The Chronicle PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 1915. MISLEADING RETURNS OF RAILWAY REVENUES.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 9 June 1915, Page 2

The Chronicle PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 1915. MISLEADING RETURNS OF RAILWAY REVENUES.

The latest issue of tho Government Gazette contains comparative tables showing the revenuce derived from each and all of sections ot railways tliroughout the dominion during certain periods in April to May. The comparisons, however, are misleading to any casual perueer, for whereas the periotl dealt with in regard ito 1915 comprises thirty-one days ended May Ist. the comparative period cited for 1914 deals -with only twenty-five days. As a natural consequence, the ordinary observer of the Gazette, looking merely at the figured totals for each section, sees therein an apparently pronounced increaso in the revenues for April, 1915, and thinks that tho railways revenues for the latest period are greater than those of the corresponding period ol last year. Such an impression is totally erroneous. Careful analysis of the figures in the Gazette show that the "increase" in total is relatively a (serious decrease. Without making any attempt at an actuarial analysis. Tho Chronicle has arrived (by a rough-and-ready yet sufficiently accurate summation) at tho fact that the railways revenues for the varying periods of April to May dealt with in the railways report under notice show a comparative and real decrease, represented by the difference "between a daily average earning ot £12,200 in April this year and an average daily earning in April of last year amounting to £13,800. And, further, it is

to be remembered that the in earning tho-e moneys was greater this year than m the year preceding. The Chronicle has no fault to find with the Railway Department's differential methods of tabulating the returns, if the variation hi necessary tor actuarial reasons or for the purpose of facilitating book-keeping, ibut speaking purely from the public point of view we think it Mould be better if the comparative tables covered an equal number of days in all instances. The fostering of public interest and oi fair criticism of State institutions and businesses should be the desire of all State officials, whether Governmental or Civil ; and to this end tho task of assimilating returns of revenues, etc.. ol every Government department should be made as simple and easy as possible. -In this way fairer criticisms would be* made likely, inasmuch as the facility tor the misapprehension of figures would be minimised.