PICTON-BLUFF RAILWAY.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17989, 5 February 1924, Page 5

PICTON-BLUFF RAILWAY.

SOME INTERESTING FIGURES. In connexion with the preparation of statistics showing the necessity for tho completion of the Picton-Bluff railway, Mr W. J. Girling, M.P. for Wairau, lias obtained from the Minister of Internal Affairs a table 'dealing with the passenger traffic between "Wellington and Lyttelton during the past three years. The totals shows that in 1921 98,890 people travelled by the ferry steamers from Lyttolton to Wellington and 100,155 from "Wellington to Lyttelton. In 1922 the figures were' 89,554 and 91,732, and in 1923 they were 93,510 and 93,060. The Marlborough Progress League, on the assumption that 25 per cent, of these passengers would use the railway if it wcro' available, will be able to put it to the Government that an average of about 47,24-4 passengers would use the .railways each year, apart altogether from local traffic. The distance between Picton and Christchurch is 205 miles, and the average faro (first and second class) would be £l6? Bd. The 47,244 passengers would therefore yield a total of £02,992 in fares to the Kailway Department, and this sum alone would pay about 3 1-8 per cent, interest on the £2,000,000 which tho completion of tho lino is estimated to cost. This is, of course,' apart from goods traffic and short-distanee railway fares. The Department's own working basAj is 13s 2d per train mile. At this rate it would cost, roughly, £135 to run each through train on a paying basis between Picton and Christchurch.. On this basis the through passengers alone would pay for about 470 trains a year. A train a day each way means 026 trains a year. This leaves mails, short-distance passengers and goods to pay for the odd 156 trains. These figures are worked out by tho "Marlborough Express."