RIVAL TO RAILWAYS.

Auckland Star, 2 January 1931, Page 2

RIVAL TO RAILWAYS.

CAR TO EVERY TEN PERSONS.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)'

WELLINGTON, this day.

The steady decline in railwuy receipts recently announced is due principally to a factor which low prices for primary products will not explain away.\ Figures available from the Department of Transport show how substantial is th'e. business conducted by road vehicles in competition against the rail. The private car, giving tremendously improved travel facilities, has developed the "travel habit," but the gain has not gone railways, because there is a car to every ten persons in New Zealand to-day,' compared with one to every 17 in the ye&r 1925. " \ Motor trucks in 1925 were estimated to be giving a freight service equal to" 48,000,000 ton miles per annum. The same enumeration to-day places the ton-mile factor at over 200,000,000 miles. Service cars on the long distance routes are not serious competitors of the rail on a price basis, but their elasticity in providing convenient transport has given them the advantage. Motor transport services on defined- routes in the North Island employ 776 cars, while those of the South Island utilis§x3oß cars.