RAILWAY REVENUE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22860, 15 October 1937, Page 13

RAILWAY REVENUE

SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE ■ • THE AUCKLAND DISTRICT MORE GOODS CARRIED RETURNS FOR SIX MONTHS A substantial increase in the revenue earned by the Railway Department ill the Auckland district, northern section, during the six four-weekly periods from April 1 to September 18, over the figures for the same period last year is recorded in returns released yesterday. The total revenue earned orer the 24 weeks this year amounted to £1,002,263, an increase of £97,482 over the total for the same period last) year, £904,781. The district to which the returns apply extends from Auckland to Opua and Okaihau in the North and to Ongarue in the South. It includes all stations on the Waiuku, Glen Afton, Rotorua and Thames branches and stations to Taneatua in the Bay of Plenty. The increased revenue is attributed to th© greater turnover recorded in the returns of individual departments. The most important decrease is shown in the number of ordinary. passenger tickets issued chiefly on suburban lines, this year's total of 975,318 showing a drop of 19,865 on the figure for 1936, when the total was 995,183.

More Season Tickets The decrease in ordinary passenger traffic, however, is more than offset by the substantial increases in , the number of season and six and 12-trip bearer tickets issued, the advances this year being 11,516 and 6401 respectively. Revenue from ordinary passenger tickets, however, showed an increase of £322, while revenue from ordinary season tickets and sixe and 12-trip bearers expanded by £3199. Further substantial increases were shown in the number of cattle, oalves, sheep and pigs carried, the rise being attributed to the higher prices now being offered for store stock and stock suitable for export. This year, 486,185 head of cattle and calves were carried during the 24 weeks, compared with 446,478 in 1936, the increase being 39,707. The number of sheep and pigs carried rose by 66,045 from 415,575 last year to 481.620 in the current year. Greater Tonnage of Timber Extension of building activities leading to a greater demand for all lines of timber is responsible for the carriage of 724,050 more feet this year than last year. The total tonnage in 1936 was 64,803, but this year it has increased by 1609 tons to 66,412. Other goods, including such commodities as butter, cheese, frozen produce, coal, manure, lime, cement, road metal, machinery and general merchandise from the goods sheds and wharves, rose by 126,421 tons from 791,449 tons "last year to 917,870 'tons during the 24 weeks' period this year. The expansion in revenue from the carriage of all goods, excluding luggage and parcels, amounted to £93,010, carriage of this latter matter accounting for an increase of £1354 over last year's figure. Decreases of £204 and £256 were recorded under the headings of rents and miscellaneous items respectively.