CHRISTCHURCH TRAMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19027, 26 May 1925, Page 10

CHRISTCHURCH TRAMS.

LOgS ON OPERATIONS.

CONCESSIONS UNPROFITABLE. BOARD INCREASES FARES. [1) V TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CIIRISTCIIURCH. Monday. Dealing with tho finances of the trainways, tho chairman told tho board that tho year ended March 31 last revealed a deficiency of £10,205. Tho reduction made last August in tho price of one section concession tickets resulted in an increaso in passengers, but tho not result of that attempt to' popularise tram travelling resulted in a net reduction in revenue of .C 253 a month. The board made a further attempt to improve tho system by reducing ordinary seaside return tickets by 3d. This also resulted in an increase in passengers, but there was a decrease in revenue of £252 a month. In other words, tho increase in passengers in these experiments was not sufficient to overcome tho reduction in the prico of tickets. The infantile epidemic also caused a reduction in traffic, said tho chairman, and in addition to the causes of revenue reduction mentioned there was another which affected all the lines for tho whole year round. Ho referred to tho competition of taxis and motor-buses plying for hire and also to tho large increase in the use of private motor-cars. A reduction in race traffic revenue by £1278 was one indication of this. On the other hand, principally owing to the increase in wages granted by the Arbitration Court, and the increased car mileage run, together with the increasing ago of the system, tho operating expenses had gone up. The board decided upon an increase in fares, principally in three-section rides, which are increased by a hall penny for adults and a penny for children. There is also an increase in the price of concession cards over long distances.