MOTOR COMPETITION WITH TRAINS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 18 December 1926, Page 5

MOTOR COMPETITION WITH TRAINS.

MM- I * TWENTY-FIVE SERVICES DAILY THROUGH LEVIN. RAILWAY’S BIG LOSS OE REVENUE When the Levin Borough Council was discussing local railways grievances recently, a councillor suggested jocularly that the Department should be.-told nor i'e worry about stopping the trains as tbo town v-i ; r.o well supplied with motor services. The remark led to a {■■-'lenient 1 <>. ATn'-teimeu that it inight be helpful to the Department in ■p>; endeawT.to conserve its revenue H a list 'W •‘■be motor services passing tlvongh l evin was compiled and forAV -,,ded to Die Railway authorities. This has now beep done by the Town Clerk a' d the list is such a formidable one as to be astonishing. l oming from Wellington to Levin and northern towns, thirteen service cars re daily, the first passing through at 4.15 a.m'. and continuing at regular in-to-vals until 8.30 p.m. Going south daily there are cloven cars, twelve with the outward bound Foxtoif. service, and those commence to run at 7.50 a.m. and continue till 4.10 p.m. On Saturdays there are three additional buses in and out between Palmerston and Levin. . On Sundays six services pass through Lev in northward and six go soutnvvard. In addition to all these facilities for travel, an early morning car runs to Wellington every Wednesday morning, and every Monday morning a special ear leave.; Levin for Rotorua. f These particulars will serve to show the intense. competition the railways are being subject to. A statement issued by the Railway Department on Thursday reveals a loss of £41,000 in railway passenger revenue during the first half of the current financial year. With all revenue accounted for, a net operating gain of £50,000 is revealed, but this is. offset by a heavy increase in interest charges, leaving the accounts “down” by £59,000. A policy of economy in administration, with every effort strained to stimulate traffic, is urged for the remainder of the term.