VICTORIAN RAILWAYS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 841, 13 June 1910, Page 8

VICTORIAN RAILWAYS.

KECORD REVENUES'FOE 1909-10. .. A surplus of nearly .£400,000 is estimated for the Victorian Stare railways for the financial year ended June 30. The railway traffic for the year has eclipsed all records. The wool'and grain truckings were abnormally heavy, and the suburban passenger traffic shows a still further enormous increase. These and other results of the general prosperity have swollen the revenue, which, on May 14—-the dale of the last official returns—was .£212,090 in advance of Iho revenue for the corresponding period of 1908-9, and was still going ahead iit the rate of .£IOOO a day. On May 14 the revenue had reached .£3,954,65 i, and it is expected that it will have, increased to .£4.452,393 by the end of this month. It is expected that the full v;orking expenses for the year will bo ,£2,479,550. Included in this is a sum of .£35,000 expended by the Department during the coal strike, owing to the advance in tho pries of coal, and the heavy charges of importing coal from foreign countries. Prom the net revenue of .61,972,846 must be deducted some heavy charges. Tho interest bill, which was last year ,£1,435,000, is expected this year to reach .£1,450,000, and the pensions and the gratuities fund will absorb XIIO.OOO. Payments into the accident fund will amount to ,£22,165. In this fund an annual payment is made on a basis of 10s. per ,£IOO of the gross revenue. Since the railways were placed under the Board of Commissioners in 1907, surpluses obtained have been as follow — £ 1904-5 649 1905-6 198,965 1806-7 279,133 1907-S 52,681 190S-9 235,043 1909-10 398,681