TRAMWAY BOARD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12687, 8 July 1919, Page 6

TRAMWAY BOARD.

ANNUAL MEETING. Tlie annual meeting of the Tramway Board was held yesterday; present— The Hon J. Barr, M-L.C.' (chairman) and Messrs S. A. Staples, D. Sykes, W. J. Walter, A. S. Taylor, G. T. Booth and H. Pearce.

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT. The chairman read a report on the year’s operations of the hoard.

Dealing first with finances, he submitted the following table showing the earnings, expenditure, surplus and car miles run during the past two years: —

l\ith respect to the earnings, it would be noticed that what was loViked upon as the natural increase had been maintained, but in spite of that fact, plus a decrease in car mileage run, the surplus appeared as a rapidlv disappearing quantity. Still, while admitting that this year’s balance was an unsafe one and tended to create an uneasy feeling, when they considered the extent of the undertaking, the fact that they had reached the end of the year with even such a small surplus %vas a matter for congratulation wuien the unusual ‘occurrences of the vear were taken into account.

The result of the snowstorm of July, 1918, meant not only decrease in income, but also increased operating expenses, while the loss of revenue due to w hat was kno,wn as the ■* * go-slow policy 5 was £1249. A further loss in revenue to the extent of £3OOO was caused by the influenza' epidemic; to that must be added £2411, the amount of the increase in wages for the five 5?ooo 8 *? nd ? 2 ¥ arch 31 . 1919, and ±•1323, the board s contribution to the superannuation scheme for the period ending March 31. Cost of material was another factor that had tended to the increase in operating expenses. As a result, of somewhat similar experiences, both in V\ elhngton and Dunedin, the Pr b lcb ? en called upon to meet tne additional costs by way of certain increases to fares. The board had managed so tar to meet, all obligations without doing so. As to whether it could much longer refrain from “passing it on was the question that required immediate careful considera.lon; had the ratepayers to fall back upon should there he a deficiency but the policy of the board in the past had been to make the users pay tor the services rendered- The d i+ eSS of . J bat P° lic y was such that parSd IS not likel 5' to •»

wi+b bo ar gued in connection Stonier 3111 ex l )endlt ure that it was ?ikilt r m f ryer P ei lditure and was not re(n »r nn & as against tnat, whmh was m n 0 way as certain g H had to be bOniQ 4 that i t le m 9 reas « in wages' reoft£ ap P b , ed souths 4WoV,t L finanClal ye&r ’ and that actual™ -^ eri P further increase, the remit - that the amount required to meet the increase in wanes Se IHu allowing fr £5430 + fl P j ld . last year, gave £2OOO v b .lo 1 must be added stSrSf™' oficienc « the former ra tmg areas which tne main area A Wl ot be Ca K d upon 10 make good. A further sum of £3400 would be rZ H as t] bhe board ’ s contribution towaias the superannuation fund tor 7b Dg + for £ } m ' the amount paid .tor the term during which the fund 5? StWSt last ?«* they were left witn a balance of .£2077 to he wS would kP S - ye 3r ’ & J ex P en diture, meninbiiritr -m? by additional men joining the fund. In those ib ran items alone they had £9507. There uas yet another factor that would havei to be taken into account wh«n en?nn de +hp g fi he -T 683 for lengthening the financial position, namely the excessive growth in, numbers of cJncet si°n-card riders over cash fare riders as would he noted by the comparison’ between this and the. preceding year Passenger*- 318 ’ 1919< p> cent - Cask fares . 14,592,973 14,733,652 964 j Concession ■■ , ’ oards • 6.503,967 6,690,040 11.053 Total . 30,796,940 21,623,692 3.975 To draw comparisons from a period of years was only to emphasise the growth referred to, as would be found by examining the figures from 1914 to wie present dateHe did not suggest, that there should ~® an increase in the concession rates: that, all hoped, might not.be necessary, but he submitted that both the price and the regulations for their use would have to be considered' with other means of dealing with tne position, for, taken as a whole, concession car riders were carried at a distinct monetary loss. In other years the board had looked to the natural growth of traffic- to meet, new demands on income, but this year there niust be alterations to services on 'certain lines which at the outset would not return an equivalent improvement in revenue. and the cost of which was likely to absorb more than any sum that might be gamed by the natural growth of traffic.. He regretted having to draw attention ■ to the* need for considering increase of fares, but with all due spect to certain theorists, who expressed the opinion that it was not necessary that publicly-owned tramways should show a credit balance be believed in every public undertaking that had got past the experimental stage paying its way;

SUPERANNUATION- SCHEME.

