OUR RAILWAYS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXI, Issue 13, 29 December 1930, Page 5

OUR RAILWAYS

-c ( — EXPENDITURE DECREASE revenue continues TO DECLINE. SUBSTANTIAL SAVING IN OPERATING COSTS. (Per Pre«a Association.! Wellington! Dec. 29. The preliminary accounts of the Railway Department for the four weeks ended December 6 show a substantial decrease in expenditure, amounting to £76,000. This applies to railway operation only, the figures relating to subsidiary services not yet being available. As a result of economies throughout the service, the reduction in operating costs for the last five fourweekly periods amounted to £295,000“This substantial saving,” said the Minister, “has occurred in all branches. Unfortunately, however, the revenue still continues to show a steady decline, the receipts for the December period falling by £74,000. This was not altogether unexpected, as the revenue over the last, few months has shown a tendency to fall away, due in the main to the prevailing financial depression.” Passenger traffic showed a decrease for four weeks of £28,000, parcels and mails £4,000, and goods receipts declined £38,000. General merchandise shows a heavy decrease, which is ascribed to restricted imports.