£10,000 INCREASE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 107, 19 April 1933, Page 8

£10,000 INCREASE

HASTINGS RAILWAY RETURNS OUTWARD TRAFFIC CAUSES THE RISE BUS REVENUE GREATLY IMPROVED Officials at the Hastings railway , station have every reason to be satisfied with the results of the past year’s activities, which, compared with the previous twelve months, showed a total increase in revenue of slightly less than £lO.OOO. The revenue derived from outward business showed a re markable improvement, and was over £20,000 better than last year. On the other hand, the inward revenue was down to the extent of a little more than £lO.OOO. There was a general all round improvement in outward traffic with the exception of live stock, which was not up to the pievious year, but inward traffic showed a decided drop in almost every respect. Though the number of passengers carried on the trains was more, the revenue was about twelve per cent. loss. This is largely due to the fact that for half the period the fares were reduced to the extent of 25 per cent. Another factor was that there was uo Easter holiday included in last year’s returns. < Parcels, luggage, booking fees, etc., were not so profitable as previously, the returns showing a decrease in this respect for both outward and inward business. Ihc exceptionally good season enjoyed by the fruit growing industry had its effect on the returns for the goods department, and then again over 1500 tons of lucerne and fodder was railed from this district to the Wairarapa, where there was a drought. The slackening-off in the building trade is reflected in the decrease in the timber railage, whilst tho past year has been an unusually poor one in respect to live stock. An increase of nearly £7OOO is shown in the revenue from the bus service between Hastings and Napier, this being due to the fact that for the last six months of the year the taxi service w-as not running in opposition to the buses. The detailed figures are as follows:— OUTWARD BUSINESS.

1933. 1932. Inc. or Dec. Passengers (No.) ... 29,353 28,480 873 Season tickets (No.) 62 40 22 Bearer tickets (No.) 43 45 3* Bus passengers (No.) 493,142 335.826 157,316 Cattle* calves (No.) 459 719 260* Sheep & pigs (No.) 34,435 39,312 4,876* Timber (tons) 35 86 51* Other goods (tons) 29.095 20,422 8,673 INWARD. Cattle & calves (No.) 4,011 5,816 1,705* Sheep 4 pigs (No.) 48.503 61.835 13,382* Timber itons) 1,333 3,178 1,845* Other goods (tons) 34,030 33,866 164 REVENUE--OUTWARD. Inc. or 1933. 1932. Dec. £ £ £ 12.064 13,166 1,102* Season tickets ........ 150 103 47 Parcels 4 luggage 1,698 1,755 57* Goods 43.790 30,388 13.402* Rus ...... 17.127 10,389 6,738 Rents ...» 2.015 961 1,054 Miscellaneous 186 183 3 Total 77.030 56,945 20,085 REVENUE (-INWARD. £ £ £ Parcels 4 luggage 1.309 1,759 448* Goods 43,137 52,949 9,812* Total 44.446 54,706 10,260* • Decrease.