PROFIT ON TRAMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23333, 27 October 1937, Page 4

PROFIT ON TRAMS

HILL SERVICES DISAPPOINTING CR. SILVERSTONE'S WARNING . HALF-YEARLY ACCOUNTS A warning that tlie Dunedin City Council would have te give serious consideration to its future policy governing the City tram services was given by the chairman of the Finance Committee (Cr M. Silverstone) in a discussion on the half-yearly accounts at the regular meeting of the council last evening. The profit and loss accounts of the trading departments for the half-year ended September 30 showed a profit of £49,848 18s 2d, which was an increase of £9634 6s 7d compared with the returns for the previous six months. The increase in the water account, £22415 3s 7d, appeared to be satisfactory, but there would have to be an Improvement in the next halfyear to meet the demands of the water loan of a few years ago. The city trams showed a satisfactory return, £2879 16s 9d ahead of the previous six months' profit; but the hill services were by no means so satisfactory. The Mornington service showed a profit of £438 lis Id, £(544 4s 4d behind the comparative figure, and the Roslyn and bus services each resulted in losses, of £BB9 14s 6d and £278 12s lOd respectively. The former return was £954 19s 4d behind that of the previous half-year, and the latter was £778 7s 9d less. , "There will be an increased fare en the hill services," Cr Silverstone said, "but I doubt if even that will bring them to a satisfactory basis. The council will have to give serious consideration to its future tram policy. Certainly the trams are not as good a financial proposition now as they were a few yeans ago. However, Dunedin's returns must be considered satisfactory in comparison with those of other cities." ' ■'. '