N.Z. RAILWAYS

Grey River Argus, 16 August 1937, Page 5

N.Z. RAILWAYS

REVENUE RISING I At Fast Rate [Per Press Association], CHRISTCHURCH, August 15. The Railways Accounts for the financial year- endeu March 31, have been completed, and show an increase in gross revenue of nearly £800,01) on i the figure for the previous year. The revenue is higher than for any year since 1930. It is expected, also that the figures . for the current year will exceed the 1936-37 total. The Minister of Railways, Hon. D. G. Sullivan, in issuing lhe above statement, emphasised the buoyancy of the Railway finances. The final results of the year’s workings, he said, could be taken as a reliable indication and a true reflection of the improved economic conditions in New Zealand. The gyoss railway revenue for the year ended March 31, was £7,790,651, an increase over the year 1935-36 of £786,335, or eleven point two three per cent. The revenue for the year was the highest since 1930, and exceeded 1933 (when the lowest revenue during the slump period was earned) by £1,756,248. The figures for the last eight years are: 1930, £8,279,914"; 1931, £7,571,537; 1932, £6,508,948; 1933, £6,034,403; 1934, £6,332,711; 1935, £6,627,928; 1936, £7,004,316; 1937, £7,790,651. But for the infantile paralysis epidemic, the revenue for 1937, would have been at least £lOO,OOO greater, Mr Sullivan claimed. The estimated gross revenue for the current year is £8,253,000, an increase of £463,000 over 1937. The latest returns indicate this estimate will be attained, and possibly exceeded. There was an increase in the first tour fourweekly totals of £200,000. Road services operated by the Railwav Department showed a net profit of £21,698 in the year ended on March 31 last, and in addition, the sum of £5358 was set aside as a special reserve, said the Minister of Railways. The actual profit on the year's operations, said the Minister, was therefore £27,056, and tiiis would have been greater if it had. not been for the infantile paralysis epidemic, which had had a somewhat serious effect on the use of the services in the Dunedin area. The vehicle mileage run by the road services for the year was 3,531,600 miles, and 4,556,000 passengers were carried. The total revenue amounted to £198,751.

Railway Staff Increase BETTER TERMS FOR FEMALE EMPLOYEES. CHRISTCHURCH, August 15. Recent additions to me staff of the New Zealand Railways have brought [ the total of the employees to more than 21,000 said the Minister of Railways, Hon. D. G. Sullivan, commenting on the effect of the improved industrial conditions on the Department’s staff. The Minister mentioned that, with

a view of bringing conditions of the Department’s staff female office assistants into line with the present day standards, an improved wages scale was being introduced. The amended salary rates would be retrospective io January 1 last. “A gratifying outcome of the increasing business handled by the railways has been the promotion of employment within the Department," Mr Sullivan said. "During the first quarter of the current financial year 550 additional employees have been engaged.” The steady growth of the Department’s activities had necessitated a review of the permanent establishment, and arrangements' were now in train which would result m about 500 casual employees, with long service, being absorbed into the permanent staff.

NEW ENGINES CHRISTCHURCH, August 15. The steady expansion in the volume of goods traffic coming forward from the West Coast through the Otira tunnel has necessitated arrangements being made to place a more powerful type of locomotive in service on the Midland line to cope with the traffic offering, stated the Minister of Railways (Hon. D. G. Sullivan) to-day. He'said the department planned to place in service in the near future six general purpose locomotives which have been built at the department s workshops at Hillside, Dunedin, and were now undergoing final tests. Mr Sullivan said that the new “G class engines were of the three cylinder (all high pressure type, being actually the first of this design which the department had used for orthodox locomotive construction. In this respect the engines followed the type used by the London and North Eastern Railway for its fast express service. The boiler pressure was 2001 b per square inch, the driving wheels were slightly larger than those of other engines, being 4ft 9in in diameter on tread and the ti active force at 75 per cent, boiler pressure is 26,0001 b. The engine was, therefore next to the “K”, the most powerful engine the department had in use. In working trim the engines would weigh ninety-seven tons. Later it was intended to withdraw the “G” class locomotives from service on the Midland line and utilise them for the purpose of hauling express trains between Christchurch and Oamaru, but certain bridges and sections of the line between those points required to be strengthened before this could be done. K class locomotives, equipped with a booster would then replace the “G engines on the Midland line.