RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 August 1930, Page 12

RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION

AN INTERESTING RETURN. [special to “stab.”] WELLINGTON, August 22. _ A total annual loss of £737,553 is estimated to result from railway lines which are at present under construction throughout the Dominion, according to a summary presented in the House to-day, at the request of the Leader of the Opposition. The estimated losses in connection with lines under construction are briefly shown in the following summary: Okaihau Rangiahua, operating loss £lOOO, interest charges £34,000, total loss £35,000. Kirikopuni-Dar-gaville £1170—£25,500— £26,670; Gisborne-Eskdale £39,583 —■ £243,550 — £283,133; Okahukura-Tahora £39,700—£112,950—£152,650. South Island Main Trunk £35,160* —£135,160 —100,000; Westport-Inangahua £7ooo* — £ 43,850— £ 36,850; Kawatiri-Inan-£lo,6oo— £92,650— £103,250. Totals: £ 49,893 — £ 687,660 £ 737,55._>. The asterisk means a profit. The following table affords a comparison between the lines under construction and lines which have already been opened for traffic. Average cost per mile (exclusive of rolling stock), new lines £39,840; open lines £14,109. Interest charges per mile £1992—£610. Operating earnings per mile £790—£2,274. Operating expenses per mile £936— £2083. Net operating earnings per mile £l46*—£l9l. Net loss'per mile £2183—£419. The asterisk means a loss. The return concerning the South Island Main Trunk railway estimates capital cost of Wharanui-Parnassus section (76 miles) at £2,581,000. Up till June 30, a sum of £193,631 had been expended at the northern end. Four miles of the formation were completed several years ago. An additional eight miles is now in progress and arrangements are beingmade to start work on 27 chains of tunnel under the Hawkswood Saddle. At- the southern end, formation is in hand for 4 miles. The permanent line has been surveyed for about 30 miles south of Wharanui and for about 10 miles north of Parnassus. The estimated revenue is based on the assumption that 60,000 passengers per annum will travel between Wellington and Christchurch by the new route in preference to the Welling-ton-Lyttelton rdute. In estimating the expenditure due allowance has been made for the fact that the existing train service would be adequate to carry additional passenger traffic between Picton and Blenheim and between Parnassus and Christchurch. The figures in connection with, the Westport-Inangahua railway (26 miles) show an estimated capital cost of £877,000 which works out at £33,731 per mile. Expenditure to June 30 was £373,398. Beyond the Cascade, formation is in hand for 12 miles of which 6£ miles have. been completed. Rails have been laid for 75 chains beyond Cascade. Bush felling and clearing has been done well ahead of the formation work. The final section of the return deals with the Midland railway. The uncompleted Kawatiri-Inangahua section of 146 miles 43 chains, is estimated to cost £1,853,000 or £39,817 per mile. Up till June 30, the expenditure amounted to £187,560.