NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 May 1939, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS

REVENUE FOR PAST YEAR. A RECORD ESTABLISHED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, April 30. The total revenue earned by the railways in the financial year ended March 31 reached the record figure of £9,345,388, according to details released by the Minister of Railways, Mr Sullivan, on Saturday. The net earnings amounted to £701,064 and the gross revenue was £9,354,388. “Having in view the decrease of one million in the sheep traffic following tne unfortunate outbreak of facial eczema last year, it is pleasing to see a record gross revenue was earned,” said the minister. “This reflects the general prosperity that prevailed throughout the Dominion during the financial year just concluded. “On the expenditure side there is an increase of £642,935. Of this amount £225,000 was the result of the expansion of existing road services and the operation of additional goods and passenger road services which have been acquired during the year. Thirtyeight thousand pounds was because of additional business at the department’s refreshment rooms and bookstalls. Concessions to the staff increased expenditure by approximately. £160,000. Coal costs increased by £43,000, of which £20,000 is the result of increased prices and £23,000 of increased consumption consequent on additional engine miles. “Approximately 400,000 additional train miles were run during the year and this, together with an extraordinany expenditure of some £60,000 in repairing the line between Napier and Putorino which was serious damaged by flood in April, 1938, accounts for the balance of/increased expenditure. “The net results obtained for the year, with the increase in fares and freight charges operating for 16 weeks only, are very satisfactory and there are indications that the net return for the current year will show an improvement on the figures for the financial year just closed.”