BUSY TRAMWAYS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22618, 5 January 1937, Page 13

BUSY TRAMWAYS

HOLIDAY SERVICES INCREASE IN REVENUE CATERING FOR LARGE CROWDS The Auckland Transport Board has every reason to be gratified with the patronage accorded it and with the efficiency of the service it was able to give the public in the recent holidays. The takings during the period from December 1" to January 2 increased compared with the previous year by £1971 from £26,624 to £28,596. This increase is all the more notable because it was gained in spite of several days of exceedingly bad weather, particularly on New Year's Day. The revenue for Christmas Eve of 1935 was £2269, but this Christinas Eve it increased by £420 to £2689. Similarly, the New Year's Eve takings rose in defiance of the weather by £4ll, from £1436 to £1847. The figures for New Year's Day show the effect of the continuous downpour in reducing traffic, for this time the revenue for the day was £1231 compared with £1390 a year ago. Freedom From Accident Whereas 12 months ago the holiday figures showed a three per cent increase on the previous year, this time the percentage of increase is seven. The service was worked quite- smoothly and without accident throughout the stress and strain of the peak of the holiday period. | This speaks well not only for the willing j service rendered by the rank and file , of the men but also for the efficiency [ of the detailed organisation that lay I behind it all. The orders for the day issued during j the holidays make up a substantial j volume of foolscap. For Christmas Eve, i for instance, the details of working i arrangements for the (lay occupied 23 | typewritten pages of foolscap, and the ' rosters and notices for the day required | another 12 pages. Tribute Paid to Men Every man on the staff had j his individual time-table of duty for the day separately worked out j and issued to him, and these duties i were allotted with the special qualifications of each mail for the task being kept in view. In spite of the holiday and race crowds that had to be dealt with, the work was so thoroughly organised that no man was called on to work more than the fixed five-dav week. On Christmas Day the work was divided into four-hour shifts so that each should share equally in the overtime paid for that day. The trying conditions were faced cheerfully bv the men, whoso conduct won favourable comment from a number of visitors.