THE RAILWAY RETURNS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 109, 8 April 1926, Page 6

THE RAILWAY RETURNS.

Tiieiie is a noticeable and very desirable improvement in the railway finances as disclosed in the returns for the month of Eebruary and the 48 weeks of the financial year then ended. They disclose a working profit of ,£220,154 for the four weeks ended February 27 against £131,101 —an increase of over £IOO,OO0 —over the corresponding weeks of 1924-25. The South Island, with its greater railway mileage, however, still lags behind, despite the heavily increased traffic due to the rush of visitors to the Dunedin Exhibition, the North Island railways contributing £422,303 to the revenue against the South Island’s £225,686 —a difference of £196,617 in favour of the northern system. There is, however, a still greater disparity shown in the returns for the 48 weeks, on the net earnings of the two Island systems. The North Island lines leave £1,071,152 to the credit of the department, after meeting all expenses, whereas the South Island lines can only show net earnings amounting to £292,666. Taking both systems together the result cannot, however, be regarded as other than satisfactory as, with four weeks of the working year still to run, the balance available to meet the interest charges on the cost of construction amounts to £1,363,818, and the later returns should send this amount well over £1,500,000. While it can scarcely be said that the new Railway Board has got well into its stride, there is ample evidence that the new arrangements are working well, and that the more businesslike principles introduced by the management are appreciably affecting and improving the position of our railways, which facing a more intense competition than before, are still more than holding their own. Both here and in the South Island motor services are affecting the railways very considerably. Their greater mobility gives tiiem an advantage the railways can never expect to overtake, and, in fine weather, they offer greater opportunities for the enjoyment of travel and the scenic beauties of the country than are obtainable in an oftimes hot and dusty railway carriage. But they can never expect to displace the railway services, and, with the incx - eased inducements the railways offer the travelling public nowadays, especially over long distances, the Railway Department has no need to /worry about the future, so long as its officials keep up to the mark and show by their definite action that they fully appreciate the fact, so long ignored under the old regime, that it is their business to serve the public and to offer it the best service possible. The increased receipts on the North Island railways, which have given the last four-weekly period such a lead over the corresponding weeks of 1924-25, are probably due to the increased travelling facilities afforded the public, and we imagine the Managerial Board, composed as it is of sensible, level-headed men, will not be slow to recognise the fact: There are now. three .trains running- daily

between Wellington and Auckland and vice versa, and while, at first sight, this may seem to be superfluous, it should not be forgotten that, between the termini, there are now many important towns served by these trains, and the more even distribution of passenger traffic they make possible is a strong argument in favour of their retention, altogether apart from the fact that they offer additional travelling facilities to the public. The daylight service, in particular, offers possibilities which should not be lost sight of, and we trust that in considering their winter schedule, the board will bear that in mind, and, as we have previously suggested, retain that service, if only experimentally, through the winter months.