INVERCARGILL TRAMWAYS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144071, 16 April 1913, Page 2

INVERCARGILL TRAMWAYS.

The belief that electric tramways from Fitzroy to the breakwater will pay almost from.fha; date of their-com-

pletion is encouraged by the experience of Invercargill and Wanganui. The latter town’s system is already showing a substantial profit. In tho case of Invercargill the system was opened in sections, the first of which served only a minority of the population, so that the first year showed a debit balance of £627. During tho year ended March' last the accounts showed a deficit of £3162, which at, first sight appears to bo a poor result. When the figures are analysed, however, a much more satisfactory result is disclosed. On the expenditure side are to be found, in addition to tho ordinary working expenses and interest charges, sums of £627 debit balance from previous year, about £BOO expenses incurred through a fatal accident which unfortunately occurred, £2050 spent upon stores winch remained in stock at the end of the year, and £9OO paid into a sinking fund account. The Borough Council proposes to pay £lll2 out of the general fund to meet tho not deficit, which is the accumulation of two years’ operations. If tho unfortunate accident had not occurred this sum would have been about £BOO loss, or only a little over £3OO, a very trifling loss for the first two years’ working, after paying £9OO too into the sinking fund account. So far, indeed, from tho trams being now run at a loss, they appear to bo paying all working expenses, interest, and sinking fund. Now Plymouth may with confidence expect to do at least as well, for tho line from Fitzroy to the breakwater will be infinitely better situated for serving the people than a similar .length of tho Invercargill trams, besides which we have hero tho great advantage of a very cheap power already provided, or so far provided that only a small additional expenditure is required to make it available for tho purpose of the tramways. At Invercargill,, it may be added,’ a probable loss of £2275 was provided for last year, and tho actual deficit to he mot is barely half this.