51

D.—4

Little River Branch. (Distance, 22 miles 13 chains.) The operating revenue and expenditure per mile for this branch for the past four years was : —

The operating revenue and expenditure for the whole branch for last year was as follows : Branch revenue, £9,381 ; feeder value, £371 ; total revenue, £9,752 ; working-expenses, £15,536 ; interest, £5,106 : total loss, £10,890. The passenger traffic, which is maintained by an electric rail-car, averages about twenty-four per trip, including school-children, and, unless there is a marked improvement, your Commission recommends discontinuing the passenger service, also that the goods-train at present running daily be run on three days per week only. It is estimated that the reduced train service will effect a saving of £1,200 per annum. Southbridge Branch : Hornby to Southbridge. (Distance, 25 miles 39 chains.) The operating revenue and expenditure per mile for this Branch for the past four years was : —

The operating revenue and expenditure for the whole branch for last year was as follows : Branch revenue, £22,422 ; feeder value, £1,550 ; total revenue, £23,972 ; working-expenses, £23,393 ; interest, £5,148 : total loss, £4,569. If the locomotive depot at Southbridge cannot be closed the only saving that can be made on this branch is by cutting out mixed trains and running goods-trains in lieu thereof, saving about £900 per annum. Your Commission recommends that this be done. Whitecliffs Branch: Darfield-Whitecliffs. (Distance, 11 miles 41 chains.) The operating revenue and expenditure per mile for this branch for the past four years was : —

The operating revenue and expenditure for the whole of the branch for last year was as follows : Branch revenue, £2,424 ; feeder value, £l ,034 ; total revenue, £3,456 ; working-expenses, £4,389 ; interest, £1,116 : total loss, £2,049. Goods traffic only is worked on this branch. The passenger traffic is catered for by a railway bus service, which your Commission has recommended be discontinued. The only economy which can be effected on this line is a slight saving in maintenance costs, 4*

Year. „ Branoh feeder j 1? Total ! Working- Jnt Total Loss. Kevenue. Value. | Kevenue. I expenses. | I 1 _ £ £ £ £ £ £ 1927 .. .. 462 21 483 690 216 423 1928 .. .. 422 17 439 713 218 492 1929 .. .. 413 18 431 709 219 497 1930 .. .. 408 16 424 675 222 473

Branch. Feeder Total Working- T , . „ , Year. D tt i r> Interest. Total Loss. Revenue. Value. Kevenue. expenses. £ £ £ £ £ £ 1927 .. .. 945 81 1,026 902 205 81 1928 .. .. 884 75 959 788 188 17 1929 .. .. 917 78 995 894 189 88 1930 .. .. 862 60 922 899 198 175

Vpnr Branch Feeder Total Working- Tnteres t Total T J. vdl ■ I k TT 1 a % .1 II tui CO L* X Ulcii XiUoHa Revenue. Value. Kevenue. expenses. £ £ £ £ £ £ 1927 .. .. 323 156 479 470 97 1 88 1928 .. .. 306 131 437 j 693 93 1 349 1929 .. .. 256 122 379 348 95 64 1930 .. .. 202 86 288 365 93 170