RAILWAY EARNINGS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3161, 13 April 1909, Page 7

RAILWAY EARNINGS.

SOME STRIKING FIGURES. Comparisons between the revenue earned by the New Zealand railways in the South Island and the North Island from the beginning of the year show a most striking increase in the earnings of the Northern lines. The returns from the Main Trunk line are now commencing to make themselves felt in the general balance, and for January and February the North Island railway revenue was in excess of that of the South Island, although there is a greater mileage open for traffic in the South. Taking the figures for the four-weekly periods ended January 30, 1909, and February 1, 1908, the table is as follows: — ,« 1908. Mites open for traffic. Revenue. North Island 953 £113,288 South Island 1,521 £121,197 1909. North Island 1,101 £123,512 South Island 1,542 £117,826 ..Thus, it will be seen, the North Island revenue increased by £10,244 and the South Island revenue decreased by £3,371. Taking now the figures for the four-weekly periods up to the end of February in each year the comparisons are even more striking: 3908. ~" Miles open" for traffic. Revenue. 'North Island 953 £114,974 South Island 1,521 £130,412 1909. Northftlsland: 1,132 £136,151 Southflsland 1,524 £127,664 "* These returns show that the North Island revenue, comparing February in each year, increased by £21,177, while the South Island revenue decreased by £2,748. Taking the January and February periods together the North Island returns show an increase of £31,424 and the South Inland returns a total decrease of £6,119. Of course some of the increase in the North Island is due to the greater mileage now open, 1,132 miles as compared with 953; but on the other hand, the South Island revenue shows a heavy decrease while the mileage has been increased from 1,521 to 1,542. Moreover, the mileage in the South is greater by 410 miles than in the North, and yet the total revenue earned by the Northern lines exceeds that of the South. The argument in favour of a vigorous railway construction policy in the North Island, where there are such large tract of country as yet untouched by railways, needs no more convincing proof in its favour than these figures. The expenditure on the open lines for January, 1908, was £71.938 in the North island, and £85,31S in the South, while for January, 1909, the North Island figures were £79,877 and the South Island £79,744. The eKcess of revenue over expenditure for Januaiy, 1909, was thus £43,635 in the North Island and £38,082 in the South Island. For February, 1908, the expenditure was £74.098 in the North Island and £91,715 in the South Island, or an excess of revenue over expenditure of £40,876 in the North Island and £38,697 in the South Island. For February of this year the excess of revenue over expenditure totals £49,144 in the North Island and £44,902 in the South Island, the expenditure being £87,007 in the North Island and £82,762 in the South. The returnes prove conclusively that the North Island is yielding by far the largest revenue per mile of line, and yet, taken over all lines, the South Island services are infinitely better and the rolling stock superior to those of the North Island.