TRAMWAY SERVICE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22404, 28 April 1936, Page 13

TRAMWAY SERVICE

CHRISTCHURCH DEFICIT LOSS OF £14,704 LAST YEAR NEW AGREEMENT WITH MEN [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] CHRISTCHURCH, Monday A new agreement between the Christchurch Tramway Board and the employees was approved by the board at a meeting to-day. The extra cost of the new agreement will be £5134 a year. The men of the traffic staff will work 88 hours a fortnight instead of 96 hours, without reduction in pay. It was stated by Mr. J. Mathison, now a member of the board, who was president of the Tramwaymen's Union at the time of the strike in 1932, that the new agreement would have the effect of providing for the re-engage-ment of men who lost their jobs in 1932. He said the service would be able to return to the stage of efficiency and courtesy in the staff that had been absent for the past four years, now that these experienced men would be back on duty next week. He looked for an increase in efficiency. This step, he said, would rectify the great wrong that was done in 1932, when 60 of the best men in the service were replaced by men who considered that their duty to the public was to be disloyal to their fellow workers. The Rev. F. T. Read said he had* had no experience of discourtesy from any tramway employees. Mr. E. J. Howard, M.P., said the agreement was in line with the policy of the Government to improve the conditions of the workers, but on the rating side some one might be hurt. The Rev. J. K. Archer, chairman, said the rating would be 12s on property worth £IOOO. The present increases in wages did not quite bring wages back to the 1931 level. The tramways accounts for the year showed an increase in earnings of £2320. Operating expenses increased by £4500, net earnings decreased by £2320, and the deficiency on the year's working was £14,704, an increase of £6739.

Discussing these figures, Mr. G. Manning &aid that, although the board's passengers had increased by 500,000, tho revenue had increased by only £2320. He believed that fares would have to be increased. It was all very well to give a cheap service and attract passengers on an uneconomic basis.

This subject was not further discussed.