THE RAILWAY TRAFFIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9308, 11 March 1889, Page 5

THE RAILWAY TRAFFIC.

A GRATIFYING INCREASE.

RAILWAY RECEIPTS AND EXPENDI-

TURE.

[by TELEGRAIUI.OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Saturday. The revenue from the railways shows an improvement notwithstanding the falling off in the passenger traffic which is disclosed by the latest returns, but goods traffic has increased by nearly 150,000 tons, principally grain and minerals. There is a deficit upon the net revenue of £36,000. At the same time there is a reduction of £34,000 in the cost of working, leaving the actual deficit at £2000. The Times this morning has the following upon the railway returns during the current financial year :—" The gross receipts from the New Zealand railways for the financial year were estimated by the Treasurer at £1,040,000, and the expenditure was estimated at £690,000. Consequently the estimate of the actual net railway revenue amounted to £350,000. The proportional estimate for the ton months, or in other words, ten-twelfths of the year's estimate would thus be in round numbers, and omitting shillings and pence, as follows:— Gross receipts, £860,000; working expenses, £575,000 ; net revenue, £291,000. Th» , actual gross receipts for the ten months from April Ist, 18S8, to Ist February, 1889, amounted to £830,000. The proportionate estimate of expenditure for the ten months would be £575,000. The actual outgoing amounted to £541,000, or £34,000 to the good. Seeing then that the receipts were about £30,000 below the estimate, and the Working expenses £34,000 below it, it obviously follows that the net railway revenue is only some £2000 short of the. Treasurer's estimate. But against these signs of returning prosperity are to be set the fact that 30,000 fewer passengers travelled •by the Now Zealand railways, and the number of live stock was also less by 28,000. It is to bo recollected also' that there are some 20 additional miles of line open as compared with last year."