OTIRA TUNNEL.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19892, 1 April 1930, Page 18

OTIRA TUNNEL.

"YEAR'S GOODS TRAFFIC.

A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE.

"IA. compilation, from .the monthly totals furnished by the Bailway Department, giving the tonnage of goodß trains running through the Otira tunnel from Westland to Canterbury, of the aggregate traffic for the year ending yesterday reveals one or two interesting facts. By comparison with the twelve months preceding, for instance, the total shows an increase of 65,468 tons. A further proof that the.traffic is growing month by month., is - given by a comparison with the; figures for the year 1929, when the aggregate was 579,316 tons. Outshadowing all other factors in producing .such remunerative returns, for the' Department was the mining deadlock in New South Wales, which caused a welcome flow, of orders for West Coast coal, not only from consumers in the rest of the South, Island, who had hitherto .used imported coal, but from the Commonwealth itself. The latter orders,, of course, were shipped from Qreymouth, but the others made a difference of many thousands of tons_ in the goods traffic on the Midland line. The earthquake on June, 17th, caused damage to the line, and industrial trouble at Blackball was also responsible forv reducing-the total tonnage. Washouts in January of this year interrupted traffic for three days, and the Dobson colliery,, which has been producing as much- coal as any mine on the West Coast in -recent months, has been idle for several days. A factor which has compensated for this loss of freight to the. Railway Department has been the . state, of .. the Grey bar, which has compelled many consignors to use the railways instead of shipping. All Records Broken. In many respects 1929 was a record y ear —it furnished the highest aggregate for the full period, for a single month, for a week, and for a day. The heaviest month was August with 63,579 tons, the heaviest week that ending December 14th, with 16,298 tons, and the best day, December 12th with 3057 tons. Ten trains were necessary to convey the goods offering on February Ist, 1930, when the total tonnage was 2761, and the same number on February sth (2763 tons). March 7th showed the best return for one day to date for 1930, the total being 2775 tons. Nine trains were required four days in March. The following figures' supply a comparison of the traffic for the twelve months up to the end of the financial year, with the preceding corresponding

period:— ' . ' - ; 1928-29 1929-30. Tons. Tons. April ":■.'.. 87^341 43,616 ,May ..'..." 48,286 56,279 v Jtrab .' _, ;,>:, ..56,325 42,648 July ' • . ..; 51,047 58,659 August .. -49,546 63,579 .September'' .. 55,536 52,861 October .. 44,110 47,553 .November .. 49,360 47,524 'December ; v. 40,603 44,476 January \ , .. 40,329 43,777 February .. 43,199 53,402 March,. .. 38,593 55,269 ,:.;, -'Sfctalt S44J.75 609,04$