RAILWAY FINANCE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 259, 25 July 1908, Page 13

RAILWAY FINANCE.

. 9 NORTH V. SOUTH. • INTERESTING COMPARISONS. tBT TSLEGEATH. —SPECIAL COEBESFONDIHT.J ■ ■ ■ Auckland, July, 24. ; Mr. S. A. Vaile-is determined not to. let railway matters rest. At yesterday's quarterly meeting of the Chamber of Commerce Council he proposed tjie following motions:— That' tho time has ! arrived when in the interests, not only of tho North Island, but of the whole Dominion, tho various Northern; provincial districts should unite in demanding from the Government more just and equal treatment in the matter of railway transit facilities.: ' That .with a view to effecting this object this Chamber communicate with all the other Chambers of Commerce and railway leagues of the North Island -and ask their special attention to the following matters:— ■ - (a). That according to the census of 1906 the population of the North Island'of this Dominion was then greater than that of the South-Island by 107,592' persons; its import and export trade was greater by £6,000,218 ; its inward foreign-shipping trade was 452 vessels, 625,314 tons, and 17,561 men more than in the South Island, and in coastal shipping the North; had 8695 vessels, 817,791 tons, r and 100,552 men more than the South Island; in 1906 the North Island paid 60.79 per cent, of the, Customs revenue.... . ,

(b) That according to the railway report of March 31 last, during the year 1907-8 every , mile of; open railway, in the North Island yielded an average of £436 10s. of what the Government calls net revenue, while in the South every mile contributed only. £276 10s. i (c) That on the 953 miles of working railway in the North Island passenger traffic during the, two years 1906-7 and 1907-8 increased 683,377 fares; live stock, parcels, etc.,increased 392,491 tons. (d) That on the 1521 miles in the South Island during tho same two years) the increase in passenger traffic was only 246,959, live stock, parcels, etc., 29,432 tons, and goods 200,622 tons. ' (e) That during 1907 passenger traffic in the South Island actually decreased 177,725. fares,-live stock, parcels,' etc., tonnage decreased 5205 tons, and goods tonnage 22,484 tons, '" ' ' (f) To deal with the rapidly inoreasmg business of the North Island, the Government added to its rolling stock during the two: years eight locomotives, 26 passenger cars, 140 waggons, etc., and 300 tarpaulins. ; (g) To deal with the rapidly , decreasing trado of the South Island, the Government added to its rolling stock four locomotives, ten passenger cars, ' 304 waggons, and 125 tarpaulins. ' 1 . ' (h) That we wish to direct particular attention to the differential rating so long enforced against the North Island, and' in the' supposed; interests of Canterbury and Otago. In 1907 the averago ehargo for the transit of a tori of goods on the' Auckland section was 9s. 2d., on the Wellington, Napier,, and Taranaki section lis. lsd.,- and on'the Hurunui-Bluff ; section only 6s. 10d.. . • (i) That £3,978,242 more money has been spent in the South Island. ' f )■■■'■ (j) That 'with a view to putting a stop to tho shameful waste that is g6ing on and placing things on a, fairer and more businesslike basis, the North Island districts unite in demanding ' that of all future loans at least 80 per cent, shall be'spent in the North Island until both aTo placed more on an . equality as 'regards railway ;transifc facilities! V Mr; Vaile dosired that a speoial meeting of the-Chamber should be held in a month's time to consider, the whole position. The matter was referred to tho committee to' fix a date for a'special meeting.' .: