THE Kaipara Advertiser, AND WAITEMATA CHRONICLE. WEDNESDAY, NOV. 29, 1911.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 29 November 1911, Page 2

THE Kaipara Advertiser, AND WAITEMATA CHRONICLE. WEDNESDAY, NOV. 29, 1911.

OUR RAILWAYS. In face of the magnitude of railway operations to-day it is difficult to realise that po little time ago as the brief term of man's allotted span of life t!--•>• steam-propelled vehicle v.-as only just ■enieriring from the experimentol f^tnge. indeed it may be said t]iat tlffrsmaiu linir, of importance in England—tiTO home ol the railway—was opened about the time New Zealand became a recognised colony of Britain. New Zealand's railway system dates from 1893, when a portion of the Ckrist-cliurcli-Lyttelton Hue was opened for traffic. Its growth since then lias been one of ihe main indices of the marvellous progressive spirit animating the directors of the country'b destines. In tho fn'st ten years ouly -16 miles of railway were brought into operation. In 1870, however, construction began to be pushed ahead, and the next six years saw 718 miles of line

opened. Since the purchase of the Wellington-Manawatu line three years ago by the Government the whole of the railways of New Zealand (except a few miles used for special purposes) are in the hands of the State.

In 1809-91 there were 1042 miles of line being worked. Since then the North Island Main Trunk Railway has linked up Wellington and Auckland, work on the Midland and other trunk lines has gone steadily on, and to 'day there are 2761 miles of railway open for traffic. The capital cost of the railways now in operation in Now Zealand, including plant and steamers on Lake Wakatipu, which form part of the sysieni is £29,606540. Lines in course of construction account for an additional £1,903,4.14, making a total of £31,509,960. In the financial year 1910-11 the hett revenue wis £1,190, 910, equal to a return of 4.06 per cent on the capital invested in the open lines, and 3.73 on the total amount sunk in open and unfinished lines. In 1890-97 thenett revenue was £420,998 or £2 18s lid per cent, on the capital cost. Better services and cheaper fares and freights have brought about tnese results.

Some idea of the increase in volume of traffic dealt with duricg the period under review may be gained from the following figures :

1890-91, Train, miles run 2,894,776, No. of passengers 3,433,629, Season tickets issued 13,881, Goods and live stock carried, 2,134,038 tons.

1901-11, Train miles run, 8,141,075, No. of passengers 11,200,6)3, Season, tickets issued 222,104, Goods and live sock carried 5,863,674.