A RECORD RAILWAY YEAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3181, 4 September 1917, Page 6

A RECORD RAILWAY YEAR

The Minister of Railways and his-officials and staff are to bo congratulated on the results of tho year's working of the State Railways as disclosed in the annual statement laid before Parliament last week. A profit of a little over 5| per cent, on the working railways is a very gratifying return in these days when the Finance Minister needs all the revenue he can lay. hands on. It is pleasing too to note that tho percentage of working expenses to earnings has again dropped, and is now down to 60.97 per cent, Last year it was 64 por cent;, and for 1914-15 at 71.14 per cent., so that in the two years there has been a drop of 10.17 per cent., which is to the credit of the management. The two features least satisfactory in the reports' laid before Parliament are in relation to the prospects for the future and maintenance. Tho General Manager, Me. Hiley, states that towards the end of the year both passenger and goods traffic were showing signs of languishing, a position of affairs that was to be expected. The cutting down of tho train services, the departure of so many. of the more active of .our population overseas and tho shipping shortage are all factors which must bo taken into account, and which for the time being cannot be remedied. The position in regard to maintenance of the lines is distinctly bad, but apparently this cannot be avoided. The shortage of material is mainly responsible. The re-laying of the permanent way has slowod down in a marked degree, 30 miles being the' total ■ for tho year, as against tiio 100-mile standard set by the Department. The expenditure por mile, of .railway was £244, as against £251 for the 'previous year, £254 in 1914-15, and £267 in 1913-14. As already stated, tho difficulty of securing material and the necessity of conserving supplies for special purposes aro tho cause of this falling off. There will be a good deal of leeway to make up in this respect latei, and both the Minister and the General Manager foreshadow tho necessity for heavy expenditure in other directions to meet' future needs. There can be little doubt that such expenditure would be fully warranted when circumstances permit.