OUR RAILWAYS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 13 July 1907, Page 6

OUR RAILWAYS.

TUG VI'AK'S WOKK.

A I'r'RK>D OF I'UOSI'EKITY

The l!aihvays Statement has broil presented to Parliament. This shows the earnings. whieli exceeded the es(imato liy in) less than t: 174.C00. and last year's revenue by f27-l.8»«. to be th« highest yel attained in (lie history of Clip, railways iif the eiihrny. The results inav lie summarised thus:

UNIT 1(100 C C '•'amiier- .. 2.021.0011 2,:)4!).71U I'"x|k n.lilnre .. 1.512.152 1.021.2'1it Vet prolit .. CSI2.IIK <.'721.10." Tie- inileii;.'e ef line open for trallie on Mareli 314. I!III7, was 2|.-,« miles, as "'""ipaied with 2100 miles for the previous

The lift revenue, C 812.1 ]S. is ecpia! fo a return el 3.1> per cent. on (lie c;ijiitnl invested on [he open lines, and 3.10 per cent mi il„. Ma! capital ( .e2i1,435.0.15) invested in open and unopened lines. TinKewakattn. section l, :ls a.jraiii failed lo p.iv a !uai ivovkin<r c>:pon-cs, H,,. ,1.-(icit i«':nu' ran.'.

The number of train miles run durim< the ye:ir was |«.i,).r an inoroaso of -111 .SI I miles over the previous year. '"'rca-cd mileage re;iro~cn(s ;uMi--1 1 'nv. tu nu'i't tlw rt'ijiiinMiU'iiii; of llie laziness doin- during Uio year, and has cost CSli.Oiio. The permanent inerease to the (rain service represents 20,37<*> miles per annum. The total number of ordinary passengers earried during the vear was !).ono.7S(i. an increase of loilii. During the year 22: i meinhers el' the |>ernniiient staff resigned, (i!) retired on superannuation ■'l7 died, 08 were dismissed, and 1050 were' enquired.

A vigorous policy lias l,een pursued in connection will, the building "f rolling stock in t !ic railway workshops. This has re "1 1 ■■ 1 in three new four-cylinder balanced-compound tender engines, 00 new ears. 11 bogie ]irake-\Mns, 407 Wa<r-gons-cptal in capacity to 10!)7 ordinary four-wheeled waggons-ami 02,j tarpaulins being added to the stock.

Nearly .100.(100 new sleepers were laid and 30(1.000 yards of ballast used on the tracks.

_ llie cost of maintenance lines, lmildnigs. and other structures has increased trom C540.W1.-, to C 013.500, representinan average expenditure of C2H2.7S per mile of railway, against' C 225.07 for <no previous vonr.

Hie Minister is of opinion that, the nine has arrived when the schedule to the f.'overnnient Tlailwavs Department nissificalion Act should lie reviewed, lie. therefore, proposed during the present se."ion in submit to Parliament proposals for eutltodying the allowances already '/ranted in the schedule to the Act. and for making such other alterations as are necessary to nlace (he, servlVl ■' letter fooling 'in respect to

The estimates of revenue for (lie vear ending March 31st. 100s. is C2.5a0.0nn, anil tile expenditure Cl.R3o.oftO,