RAILWAYS NORTH AND SOUTH.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 739, 11 February 1910, Page 4

RAILWAYS NORTH AND SOUTH.

For a considerable time' past we have been analysing'the railway returns as'they appear every . four weeks'. in tho Gazette. '. The' Gazette of- last .night contains: the 'figures for the four weeks'ending January 8,-and for the 283 days of the financial year, ending: on that date." As we have/.often . pointed out "that while':'; the. Southern.. lines .always show up best in the first, half of the year—April; to September—the Northern' lines then begin to make up the leeway, in demonstration of the faefc'-that over.;the; whole'.year the ; | I'leturtf' fiom; them is vastly better than'the: return from the Southern I system: : ■:' The .revenue "and expendi-, ture'for^tne'four-weeks:under" notice,| laTe'as'iollow'. '■'■ :, ; ': •_;':,'.: v; Expen.- Net'i. ' - .'■ ; i ■;■ . Revenue:.' diture'. revenue. I : .'...'.. ■-"'. J> .... £ ' ' £ \ .■SSoitti;■■".,.....' \¥l,m ! 88.A57 "'< ; 7!,5J2 I South ....... 142,759 ~; 81,019 ~61,740 Although, therefore, there are .1574' 1 mileß in the South Island 'as against |.1135' in this' island, the": net return" .from -the'.Northern lines .exceeded |.that from the lines; in ,the South by' £15,802. .'The .'following tables-'show; since: the spring':'''.;:' Net return for' ,';; '"-South. ..:;. North: ■ iweoksending '';';' '. ._£ '"'•.,■ ■".•...'. JS ■'.. September. 18 '■. '.15,865. ':■ •21,144 October 16'....'.'■..;;.;....... .20,365. ,•."■■;• ■: 21,717 November 13 ............. 28,771'. .-" - .37,450 December 11-.:....;........ 37,090 ,'■',. 46,774 January 8 .........:....-.... 61,740 ; L , '77,542 The following: table shows the. relative earnings of tho: two system's,:.' Earnings per mile ;'.. "South. '" North', for 4 weeks ending;.!'.' £' s.'d.. - : ;:';£ .a.;d.~ September' 18 : ».:::.;.' 10: 4.8' 18 12 8 Ootobcr 16 :...:..:..... 12 0-6.-'l9 2 8 November 13..' :..': 18 6.' ; 3. ', 3219 0 December 11 .:....... 23 19 9 ,:" 41; 4:2 January 8 .............. 39; 4: 6 ~: 68;; 6.4 On, August' 21'. the net earnings to' that date,''from" the 'beginning "of ■the •' fiscal ,year, :.were £212,605 .in the case of the South, and £152,284 in'ihe'case of the North; There was then a leeway of' £60,000, to be made up by,-the : Northern lines'.'. Since August 21, the ■■■ net ■■•..'earnings-'''have been: ; ■ .South,;.-: ;£164,431;; North, ,£204,627." ; '.THe■-'returns from; April 1 .'to "January 8 therefore 'stand:' North,' £356,911; South 5 , £377;036, If tho same' steady'rate of'growth continues', 1 the total:return^ for : .the 1 •year• will bo' greater from this island than from the: South Island.';;.Thenet return per mile will be ehor-' ;'mously; greater.;: It is vastly greater, oven.for _the year,so;far, as. it-has gone,,as is Been,in; this table:..'; :, 1 . ; ..,'..' ~-''Net revenue ..'Revenue v',v.'.:■;■:'■'<' -~■•:■•. ■'•.';■. to Jan.' 8. . : por'mile. v■. ■'- (-!:■■ . £ ■ ' ''■■'■£' NorthV ......U....;i;^.. 35G.911 :.;'• 314.45 South ;,„.:....,.,„... 377,036 '...;■ \. .-;* .233.54 The outlook 'for; the: railways as "a" whole •',is better ;.tban' it was, but it will'fall'far short of the £1,100,000 which Lis.about.: the -sum to. ; be:" paid; in. interest,on :capitaL Even when .the .usual, sum is .spent put'of: loan's :that::'shpuld' have, been met out:6t-revenue.- the-loss-will-be a .six-figure 1055.,:.,. The': figures .we have ,given ...will •= indicate / to; .what part of-the .system .that loss is attributable. The Northern line's'do pay. their. Way, "]. .but•; the --Southern lines .will-as usual fair to 4o so by over £100,000., Yet Parliament appears :,unwilling ;to .terminate : the policy 1 , of. .spending far -more on' railway "construction in the South than is .'spent, in the. island that sponds so-well to every penny spent in. its development'.-, : :