THE RAILWAYS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 7 April 1926, Page 12

THE RAILWAYS.

TRAFFIC AND REVENUE. 'The figures of Ira flic- and revenue oil the r:’.ih>n\s -ire now Known Up to the last dav iu.it one) of . eoniary. ’That IS to sa.v. only one moinn ol inu Ininnrial vear is missing; and tin: known eleven months include the Christ-inas-New Year peak period or railways Dullness. ’The ng-ures to hand are Therefore good data from which to judge tins year as a who e. The revenue lor the eleven months (approximately) totals .27,237,050 7s. ad, as compared with .20,428,221. 14s Id for the ronespomlitig period of last, linaueial year. 'The expenditure ligmes arc £5,808,420 Is Od for 1925-20, and £5,004.-102 13s Oil for last year. For 1925-20 the e.'ioonditiirc is 80.25 per rent, of revenue; lor last year, 78.73. 'The comparative statement or tralhe show's incicn.NCs in 1925-20 for all freights—for all goods and live stock. In every section there was an increase in the quantity earned. Hat on tne passengers side tlioio is a decrease in !be number earned, and this deeit-aso is under all heads except season tickets, whic h sho.v an encouraging increase of 01.570 (511,281 —182,711). The passengers' total is shown at J.U,795.040 for the current eleven months against 1 1.505.910 for the corresponding period of last year, a dccrsa.se ol 710.870. The imnroreiuent in volume of goods carried seems to indicate, that the new commercial policy, of tha Department of Railways lias won hack from freight motor.- some of the goods, but that motor-buses and ears are still taking away railway passengers, though the increase m season tickets suggests renewed support from suburban residents, and these arc the people- for whom the motor-bus largely - eaters. 'The figures, ot course, .have to be read with due allowance lor the increase of nopuution ui>d settlement.