Railway Finances.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 17022, 20 December 1920, Page 6

Railway Finances.

The current "Gazette" contains the railway traffic returns lor the iuur weeks ended November 13th, U:e il'venue, -.vas £'030,(54G, and tho expenditure £-138,806 —the net balance being £91,8i0. For tho corresponding period last year the revenue was £427,7 '99, ;:>id the expenditure £327,727. leaving a net balance of £100,0<2. This means : that the increase in expenditure has; been rather greater than the increasej in tho revenue. ''For the period April Ist to November I.7th, "the net return was £<j2G,SSG. For the corresponding period last year it was £823,120. We do not seo how the leeway can be madev up in the- remaining portion of the; year. A curious feature of the returns ; appears in the particulars of passenger traffic. On tho North Island main lines and branches the number of passengers during the four weeks increased from 553,225 last year to 039,095 this year —an increase of 151 per cent. Hie receipts from, passenger traffic increased, however, by only 15 per cent. Qn the South Island main lines and branches the passenger traffic ■ increased by 20.6 £er cent., but the receipts from; this traffic increased t)y only 12.(> per , cent. Tt is not as if a larger proportion of tho public was travelling secondclass. On the contrary, the number of first-class tickets issued on tho southern main section was a larger percentage of the total this year than it itas last year. As the fares were increased this year, wo cannot understand this. ■■ I