RAILWAY TRAFFIC

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18924, 12 February 1927, Page 14

RAILWAY TRAFFIC

NINE MONTHS' FIGURES. OVER A MILLION PASSENGERS LESS. {TOT TBBBB Bp*clil Itrrles.] WELLINGTON, February 11. Aoproximately nine months' figures for the current financial year disclose that the number of passengers earned on the railways since April Ist last is over a million less than the number carried in the corresponding period in 1925-26. With the exception of timber satisfactory increases are shown in the number of cattle, sheep, and nigs, and of other goods transported. The period taken officially for purposes of comparison is April Ist, 1926, to January Bth, 1927, 283 days. llw comparative figures for the corresponding period of the previous year cover Passengers carried during tho 192C--27 period totalled 7,656,339, as against 8,719,489 during the shorter period in the previous year. The decrease of 1,063,130 comprised 174,570 first-class passengers and 011,794 second-class passengers. Season tickets were sold up to January Bth last to the number of 438,357, 5659 less than in 1926. The increase in the number of cattle carried was 678,020, and in goods 93,432 tons, and the timber tonnage was 72,084 tons less. The working account shows a decline in the profit on tho railways during the 1926 jieriod, as compared with 1925, amounting to about £50,000. The revenue actually increased from £5,783,686 in tho 1925 period to £5,936.099 in 1926, while expenditure also increased from £4,787,019 to £4,988.490. The profits were thus £947,509 and £996,667 for tho 1926 and 1925 periods respectively, a falling off of £49,158. With a view to co-ordinating the operations of the commercial activities or the Department a conference of the business agents of the Railway Department -was opened to-day by th«» Acting Minister for Railways (the Hon. Mr Rollcston).