VII

P.—2

eel -In re m e t. lme °™ conchm %> g° ods > and miscellaneous traffic showed increases aggregating tio'o '!; revenue from the North Island lines increased by £128,680, of which sum ±1*2,104 was trom the North Island mam lines and branches, the balance being from the smaller sections. b The receipts per train-mile from the North Island main lines and branches decreased by I i P i e i train " ml ! e ln . B TOSS receipts, the returns being Bs. Id. per train-mile for 1914 against 2s' 7 30d P ldSne™f2-46d 1913 ' Wl " 1C ** train ' mile was 2s - 4 " 84 - gainst t In']/ 1 ' 6 Sl ' Uth main Une and branches th e gross receipts per train-mile were 9s Id for 1914, against 0 8 . 2jd for 1913, a decrease of l-75d. The net return per train-mile was 484 d., against 2s. 9"59 d. for the preceding year, a decrease of 4"75 d. For all lines the gross receipts per train-mile were Bs. Bd. against Bs. 9id. for 1913 a decline or rood, per tram-mile. The net earnings per mile of railway decreased to the extent of £38 per mile for the average number of miles open for traffic, the return for 1914 being .£4OB, as against ,£446 for the pre?f- re TT £1 > m ' f m > IT 6 a retUrn Of 3 6 1 P er -»*• ™ capital (±,52,Jd0,087) invested in the lines open for traffic. The earnings of the Lake Wakatipu steamers amounted to £6,790, a decrease of £231 on the previous year's business. ' ' Having regard to the paralysing effect the unfortunate labour crisis had on the trade of the Dominion, and the consequences arising out of the very unforeseen circumstances that occurred during the yea,-, the revenue derived from the railways can only be regarded as satisfactory Expenditure . The expenditure for the year, including £7,046 representing cost of working Lake Wakatipu steamers, amounted to £2,880,323, an increase of £174,714. The ratio of expenditure to SaTpTceTt 8 Per Cent ' aßainSt 68 1 3 Pc, " ° ent - f ° r thG Precedin £ ?™'> ""advance of Expenditure. Per Cent, of Revenue. 1913-14. 1912-13. 1913-14. 1912-13. Traffic .. 838,222 768*937 20-73 19-40 Locomotive ... 1,154,309 1,059,292 28-55 26-73 Maintenance... ... . ... 763,207 765,860 18-87 19-32 Management... .. ... 113,539 104,902 291 2"64 2 873,277 2,698,991 71-06 68-09 7,046 6,618 0-18 0-04 2,880,323 2,705,609 71-24 6803 The increased expenditure in the Traffic Branch is mainly due to the advances in wases resulting from the increased scale of pay which came into operation on the Ist Aprs 1913 and a so to the increases m the train services and the employment of additional staff as a consequence of the extension of the tablet system, and the hours during which the business of the Department is carried on. The more extended period of the day over which trains are run the heavier the expense of staffing. But for the fact that the train services were materially curtailed as I result of the falling off m traffic due to the strike the expenditure of the Traffic Branch would have been considerably higher than it was; but the net result of working would undoubtedly have been more favourable. In the Locomotive Branch the increased expenditure is due to the advanced in the rates of pay and the prices paid for fuel, stores, and material, the advances in the expendi ture in the Head and Departmental Offices incidental to the inclusion in the Head and Depart" mental Offices of items previously charged to sections, and also to a considerable extent by increases in salaries under the Classification Act. c eXtent b^ The expenditure per mile of railway in the Maintenance Branch amounted to £267 against £271 per mile for the previous year. In this branch there is a decrease of £2 653 on the expend ture for the preceding year. Large numbers of miscellaneous works forming additions to Zt structures, and rolling-stock, costing £38,613, which would be a reasonable 3 nl I ' staff, grade improvements, overbridges, reclamation of land, provision of stock-yards nZ Xrves engine-depots, new tablet stations, improved sanitary arrangements, new district offices add ' tional duplication at Auckland, wharf-extension at Nelson &c In t>,p f offices addi£299,644 was expended in the provision of addition!, rotng-sto k, locomotives with steam heating-gear, Westinghouse brake, pneumatic shops machinery. The total expenditure under additions to open line las £498 045 rt rolling stock in respect to which 'the charges were incurred consists of 22 loTomot vet 80 carriages 1,237 four-wheeled wagons in hand incomplete on the 31st Ma'ch, 191 l Wag ° nS ' T Tir •, HUTT R OAD.