THE RAILWAY RETURNS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume I, Issue 61, 28 March 1879, Page 3

THE RAILWAY RET URNS.

The Evening Post, in a recent loader on the railway traffic returns for the f onr weeks ended February 8, says: — "It is highly gratifying to see that the Wellington and Masterton Saiiway stands a long way at the head of all the main lines in respect of * profitableness, the receipts being at the rate of -£776 per mile annually. . . .No other lines approach these (Wellington and Christchurch), in regard to their paying qualities. . . . The Wanganui and Napier lines, too, have a small per centage of working expenses, which arc only 60 in each case ; but as against this, the receipts are comparatively small, being at the rate of £435 per mile per annum on the Napier line, and £371 for Wanganui." We are in x the present instance compelled to join issue with our contemporary, and hope to show that his comparison, as regards the Wan-gaoui-Foxton line at least, is incorrect, as we hold. the' published- returns prove the local railway to have paid the best during the four; weeks referred to. In looking at . the returns per mile, the length of the lines must be. remembered, . The following are tty fifcu^B :-? \ '. .• ' ( Wellington . . . . 45 miles Wanganui-Foxton .. 80 miles It will be seen, therefore, that the income being, as it were, spread over so large a < tract pi sparsely-populated country, causes the amount per mile to appear smaller for Wanganuj than for Wellington. But; an-* other column of the comparative return our contemporary omits to notice. We mean the expenditure per mile. Whilst he shown ' the greater income of Wellington, he should also have shown the greater expenditure. Ite relative amounts are as follow : — : ikcohb tek Mile. Wellington -£776 0 4 Wanganui-Foxton ... 371 12 4 EXPENDITURE FEB MILE. Wellington .. .. £-320 10 0 | Wanganui-Foxton .. 245 7 4 But on glancing at the total receipts and expenditure for the current year to date, we find that the Wanganui-Foxton line is actually ahead of Wellington, the figures being a* follow :— . RECEIPTS. EXPBNniTDBE. Wanganui £19,667 £12,985 Wellington -17,430 11,691 Thus a clear balance of nearly a thousand pounds is seen to stand in favor of our line. The real test of the " paying qualities " our contemporary refers to, is in the column headed " percentage of expenditure to receipts." The Qreymouth line stands first* Thia is a.shprt railway of 8 miles, oarrying a large quantity of coal to the wharves for shipment, and the percentage upon it is 55*36. For tiie purposes of comparison, the Greyjnonth line may fairly be omitted, being exceptional. We then find that the Wanganui-Foxton line holds the premier position, the "percentage of. expenditure to receipts," being 66*03; next comes Napier, 66"88jf whilst W^lington follows with 67*07. ; THy-emai^der are as.follows : Chmtohurcbanff-I^y^ttorgili, 7008; Auckland, 83-12 ; Nelson; WII ; Ne-v Plymouth, 90-84 ; Picton, 94-13 ; Kaipara, 96-98. The Westport line is worked at a positive loss, the percentage being 126*6 C. _ We think we may congratulate our district upon the excellent manner in which the local line is paying. Considering the fact that it is 86 miles in length, a percentage of 66-03 ma dicates not only present economy in tho management, but also the vast returns the Government will in the future receive when ths resources of our magnificent district are fully opened up. -I The following are the particulars of tne traffic on the Wan-ganui-Foxton line for the four weeks ending February- 8 :— Passengers, 10,3 1 8. ; goods. 3,054 tons ; horses, 10 ; sheep, pigs, . &Q.i W^re— Passenger. , parcels, 4^!, £1,553; goods and live stock, £1,318; Foxton wharf dues, 482. Total, £2953.