THE ZONE SYSTEM OF RAILWAYS.

Bush Advocate, Volume VII, Issue 648, 12 July 1892, Page 3

THE ZONE SYSTEM OF RAILWAYS.

« •Reference is made in the Kail- , way Commissioners' annual report to the zone system, of whiah the Commissioners say : — Touching the question of the Hungarian zone system, referred to in the list annual report it was there pointed out that the advantage which has accompanied the zone system — viz., tho great reduction in fares —was independent of it. In reply to enquiries from, the Government in November wo drew attention to some particulars mentioned by tbe Minister of Finance in Buda-Pesth showing that the Hungarian State railways during the first six months of 1891 showed a deficiency as compared with tho corresponding period of 1890, chiefly due to the great increase in expenses of workiug. The Hungarian authorities havo during tho current year jmblishod an official report on the result of the zone tariff, of which we have received a copy from the Ageut - General. It deals chiefly with a . comparison between the working results of the year 1883 and 1890, and is expressive of satisfaction with the results of the system, but it does not give tho more recent experiences with regard to expenditure referred to "by the Hungarian Finance Minister. It is yet premature to expect to got data from which final conclusions can bo drawn as to tho working of the system of fares in such a country as Hungaiy, where the hours of labour and pay of unskilled workers are suoh that the rate of wages is not ono-fourth of what ifc is hore. Moreover, Hungury, with its population of 17 millions, Lad only about one passenger journey per head of population per annum on the State railway under the zono tariff in 1890, while, computing upon the same basis, in New Zealand thero were more than eight passenger journeys per head of the population per annum in 1892; so that tho Now Zealand traffic is, relatively, very far. in advance. It should, however, be remarked that a very large number of the New Zealand suburban passengers aro carried at lower fares than tbo Hungarian zone tariff gives to Hungarj'. However, as only a' part of tbe Austrian empire is contiguous to other thickly populated countries, and Buda Pesth, the chief city, with over 300,000 people, is only about ISO milea from Vienna with nearly 900,000, the results in Hungary under these circumstancos could be no guide for New Zealand. On the Hungarian railways, comparing 1888 with 1890, the nnmber of passenger journeys increased by over 11 millions, but more than 10 millions of the increase' fell within the zone — 15| miles. Tho great reduction in fares between tbe first and fourteenth zone (15£- miles and 140 miles) produces very little augmentation in traffic Tho ohief effect over theee distances was to transfer the passengers from tho slow trains to the fast trains. Evidently the economy gained by travelling in, -cheaper and slower trains- was not valued. Tbe effect of the lower fares has thus turned out to be different to what was expected. .