this year Friday was a normal day it was New Year's Eve in 1920, the firajt day of the trotting meeting, and the second day of the Davis Cup tennis contest. It n»s also to be remembered that double fares were charged on two days in 1920, Saturday, Christmas Day, and Sunday, December 26, the total for those two days being £2181 Os Id, This season double fares were exacted only on Sunday, Christmas Day, but, nevertheless, the return for the Saturday and the Sunday was £2269 14s lid, an increase of £88 14s lOd. The City Council was entitled to levy double fares on Monday, December 26, which ranked as Christmas Day, but decided not to do so. The revenue on that day was £1306 18s lOd, while on the same Monday of the previous year it was £1375 6s sd. Increases were, registered on the other days of the week, except Friday, the most notable improvement being £221 19s 8d on the Tuesday, which this season was observed as Boxing Day. Of the I total of £10,059 8s lOd for the week, £8509 3s lOd was paid in cash fares and £1550 5s was derived from sales of concession tickets. The 1920 total of £10.236 3s Id represented £8462.18s Id from cash fares and £1773 5s from concession ticket soles. Running Costs Heavier in Past Year. The week fnim Saturday, December 31, 1921, to Friday, January 6, 1922, brought in a revenue of £10,046 18s Bd, an increase of £457 8s 7d. as comparod with i the corresponding period from January 1 ito January 7, 1921. The takings on the i Saturday of this season, which was New 1 Yew's Eve, were £1393 15s 7d, and were I the largest 'for the week, exceeding the I revenue on January 1, 1921, namely, £1240 Is 9d, by £153 13s lOd. ' On Monday, January 2, observed as New Year's Day this year, tho income was £1318 6s Bd, and on the correspondling Monday of last year £1235 6s 2d. The revenue on the Tuesday was £89 less i than it was last year, but on each of the other days of the week there was an increase. Cash fares for the week were responsible for £8114 13s* Bd, as compared with £7716 10s Id last year, and concessicm ticket sales for £1932 Ss, as against £1873. Commenting on the figures yesterday, the Mayor, Mr. J. H. Gunßon, said that although an increase of £618 was shown, the net result to the council was not so good as last year owine to the cost of .running the service being heavier. He referred to the fact that the men received double pay on Monday, December 26, observed as Christmas Day, whereas _ passengers were charged only the ordinary fares. Tho weather undoubtedly interfered with the traffic on at least two davs of the holidays, and all things considered, the figures must be regarded as quite satisfactory.