The board’s superannuation, scheme was an improvement on the National Provident Fund, One of its features was that it fixed the age of : sixty instead of sixty-five as the. retiring age. The board had arranged' for a pension of £52 a year on retirement of its permanent employees over sixty years of age in the. board’s, employment when the fund was established. One employee had since voluntarily retired and was entitled to the pension. The board placed all employees on active service on the list uf contributors, and paid the' total • contributions, amounting for the seven "months of tTie financial jeaf, to £359.- Increased advantages and the establishment of' an option induced a further 101 men to join the fund. There were 271 contributors amongst a permanent staff numbering 400 men. “ GO-SLOW POLICY.” Referring to the employees’ 1 “goslow policy,” he said that the whole occurrence was regrettable, and was caused largely through outside influ-, cnees. The trouble in Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin was largely in the nature of a trial of strength on the part of the Transport Workers’ 'Advisory Board, a comparatively new organisati‘on. t He earnestly hoped that' whatever disputes the board might have in the future, the parties would not only agree to settle them at a round table conference,. but. having come' to an agreement, both parties would loyally adhere to it.

INCREASED COST OF MATERIAL

. I ho industrial trouble swas shorthvod; mot so the out of the scarcity of material and cost, and during the past year the rise in. prices had been more rapid than during the preceding war year. As in illustration, he submitted the following list showing approximate increases dur-

3,256 6,866 The mileage decrease was . 54.7 per cent, and the decrease of receipts for the. seventeen days: was-£3610. or 474 per cent. " WORR FOR THE YEAR 1919-1920. Tiack work had fallen very-far behind during the past, four years, but it was hoped that much -ipf it Would be o j?s?hen during the coming year. The additional roller now. on, order would enable an extra gang to' ho employed economically, as would also the two steam waggons secured during the year. More up-to-date tools, expected to hand snortly, would result in -work being done more expeditiously, while the apP m Ta ii °■. , loan P ro Pps;als would enable the board to bring the whole undertaking well up to date. ‘

CONCLUSION. If the year’s work had been more arduous than he had anticipated, it had had its compensations. ■ Having to bo m almost daily contact ’ with the administrative officers had -afforded him an opportunity of judging of., their capabilities not otherwise- possible, fw lla<i fl ° hesitation in saying that it was a fortunate choice the board made m appointing Mr 'Frank 1 hompson general manager. Under that gentleman’s management' there en , khilt -up an administrative staff that was capable of most admirable team work in times of emergency, Inat had been further exemplified in the way all worked together during the general manager’s leave of absence, taking.the staff as a whole it was not perfect—-nothing human, ivas—but he made bold to say that it still had first place in New Zealand, and the board was anxious that it should- continue to do so.

, Ml ‘ Booth moved that the report B “ ou id.be printed with the balancesheet. He congratulated the diairman on carrying out Ilia duties efficiently during an exceptionally arduous time. Mr Staples seconded the motion, and also praised the chairman’s-work during the, past year. The motion was carried, and a special vote of -thanks, to the- chairman was carried on the motion of Mr Sykes, seconded by' Mr Pearce. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN AND Deputy-chairman. Mr Barr was re-elected chairman unopposed, amidst applause, and returned' thanks. Mr Staples was elected deputy-chair-man unopposed. ; ORDINARY BUSINESS. The chairman and Mr,Sykes were appointed .to represent ■ the board at a conference of ‘local .bodies regarding covering, part of Jackson’s Creek. The Works and .Traffic Committee reported that tenders,had been ‘ called for the construction.of;ten trailer car bodies and three electric car bodies. Only one tenderer, Messrs Boon and Go., Christchurch, forwarded tenders, and these were accepted as ; followsTen trailer car bodies, each £636 delivery .in from ten to fifteen months; three electric car bodies, each- £826, delivery in ten months. . The ‘ report was adopted.

1918. 1919. crease Earning's £ £ p.cent 160,682 166,4-16 3.5S7 Operating' expense; . 91.813 10-2,106 7.601 Patriotic expenses 2,863 3,079 7.544 Fixed charges ' . . 57,321 ' 58,621 2.03 Surplus— Excluding rates from special rating areas 5,685 2,740 *51;80 Car miles mu . ..2, * Decrer.se.. .760,843 2 ,714,230 n.6S9

W{t the nar . period of- necessary tonal'in daily nse- by7 the s ’board :— 1 ‘ ■■ Increase. Per cent. Oil- ■. . 75 White lead - 40 Timber ., " . ■ ’ ; . 50 Tar,' ordinary . 33£ : Sleepers ■ ■ .. ’ ■. ' . 1 33^ Opal , ' ' V' 70 Iron, about ..; • f • .150 Electrical supplies ;' v : 7o Tyres . .. r. i: ... 110 Kails, when procurable . ' Screenings ■: -. 50 EEF.TiX.7T OF EPIDEMIC. TJ 5 -® effect of the influenza epidemic on the board’s business W'as shown.-by the following tables;— : Normal running miles go ■ Reduced running . ■ v. 127,383 miles. C9.971 miles. Reduction . ; ■ Cash fares Concession" cards . .. . V 58,012 miles. Nov. 11-27, • 1919. Normal. : - ■ £ £ ' -1 2,590 5,197 655 1,069