Re: Johnston Street cable tracks in Melbourne
  Mal Rowe

On 09/01/2019 14:17, Tony Galloway wrote:
> Did this include depots, substations and other specialised structures

> required for operation, or just apply to office buildings etc that

> would otherwise just be normal commercial real estate ?

>

Sorry, I don't know the answer to that.

The last time rates are mentioned in an annual report was 1956 - when it
was 16,763 pounds for the tram operations plus 1,288 pounds for the
buses.  Those figures may indicate that only some properties were
subject to rates.

To give some idea of perspective, the payroll tax for the trams in the
same year was 75,000 pounds and the power bill (including staff to run
the substations) was nearly 580,000 pounds.

In subsequent years there is no figure for rates - so they were either
granted rate exemption or absorbed the amount under another heading
(perhaps 'appropriations')

Mal Rowe - ratepayer