OUR RAILWAYS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 813, 10 May 1910, Page 6

OUR RAILWAYS.

SOME INTERESTING FIGURES. MAIN LINE GRADES REDUCIBLE. According to an official statement published by tho Hon. J. A. Millar (Minister for Railways) yesterday, the excess of revenue over the estimates last year was £199,790, while the working expenses wero £18,628 above the I estimates. Tho percentage of expenditure to revenue was reduced from <2.19 to 66.75, an improvement of 5.44 as compared with the previous year. The increase of earnings was 13s. per cent, on a capital of £23,485,000. Ihe earnings of tho North Island sections for last year, including the newly-acquired Manawatu line, were £205,985 greater than in tho. previous year. The increase of earnings in tho South Island, whero there were no additions to the lines, was £114,280. The decrease..in tho working expenses of North'lsland lines was £79,447, while ill tho South Island 1 there was a decrease of £24,790. The result in tho South Island was almost entirely owing to the fact that the grain season was heavy and early. Discussing the present position, Mr. Millar remarked that he at first thought that it would tako two years before such satisfactory results wero obtained. The diversion of the Hawko s Bay traffic from tho expensive Kiniiitaka lino to the Manawatu line had enabled a considerable saving to bo effected. As a result of tlio completion of the North Island Main Trunk line, a Saving in connection with tho use of rolling stock had been made. He did not see any necessity for an increase in charges. If. items now charger] to revenue wero charged to capital account, the railways could bo made to show a verv much larger margin of profit. During the past five or six years ovor half a million had been spent out of rovemie in relaying on tho main lines with 701b. rails. Tho next important improvement would bo tho reduction of .somo of the grades on the main linos, which would bring about a large saving i" working expenses. It was proposed to reduco the expenditure on relaying heavier rails, and ask for a larger vote for reducing grades. Con-, siderablo expenditure was also contemplated in connection with the_ work of and adding to stations and other buildings in various localities.