CHRISTCHURCH TRAMWAY BOARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15184, 1 July 1911, Page 4

CHRISTCHURCH TRAMWAY BOARD.

ANNUAL MEETING. . CPee United Press Association.) : , CHBISTCHURCH, June 29. At the annual meeting of the Christchurch Tramway Board, the chairman (Mr H. Pearce), in his annual report, stated that the principal figures in the balance sheet for the year ended March 31 last <\ were:—Gross takings from operations, £112,498 18s 7d: operating expenses, £68,038 Us 7d: net earnings from operations, £44,160 7s; deduct interest and

sinking fund, £12,668 lis 4d; net income, £22,791 15s 8d; deduct depreciation, fire and accident reserve, and renewals fund, £20,572 9s 8d; leaving a . surplus of £2219 6s. He added :—The surplus has been used to reduce the valueless preliminary expenses account, which now stands at £15,275. In respect of the Christchurch lines, during the year the board very wisely increased the depreciation and renewals fund from 3 per cent, to 4 per, cent. If 4 per cent, had been '" charged in 1910 the surplus for that year would have been £4109, as against £2219 for the past year, but it must be remembered that 1910 had the benefit of two Easter traffic periods, whereas 1911 had none. One Easter's holiday traffic is worth £1320, and if this sum is deducted from 1910 and added to 1911 the result shows that for comparative purposes the surplus for the year just closed was about ; £500 better than that of the previous year. It must be noted, however, that while the travelling facilities offered to the public had been increased by 23.8 per cent., and the operating expenses by 14.5 per cent., the increase in receipts lias only been 7.1 per cent. If the Easter adjustments already referred to are allowed, the increase in receipts would be about 10 per cent. This shows that with the increased facilities given there has not been quite the same increased revenue, but providing the revenue is sufficient to make the necessary reserves in the way of sinking fund, depreciation and renewal reserves, I hold it is the duty of the board to offer the greatest travelling facilities possible rather than it should endeavour to build up large surpluses. During the year it became absolutely necessary to inaugurate systematic .methods of showing the duties of each man and the time he was entitled . to book; therefore, complaints had also been heard through the public press of ' the long hours which it was stated some of the men were required to work. The board was also desirous in the financial interests of the undertaking to reduce the amount of overtime that was being paid for, and at the same time to endeavour to meet complaints regarding long hours as much as posible. The staff was consequently increased, and a new "roster" prepared. This came into force en. February 13. A considerable agitation arose among the men, who desired a return to the old order of things. I have no wish at this stage to traverse the whole position, and it is suliicient to say that although the board has more than once expressed a desire that the employees'union should submit its counter proposals, sndorsed by a majority of the men concerned, such proposals only came to hand on May 31. The union has not been able to suggest any radical alteration in the board's system, but has, by tacking small pieces of " broken '' shift work on • to various "straight shifts" reduced slightly the number of broken shifts. Until a key of working showing the union's wishes regarding the allocation of duties and the distribution of Sunday and late shift time is forthcoming final consideration must be withheld. There are few people who have a due conception of the large tramway organisation wfcich iias been gradually built up in Christchurch, and of the complexity of the internal working necessary to carry on the undertaking. A few figures in this respect may be of interest. The number of passengers carried was 13,710,890. Each ticket sold has to be accounted for, 'necessitating numerous entries. There are no less than 875 entries of stores for which separate accounts are kept, necessitating in this department alone nearly 30,000 entries per annum. Tho system of bookkeeping adopted enables a complete profit and loss account to be submitted to the board every four weeks. The number of letters peeled outwards during the year was 10,212. There have been 87 meetings of the board and committees held during the year. The numbers of staff employed are as follows :—Officers and foremen of departments and; inspectors, 20; clerical and drawing office, 21; power station, 20; car shed workshops, 40; overhead department. 8; permanent way repairs, 20; motormon, 88; conductors, 93; track cleaners, etc., 14; track construction, 74 j—total, 398.

The amount of salaries and wages paid giving the' year was £54,241 16s lid. The revenue received amounted to £112,498 18s 7d, practically the whole of it being received in coin. The report was adopted. After congratulatory remarks had been made regarding the retiring chairman, Mr Geo. T. Booth was elected chairman and Mr J. A. Flesh'er deputy chairman.