BRANCH LINES

Hokitika Guardian, 1 February 1932, Page 3

BRANCH LINES

DECISION POSTPONED. WELLINGTON, January 29. The Railway Board at its recent meeting decided to postpone its final decision on the fate of a number of branch railways which have been working at a serious loss. The board is anxioils to give the people of the districts concerned a full opportunity of demonstrating their belief in the value of railway communication, and they are to have until March 31 to show that they can provide sufficient patronage to warrant keeping tile lines open for traffic. All the districts concerned have been canvassed by representatives of the department, and the issue placed clearly before the residents. The board is not insistent on full cost being paid. Interest 1 on the capital investment has to be met whether the lines are working or not, but it is possible to avoid further losses. If interest charges are included, the loss on branch lines and isolated sections for the last complete y r ear was the West Coast for killing at the freezwliicli the lines are now being watched, that of operative losses, the deficiency in the same period was £203,604, while the isolated sections—Kaihu, Gisborne, Nelson and Picton —showed a working loss totalling £39,131. Since the close of the .vear further working economies have been effected, so that b.v a little additional effort to bring traffic to the railway, there is a, prospect of some, of these lines remaining in operation.