Railways Statement.

Manawatu Herald, 3 August 1899, Page 2

Railways Statement.

The annual' Railways" Statement was presented to Parliament on Tuesday. In it is shown that 2,090 miles are now open for traffic as against 2,055- last year, The excess of revenue over working expenses for 1897-98 was £518,817. The rate of interest earned on the capital cost of the cpen railways (£16,404,076), has been £3.29 per cent. - ■ Additions to rolling-stock and mv provement to the lines has cost £197** 100 during the year. The receipts per train-mile continue very steady at 7s sd. The number of passengers (exclusive of season-ticket holders), who have travelled is 4,955,553, or 283,289 more than last year. x The revenue from passengers ex» ceeds that of last year by £42,123 ; from parcels £5,546 ; and goods, £45,---gBB. The number of train miles run were 3,968,708. ; The Minister says:— There is little inter-commtinication between, the importing centres in New Zealand, and this brings me to a conclusion which has been forced upon me over and over again, that there is a tendency here, as elsewhere, to sacrifice local requirements and ..incur unjustifiable expense in running fast thrpugh services for which our lines were never designed, and which any possible business will not support. With our numerous ports of entry New Zealand railways are forced to live upon the local business procurable, and the ideal train services for this class of business are fast stopping trains equipped with ample power attd a continuous brake. The remarkable expansipn going on in the southern portion of the North Island urgently calls for increased accommodation at New Plymouth, Waitotara, Aramoho, Wangantii, Feilaing, Palmerston North and Mastertdn* In the South Island the contemplated alteration of the main line at Oamam will necessitate the provision of a new through passanger station to replace the existing station. ■-."". My officers advise me th^t in order to put the railways in a position to cope with the increasing business in a proper manner, the equipment x>{ the lines should be added toandimpjrcjved by carrying out the works (enumerated) amounting to two million pounds. The following rate-concessions for year 1899-1900 have been decided upon— viz., 20, per cetififredtietioi* on agricultural prbdtice/4^ percent, on butter and cheese, and 5 per cent, on artificial manures, These concessions involve a sacrifice of revenue amounting to at; least £40,000 for-, the year,r It is also intended to. introduce a new and reduced scale qi rates for' small lots 'of goods of 281 b and upwardviSHfti a view to encouraging by means of low freights the forwarding qf srataU lots of goods. The concessions in freight and fares from Ist January, 1895 to 31st March, 1899/ are *valued approximately at £200,000.