D.—2

VII

Revenue. The income in respect of railway operation under the main headings and the percentage under each heading to total income compared with the previous two years are as follow : —

The passenger earnings for the year have decreased by 6-06 per cent, as compared with the previous year, while the goods earnings have increased by 1-20 per cent. The operating earnings per average open mile and per train-mile are as follow : — Per Average Per Mile open. Train-mile. £ d. 1929-30 ■.. .. .. ..2,274 149-21 1928-29 .. .. .. ..2,312 162-50 1927-28 .. .. .. ..2,310 162-62 The railway operating receipts (exclusive of subsidiary services) from the North and South Island Main Lines and Branches shown separately are as follow : —

The operating earnings for the North and South Island Main Lines and Branches separately per average open mile and per train-mile are as follow : —

The principal factors contributing to the increased deficit of £422,285, which is apart from the increase brought about as a result of the altered financial policy, are as follow:— There is a heavy decrease in the passenger traffic amounting to £130,000 due to— (1) There being practically no Easter traffic included in the 1929-30 figures, whereas there was the greater part of two Easters in the 1928-29 figures. This factor alone accounts for approximately £107,000. (2) The balance of the decrease on account of passenger traffic (£23,000) must, I think, bo principally ascribed to the diversion of traffic to the road. The_ position in regard to commercial competition by road has been watched during the year, and the indications are that it has not grown to any material extent. The increasing diversion of the passenger traffic must, I think, be ascribed to the increasing use of private motor-cars. The registrations of motor-cars for 1929-30 were 148,090, as compared with 130,556 for the previous year, being an increase of 17,534. The effect of such an increase in the number of motor-cars is inevitable.

I Per Cent, of J j Per Cent, of | Per Cent, of 1929-30. Operating j 1928-29. i Operating 1927-28. Operating Revenue. |j | Revenue, jj j Revenue. £ ' £ £ Passengers, ordinary .. 1,733,512 23-19 1,868,048 24-82 1,886,833 25-69 Season tickets .. .. 262,415 3-51 256,699 3-41 258,463 3-52 Parcels, luggage, and mails 386,792 5-18 378,141 5-05 379,933 5-17 Goods.. .. .. 4,904,324 65-62 4,846,125 64-40 4,680,135 63-73 Labour, demurrage, &c. .. 186,950 2-50 175,851 2-34 138,481 1-89 7,473,993 100-00 7,524,864 100-00 7,343,845 100-00

North Island Main Line and Branches. South Island Main Line and Branches. 1929-30. 1928-29. 1927-28. 1929-30. 1928-29. 1927-28. £ £ £ £ £ £ Passengers, ordinary .. 1,110,392 1,195,259 1,213,778 602,190 644,118 645,488 Season tickets .. 174,781 171,034 172,816 83,430 81,478 81,055 Parcels, luggage, and mails 249,955 241,009 239,667 128,359 128,486 131,938 Goods .. .. 2,685,577 2,721,384 2,625,540 2,026,066 1,938,634 1,869,774 Labour, demurrage, &c... 91,493 93,300 69,400 80,263 69,389 56,643 4,312,198 4,421,986 4,321,201 2,920,308 2,862,105 2,784,898 _ I

North Island Main Line and Branches, j South Island Main Line and Branches. Year. : ; j . Per .Average Mile Per Train . mile . Per Average Mile ! Per Train . mile . £ d. £ d. 1929-30 .. .. 3,052 144-53 1,794 154-23 1928-29 .. .. 3,202 158-27 1,760 167-72 1927-28 .. .. 3,289 160-05 1,721 165-05