RAILWAY REVENUE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21776, 16 April 1934, Page 10

RAILWAY REVENUE

AUCKLAND INCREASE general improvement RETURNS FOR PAST YEAR An increase of £66,131, or 4.77 per cent, in total revenue is shown in the traffic returns for the Auckland railway district for the year ended on March 31. In the provious year there was a decrease of £186,352, whilo for tho 1931-32 period tho drop was £292,679. Tho Auckland railway district includes tho Rotorua and Bay of Plenty branches and all lines between Frankton and Opua. Tho largest increase, on a percentage basis, is shown under tho heading of miscellaneous, whero tho riso is 10.87 per cent, or £1326. Financially, tho greatest increase has occurred in receipts for tho carriage of goods, the revenue under this heading having risen from £1,015,181 to £1,054,322, a difference of £39,141, or 3.86 per cent. Increases in other branches are passengers, £24,353, or 9.3 per cent; rents, £l2lO, or 6.19 per cont; and parcels, £lOl, or .13 per cent. Tho returns show an increase, both numerically and financially, under each heading. There were 211,214 more ordinary tickets sold and 1878 season tickets than in tho previous year, increases of 12.81 and 1.47 per cent respectively. Cattle and calves carried showed an improvement of 153,427, or 49 per cent, whilo there was a rise of 205,959, equal to 18.01 per cent, in the sheep and pigs transported. Tho return shows that an additional 6400 tons of timber was carried by rail, representing an improvement of 17.47 per cent, while other goods transported aro greater by 37,624 tons, or 3.19 per cent. The following aro the returns for tho past two years:.— RECEIPTS 1933-34 1932-33 Increase Passengers . . £286,140 £261,787 £24,353 Parcels . . 77,971 77,870 101 Goods . . 1,054,322 1,015,181 39,141 Miscellaneous 13,532 12,206 1,326 Rents . . 20,757 19,547 1,210 Total revenue £1,452,722 £1,356,591 £66,131 TRAFFIC 1933-34 1932-83 Increase Passengers (trips} 1,860,219 1,649,005 211,214 Season tickets . 129,664 127,786 1,878 Cattle . . . . 466,539 313,112 153,427 Sheep and pigs . J,355,361 1,149,402 205,959 Timber (tons) . 43.030 36,630 6,400 Other goods (tons) 1,218,351 1,180,727 37,624 Tho larger number of passengers carried is attributed by officials chiefly to a general return to favour of the railway with the travelling public, which is reported to be very pronounced. Tho issuing of more season tickets is considered to be due to an improved unemployment position, resulting in more workers buying weekly tickets. The increase in prices at recent wool sales has resulted in a heavy demand for sheep, and there have also been increased consignments of fat cattle and lambs to freezing works. The larger quantity of timber carried is attributed to the building subsidy, and also to tho shipment of white pine for box-making. Tho greater volume of general goods is due to larger consignments of coal, dairy produce, .manure, metals and wool.