RAILWAY REVENUE

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 152, 23 March 1939, Page 10

RAILWAY REVENUE

Great Expansion During Past Quarter

RECORD FOUR-WEEKLY PERIOD By Telegraph—Press Association. AUCKLAND, March 22. "The approximate total railway revenue for the last, four-weekly t*eiiod is £918,000,” said the Minister of Railways, Mr. Sullivan, after his arrival with tlie Prime Minister today. "It constitutes a railway revenue record for any one period, being £78.000 higher than Hie record rcvemie for the fourweekly period immediately preceding it, and £114.000 higher than the revenue for tlie corresponding tour weeks of last year.

“On figures submitted to me I estimate that Hie net revenue for the period ended March 4 will lie £237,000, bringing Hie net revenue for the 48 weeks of the current year up to £446, 000."1 confidently expect the total net revenue for the year to accord with my recent estimate, namely, £700,000.”

Mr. Sullivan added that the great expansion of railway revenue for the Dominion during the past quarter was undoubtedly evidence of trade prosperity and improved domestic finances. Comparatively, the position of the railways in England was still unsettled and a cause for anxiety.

Commenting on Hie Government’s intention to introduce an amended scale of charges, for railway transport from May 1 next, Mr. Sullivan said that the general effect of the scheme to Hatten out the higher rates for general merchandise and simplify tariffs would be to bring the method of assessing railway freights more closely into line with the practice followed by road operators.