PROPOSALS TO BOARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20901, 17 June 1931, Page 11

PROPOSALS TO BOARD.

CHAIRMAN'S SUGGESTIONS.'

DETAILS OF ESTIMATES. EFFECT OF CONCESSIONS. The effects of various proposals which the Auckland Transport Board was asked to take into consideration in reference to the reduction in wages and salaries, were outlined by the chairman, Mr. J. A. C. Alluni, in a special report, submitted during tho board's lengthy deliberations. The policy of tho board, Mr. Alluni stated, had been not to make profits but to ensure that there should be 110 debit balance at tho end of tho year. Following that policy the manager would bo bound to recommend curtailment of expenditure, with consequent retrenchment of staff to meet the situation arising out of tho present depression. In a preliminary estimate of revenue on the basis of existing fares and expenditure on the present salary and wages rates for the year ending March 31, Mr. A Hum showvd that tho estimated revenue from trams and buses was £623,078, as against £657,688 last year. The expenditure was estimated at £662,637, compared with £656,772 last year, leaving a debit balance of £39,559. Excluding loan flotation expenses, £2413, and depreciation on buses, £5952; and reducing the. allocution for accident provision by £3OOO to £23o6—a total saving of £11,365 —the estimated expenditure was curtailed to £651,272, reducing tho estimated debit balance to £28,19'!. Effect of 10 Per Cent. Out.

With the operation of a 10 per cent, cut on salaries and wages there would be an additional saving of £27,633 during the nine months of the financial .year yet to run, further reducing the estimated expenditure to £623,639. On the revenue side, Mr. Alluni suggested, oil the recommendation of the manager, a reduction in concession ticket rates, which would lower the estimated revenue for the remaining nine months by £10,173 to £612,905, leaving an estimated debit balance for the year of £10,734. Mr. Allum suggested that the board might be justified in budgeting for such a deficiency with a reasonable expectation that with some improvement in receipts and further 1 eductions in expenditure—avoiding extensive retrenchments —the account might be balanced at the end of the year. An alternative suggestion submitted by the chairman was based on revenue on existing cash fares with a reduction in concession' ticket rates and expenditure based on a 10 per cent, reduction .on salaries and wages after excluding the first £l3O a year to all employees. Under this arrangement the estimated saving in the wages bill was £13,505 for the nine months, the estimated deficiency therefore being £24,862. Suggested Concessions.

With the object of returning to the public by way of reduced fares as much as possible of the proposed reduction of 10 per cent, in salaries and wages, the chairman recommended that all 12trip concession tickets should be reduced in price for a trial periofl of three months as follows:—One section tickets, from Is 9d to Is 7d; two section, from 2s 8d to 2s 6d; three section, from 3s 6d to 3s 3d; four section, from 4s 5d to 4s Id; five section, from 5s 3d to 4s lOd; six section, from 5s 6d to ss: workers' weekly tickets, from 3s 9d to 3s 6d. Based on the number of tickets sold last year and allowing an increase of approximately 5 per cent, in the number of concession card riders, the proposal would give a concession to the public of £13,405 a year, or £10,173 for the 227 days from '.Tune 27 to the end of the financial year. WAITOMO POWER BOARD. LOWER SCALE OF PAY. [FROSt OrR OWN CORBESPONDENT.] TE KUITI. Tuesday. At the last meeting of the Waitonio Electric-Power Board, a notice of motion to rescind a previous resolution dispensing with the services of the engineer was defeated. Subsequently, however, the engineer was offered the position at a reduced salary, which he accepted. It was decided to make a 10 per cent, reduction in salaries and wages of all employees, excepting two juniors, making a saving of £358 for the year. CHRISTCHUROH CITY COUNCIL. GRADUATED SCALE ADOFTED. [by telegbaph.—press association.] CHRISTCHUHCH. Tuesday. After a long debate on wages, the City Council decider] last night by 9 votes to 8, to make a reduction in the salaries of its officers, ranging from 15 per cent, in the case of those receiving £IOOO and over, to 8 per cent, in the case of those in receipt of £350 and over. On this occasion the two Independents voted with the-Citizens' Party. A fortnight ago the council, by a majority, decided against the imposition of the 10 per cent, "cut."