The Dominion. FRIDAY, JULY 9, 1909. RAILWAYS NORTH AND SOUTH.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 555, 9 July 1909, Page 6

The Dominion. FRIDAY, JULY 9, 1909. RAILWAYS NORTH AND SOUTH.

So much concern has been created in the South by our exposure of tho extent to which the North Island .railway lines 'are made to make up the deficiencies of the South Island lines that the Minis-, terialist journal in Christchurch has been driven into 'making an attempt to refrrosent the position as being quite otherwise. It actually insinuates that tlie little table which wo havo several times reproduced in our articles is false. Here was our first tabic, tho capital coat boing in this case tho total capital cost of unopened as well as opened lines on March 31, 1908 (the latest dato for which complete figures were then available): ' Capital Net Porecntago Cost. Revenue, to capital. £ - £ North ... 11,378,410 416,000 3.63 South ... 15,351,691 396,179 2.68 But tho proper method of presenting results must bo in a table which shows a year's working on a capital coat which is the actual cost of tho opened linos, and we have accordingly been printing this table to , show the results in 1907-8:

Capital "" Net Porfcntagio Cost. Ucvcnuo. to capital. JS £ North ... . 9,713,n31. . 410,000 ■ 4.28 South ...' 14,587,905 390,170 2.71 Wo arc now told that The Dominion has "ventured ... to adjust tho flgurce to suit its own argumeotti" and ■ that

"this is a very old trick." To give colour 'to its insinuation, the southern journal quotas: the capitaf cost of tho opened lines at the present moment, putting it down at ■'£12,744,754 for the North Island and £14,045,709 for the South Island. Tlie public is used to these tactics on the part of a section of the ■Ministerialist press, but, oven so, it will certainly feel a little surprised at tho extent of that dishonesty when we say, first, that our figures.arc taken from a table in the last-issued' Railways Statement which was printed in the Gazelle of May 13 last'as the latest table compiled on the subject, and, second,.that the new up-to-date figures now'put forward by our contemporary were never published anywhere until they appeared in Jast Thursday night's. Gazelle, 'apier oxir last discussion' of the .question.

And what did our hard-pressed contemporary do ? It says that "of course, it would "bo difficult; to make a preciso comparison" between the earnings of all tho railways' without taking into account "a number of troublesome details that would affect the calculations." On a four-weekly period, it shows, by quoting from last Thursday's Gazette, that tho net rovcnuc3 on'tho main lines'in tho two: islands wcro practically the same. The net revenue on the main lines in: this island amounted, for the four weeks onding May 23, to £32,630,' and on the main lines in the .South' Island to £33,802. But a sudden,' thought of future possibilities prompted it to add "wo do'not wish, to"contend for a minute that those figures are conclusive." "We should think, not.'.What, can possibly be deduced from the fact that; for the fourweekly period; ending May 29 the-, not revenue .was "practically the samo , ' for each island 1 For tho four, weeks ended May: 29,;" 1908, the returns. ,wero also "practically the same":■ £24,925 on tho North Island main lines and £23,793 on the Yet the; whole, year . 1908-9 Vended' with •. a, net revenue .of £400,212 from the North ;h?ain; 1 ines, and. only .'£283,425,fr0m the' South main lines. This'is the reason why'the southern journal does not ; "wish to contend" that ite •irrelevant figures are ; "conclusive." The practical equality of the net. returns-for the :four-weekly period a year ago' did .hot;affect the trcmcndous-disparity for the whole/twelve months. The same will bc.itho case, this year." •"•!'- : ] "y- ], -': '■;.;• -' : ■

.: "In :tho year 1907-8, as tho last-Eailways !;Statemeht:ishowed,, the £9,713,534 ■■ spent on all open lines in this island returned £416,000 in'nct revenue, while jtho £14,687,995 spent in the South returned only £398,179. In/tho year 1908-9.the capital, cost of opon lines .in. this island will; in.clude the cost' of %' Manawatuline and the ;balance of the \ cost of ..the. , .'. Main Trunk,line—capital that will only have been, working.for the fag ond'of the year.' If allowance bo mado/.for'this, ■', tho disparity between ihc low.'percontage. of the :sputhe.rn return and tho good percentago.' of, thi northern '■' return; will bo' greater than' over. Of course, • our. southern .friends will;insist; on;the total capital on theso two■ great lines, being counted in/the year's total,'oven , although it will havo only.boen working.a, part -'0f..-tho! time., But nobody will-be deceived. Tho position.in respect to; tlie main" linos'tfor; 1907-8; was -"

;.:■■ ;,-:-,'■ ■;■■ ..-.-. ■- . Nortli.";:":>''Soiith.' : '' Miles open 1 ■;■" .' , 835' '.' : ; :." i; l2BS< ; ' ■" Capital cost ; •' £9,225,823; - £11,997,561} Net revenue :: • £398,463 '; 0 -i' £287,190, Interest return , ■ £4'os'."lod. ; ''''£2 7s; 10d, The; ;year 1909-10 'will'"fcon'tain 'tho "troublesome-, .details"-; of: the jich f . : rc- ; ■.turn's■-.'from-.the. Main Trunk and Mana;watu- lines. We shall' lopk ; with .interest for what our friends-in' the-South will say theni. ■■,'V.;-. , >..'^'.v.'; i ( ;,-i: '■-.