GONVILLE TRAMWAY BOARD

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 7565, 8 May 1919, Page 7

GONVILLE TRAMWAY BOARD

The usual monthly meeting of the Gonvilie - Castlecliff Tramway Board ■was hexi on Tuesday evening, Mr. A. G. Bignell (chairman) presiding. The monthly statement of receipts and cost of car mileage was presented by the secretary, Mr F. Bourne. For the rn^ntli of March the takings totalled £719, as against £615 for the same month the previous year, and the cost of car mileage £446 and £389 respectively for the two periods. A letber was received from the Public Works Department intimating the intention to enforce in January next the conditions governing traffc on the trams, which were suspended during the war period. The final payment wa«s authorised in connection with the filling in of th« metal pit at Castlecliq, the total cost of which was £480. The secretary presented the annual statement of accounts. The total cash .receipts were £6766, as against £6870 ( I the previous year. The total cash payments were £5633, of which £456 was cost of car mileage, leaving £1150 to be transferred to the relief of rates, which during the year had been r^- j duced from 2id to lid. Last year £1744 was raised in rates, and this year £1172. Despite the breakdown in tho power-house, and the epidemic, which disorganised the traffic for several weeks, the receipts in fares showed a slight increase over those of last year the figures being respec-rtt-raly- £6681 and £6054. The reve&W j from advertising ou -cars increased from £40 to £ilB. The year commenced with a credit balance at the bank or £364, as against an overdraft j at the commencement of the previous year of £.243. Commenting, the chair-1 man thought the report very satisfac tory. It snowed that the traffic was steadily increasing, and but for the unfortunate dislocation through the epidemic, the receipts would have been much greater. The Chairman also mentioned that the agreement with the Borough termi- j hated in November next. The Council had notified the Board that it would' be prepared to continue to supply power and run the service over the Hoard s lines, but demanded an increase in the price of ear./mileage from 9id to Is 2d per car aiile, and from 6d to 10$d*far trailers. The Board considered the price excessive, especially in view of the fact that the Council claimed to be developing power cheaper than any other city m New Zealand, and the Wellington Council sold power to Miraniar tor Is 2d per car mile, utilising cars double the capacity of the local cars. A long discussion ensued, and eventually it was decided to ask the Borough Council for a conference with the; Board en tho matter. Correspondence with regard to the supply of cars was read from the Press ed Steel Car Company (Pittsburg), Barney and Smith Car Co. (Ohio), the Stanard Motor Truck Company (Pittel.urg), Brill Car and Truck Company (Philadelphia), Railway Storage Battery Car' Co. (New York), Richardson anrt McCabe (Wellington), Boon and Co. (Christchurch). and Cameron ant] Co. (Wellington), and it was decided to hold over further consideration until tho conference with the Borough Council.