The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 1929. THE RAILWAYS.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 August 1929, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, AUGUST 2, 1929. THE RAILWAYS.

A pleasing feature of the latest returns issued by the Railway Department is the steady improvement effected in the South Island. They cover the period April Ist. to June 22nd. and show that while the passenger traffic has neld its own, the quantity of general freight passing over the lines has been larger than that of last year. The number of live stock carried increased by over 26,000 and goods handled were about 8000 tons in excess of last year’s totals. The effect of these movements are reflected in the financial returns. In the North Island the revenue for the period under review was £25,821 below that of last year, whereas in the South Island receipts showed the satisfactory increase of £39,982. To the adverse movement in the north must be added an increase in expenditure of £2200, and the advance made in the south must be reduced by £9600 for the same reason. When this is done it is found that the improvement effected in the south has resulted in a net increase of £30,370 a development that must be distinctly encouraging to the departmental authorites, for it shows that the improved methods they have adopted, and the efforts to secure additional business, have met with a substantial measure of success. The weak link in the service, from the

national point of view, considers the Lyttelton Times, is that of the passenger traffic. Despite an'increase of over 107,000 in the nuiriber of passengers carried by departmental motor services, there was a decline of over 110,-.00 in the total number of passengers. This may be explained, in part, by the fact that a fair percentage of the Easter traffic in 1929 had to be credited to the 1928-29 financial year, and it may be that, for some reason not easily discerned, the number of people travelling this year has diminished. What makes the loss so serious to the Railway Department is the I fact that it must maintain its passenger services, even though the traffic offering is far be'ow its capacity to handle promptly and economically. Since the beginning of the financial year the railways have carried 131,859 tons of timber, an increase of 8124 tons over the total handled in the corresponding period of last year, and the gain in ordinary freight has been 94,938 tons showing that the freight service is more iuan holding its dwn. ihe figures for the current four-weekly pefiiod should b'e considerably augmented by the marked increase in. the volume of traffic passing through the Otira tunnel. , Last week saw a new record established with an average of nearly 2000 tons passing through daily. In order to ensure the more expeditious dispatch of the goods, it has been stated that the authorities are considering a proposal to/operate the tunnel line day and night, a further proof of their anxiety to cater for the requirements of the community. The fact that the Otira line is handling daily freight far in excess of the maximum originally set, and without a hitch of any kind, is pleasing, for the increased traffic must have presented problems to those entrusted with the work. The General Manager lately struck an optimistic' note with regard to the operations of the service, and the railways play such an important part, not only in the national transport system, but also in matters financial, that it is to be hoped the efforts to secure increased business by studying the needs of those able to provide freight will continue to meet with success.