WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 14 January 1931, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS

RAILWAY FIGURES DECLINE. LESS TRAFFIC. (Speciel Correspondent). WKUiTXGTOXj January 12. The railway figures for the eigl months between April 1, 1980, and I) eember (5, 1980 show a general declii in traffic: and consequently in rcveni which will keep the Minister Imm.rdr tely concerned, the Hon. W. A. Yeitcl ail'd the General Manager thmkin; The revenue for this period in 195 reached £5,374,157 and the total e: penditure £5,088'947, leaving £285 210 towards covering the.charges T< interest, while this year the revein reached only £5,063,454 and the expot rliture £4,854,998, leaving only £2OB 461. The expenditure for the eigl months this year shows a decline < £133,954, but for the same period tli revenue shows a decline of £310,703, s that the savings have been insufficien to cover the decreased revenue. Thi means that the efforts made by tli management to increase the revenu from the lines have failed, and for th time being have only added to the ac cumulated losses. KALI 7 OR. ROAD. The “Dominion” this morning, ii reviewing the situation does not'accep the’view. o>f the responsible Minister t< the effect that tlie decline in the rail way business is due to the prevadiuf depression and the restriction of irn ports. It rather holds to tbe 1 view o the Transport Department which lia just reported that the actual volume of transport business' is increasing

“If that really is the ease,” it says quite logically, “it means that the roads have annexed business which tin der a more favourable tariff might have gone to swell the railway revenue. . . . The fact, that people seem to le managing more without the railways leaves the ultimate result a matter of deduction, as the department may reason for itself from the increasing popularity of its own buses.” It is a wonder indeed that the railway authorities long before this have not reached a solution of the .difficulties that are besetting them and perplexing the public. The men ns seem; plain enough.

LADY SWIMMERS

Miss Lily Coppiestpne, .who swam the Wellington Harbour . yesterday from the Ferry Wharf to. Day’s Bay, covering some seven or. eight miles of ,roug*i sea, quite eclipsed the performance or Miss Mercedes Glejtze', of two or.three weeks ago.. No doubt if 4 Miss Glcitze bad been anxious to put up. a speed record she could ha ve taken a. large slice off her time and probably have set Miss Copplestone a much hander task., She had the advantage ofi a smooth sea, a pleasant temperature ..and an. inspiring escort. But as the- twovefforts stand Miss Copplestowe’s was easily the more impressive. The ..NSW Zealand girl just, previously.had put up big performances at Tauranga and on the Waikato river • but she obviously was none the worse for these efforts-'and -hi the lace of .if really’ turbulent ■ spa- yesterday seemed never to be worried by Its vagaries. No one wants to see either or these -ladies swimming- Cook Strait. That is a man’s job. RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION.

The Waimea County Council and the Nelson City Council, representing the good folk whose ancient city has been so improperly styled “Sleepy Hollow,” are appealing to the shadow of Sir Joseph Ward to insist upon the western branch of the South Island Trunk Jail way being completed forthwith. It is quite true that before the alarming earthquake of a year or two ago and before Sir Joseph’s deplorable illness the late leader of the first United Government stood committed to the completion of, this work. But many things have happened since then—including Sir Joseph Wards death and the strait-, ened financial condition of the Empire —and it is unreasonable, as well as unappropriate, to call upon the present Government in such circumstances of saddle the community with the cost'of a work which for many years- would prove unremunerative. On consideration the people of Nelson will thinkmore rationally on, this- subject, and will be content to wait for more appropriate times.