D—2

XVII

The increased revenue from parcels traffic is due to an improvement in parcels traffic generally, together with an increase in the consignments of milk and cream, principally in the Auckland. District. The decline in luggage receipts is a reflection of the falling-off in passenger traffic. Goods and Live-stock. The revenue from goods and live-stock was £4,904,324, an increase of £58,199 as compared with the figures for the year ended 31st March, 1929. A comparison of the total revenue and tonnage of this year's traffic with those of the previous year is as follows : — 1930. 1929. Variation. Per Cent. Revenue .. .. .. £4,904,324 £4,846,125 +£58,199 1-20 Tonnage .. .. .. 7,788,973 7,613,445 +175,528 2-31 A comparison of the tonnage of goods and live-stock carried, together with the revenue from the same, for the past six years is as follows : — Tonnage. xr „, Increase over Previous Year. Year - Tons " Tons. Per Cent. 1930 .. .. .. .. .. 7,788,973 175,528 2-31 1929 .. .. .. .. .. 7,613,445 255,057 3-47 1928 .. .. .. .. .. 7,358,388 49,939 0-68 1927 .. .. .. .. .. 7,308,449 52,307 0-72 1926 .. .. .. .. .. 7,256,142 222,683 3-17 1925 .. .. .. .. .. 7,033,459 107,942 1-56 Revenue. v „ Increase over Previous Year. £ Per Cent. 1930 .. .. .. .. .. 4,904,324 58,199 1-20 ' 1929 .. .. .. .. .. 4,846,125 165,990 3-55 1928 .. .. .. .. .. 4,680,135 83,969 1-83 1927 .. .. .. .. .. 4,596,166 97,006 2-15 1926 .." .. .. .. .. 4,499,160 381,414 9-28 1925 .. .. .. .. .. 4,117,746 168,159 4-25 While the tonnage carried during the past year has increased by 2-31 per cent, the gain has been principally in the low-graded commodities. The principal variations during the year are as follow :—

The decrease in coal traffic in the North Island is due to the flooding of the Hikurangi Mine and to the loss of traffic in coal from the Waikato mines to the Auckland Power Board due to the change-over to hydro-electric power. The increase in the South Island is due to the coal strike in Australia necessitating the use of New Zealand coal for industrial purposes. During the past year the tonnage of imported coal carried was 5,749 tons, a decrease of 54,214 tons compared with the previous year. .

iii—D. 2.

Increases. Decreases. I Tons. | Revenue. ! Tons. Revenue. j NORTH ISLAND. £ £ Potatoes .. .. 1,810 2,122 !| Grain .. .. ; 2,109 | 3,322 Frozen meat .. ., 1,080 i 3,563 jj Fodder .. ..I 1,361 ! 2,094 Butter .. .. 20,978 ; 9,751 j| Cheese .. .. j 8,262 ! 3,805 Agricultural lime .. 18,025 ! 1,667 dec. Wool .. .. 4,634 6,941 Road-metal .. .. 39,107 j 8,552 1 Coal .. .. 45,647 12,380 Benzine .. .. 14,869 29,299 Manures .. .. 56,978 56,912 Cement .. .. 3,019 1,514 SOUTH ISLAND. £ £ Potatoes .. : 2,822 922 Grain .. .. 38,650 | 9,506 Fodder .. .. 2,669 797 Wool .. .. 11,513 8,258 Frozen meat .. 9,511 7,470 Cheese . . 1,707 1,112 Coal .. .. 100,358 45,504 Road-metal .. .. 15,930 1,385 Benzine .. .. 5,977 8,478 Cement .. .. 8,755 4,460 Manures .. .. 25,187 2,163 dec. !