RAILWAY MATTERS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVX, Issue 3128, 14 May 1897, Page 3

RAILWAY MATTERS.

PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE,

HE HALL-JONES’ BBHABKS. Considerable comment having been occasioned both in the ooantry press and amongst settlors by the remarks of the Hon W. Hall-Jones, who, when at the opening of the railway to Pabiatua, said the Government railways would, when completed to Woodville, taka all the traffic, or nearly so, between Napier and Wellington, and a great proportion of that between Wanganui and Wellington, a representative of this journal has been making some enquiries. He finds that in some quarters the Minister’s remarks have been taken as a challenge to, and a threat against, the Manawatu Railway Company; but the enquiries have convinced us that the Hoh W. Hall-Jones’ remarks cannot reasonably bo made to bear such a construction. the explanation. As a matter of fact, the Government has no intention of interfering or competing with the private lino, and the Minister’s remarks were merely a statement of facts, inasmuch as under existing conditions the Government railways can afford to carry goods and stock over long distances cheaper than they aro carried by the direct route over the two sots of lines, The explanation is simple, and the facts aro well known to all those who have done business anywhere between New Plymouth and Wellington during recent years. Up to the present the Manawatu Company has always refused to book through rates, and have constituted Longburn, the northern end of their system, a terminus. Consequently consignors have been met as it were with a double set of charges, which have pressed heavily upon them, qnd have in cases proved absolutely prohibitive. WHEN THE LINK IS COMPLETE. When the connecting link between Pahiatna and Woodville is made, either the private line will have to give way and submit to through booking, or the Government line will at oneo obtain a monopoly of the traffic. That was what the Minister of Public Works referred to when he said: “It might seem strange that they could compete against the Manawatu line, and yet bring the goods a round-about way ; yet it was a face that as things were they could carry goods even over the longer distances at cheaper rates than the private Company.” It has boon stated by some people that it will bo the policy of the Government department in the future to bring the Company to its knees by harassing it on all sides, and by this means enable the country to acquire the line at a depreciated rate. Wo are assured that such is not the ease. WHAT THE MANAWATU COMPANV IS DOINO. It is admitted on every side that the Company has done excellent colonising work by opening up country which a Parliamentary commission of the long ago characterised as a barren waste of swamps and sandhills, but which has proved for the most part preeminently fertile and productive. Of course it Ipas been heavily subsidised by the Government in the past by reason of the traffic which has accrued to it from the Government lines—last year we learn to the extent of .£30,000 —but, on the other hand, the Company is a regular milch cow as to rates, having paid up to the Ist March, 1897, £33,000 17s 2d iu Government taxation, and £22,598 la 9d in local taxation, a total of £31,218 18s lid, or “ considerably more than one-third of the paid-up capital of the Company.” The Company of course feels uncomfortable under this weight, and loses no opportunity of announcing the faot, but while it contrives to pay a substantial —as things go —dividend, it is not likely to get ranch relief. THE EFFECT OF THE COMPLETION. It will be interesting to consider for a moment what the effect of the opening of the Government line will bo on the private Company. It must be premised that the effect will be inimical to the interests of the latter’s shareholders unless the local freightage increases in greater proportion than the diminution which must follow a diversion of traffic from Napier and Wanganui over the Bimutaka. Thera is some reason to think that with careful and economical management the private lino would continue profit-producing, oven if restricted in a_ largo degree to purely local traffic. Logically, there is no reason why it should not be so ; and looking at a few figures we cannot but acknowledge that the private lino has been, ns settlement has rapidly proceeded, to a great extent self-supporting. A FEW FIGURES. Take for instance the passenger traffic. Wo find that iu 1892-3 the local passengers were 165,840 as compared with 50,457 through; in 1893-94 the respective figures were 103,451—53.019; in 1894-5, 158,509 51,965 ; in ISDS-G, 143,597—51,742 ; in 1890-7, 140,434—59,571. The parcels table is also instructive as showing the manner in which the private line has shown of late self-supporting tendencies. In 1892-3 the local parcels carried numbered 7087 as against 13,501 forwarded through. In 1893-4 the respective figures were 8918— 14,801; in 1894-5, 9843—14,513; in 1595-G, 10,299—15,177 ; iu IS9G-7, 1) ,372—10,000. The cattle traffic was pretty even, but the 1893- comparison is instructive, showing 4729 local and 2984 through. Sheep comparisons are greatly in favour of the through traffic, being as follow :—1892-3, 51,988 1894- 45,884 229,147 ; 1890-7, 62,458 - 231,299. In timber the district served bj the private line is astonishingly prolific, aa shown by the following comparative figures ,1892-3, local 4 212,800, through 700,300; 1593-4, 4,725,200 701,000; 1894-5, 5,604,200—032,000; 1895-0, 8,092,900—330,900; 1896-7, 8,824,000—421,000, There is wonderfully little firewood carried on the private line, A great deal more wool and merchandise is carried through than dealt with locally, SELF-SUnpOETING. All round, however, the line shows a distinct tendency to become self-supporting. Of course, it has been as'isted a great deal in the past by its land sales, which have been a fertile source of revenue. The question arises, how will the deficiency bo recouped when all its lands are disposed of P Another thought that occurs is that presently there must’ be a falling-off in timber as the land becomes cleared, but this should be recouped by a large annual increase of produce of all kinds. INCREASE OF REVENUE. It is more than satisfactory to note that the line shows a steady increase of revenue every year, as proved by the following figures :—IBSS-S9, £55,249 18s 3d ; 3SS9-90, £67,167 5s 8d ; 1890-91, £71,801 2s sd; 1891-2, £B2 372 Ss lid ; 1892-3, £84,564 16s ; 1893-4, £88,303 10s 4d; 1894-5, £91,779 12s 2d; ' 1895-0, £91,986 9s lid ; 1896-7, £94,862 0a la. THE EXPENSES. The expenses have iu the natural course of things also mounted up, the payments in connection with locomotive repairs and wear and tear being in the different years as follows ;—ISSB-S9, £0514 7s ; 18S9-90, £7842 5s 8d; 1890-1, £3499 16s Cd ; IS9I-2, £9687 11a 9d ; 1592-3, £9060 14s 8d ; 1893-4, £10,454 2s 3d ; 1594-5, £11,443 16a 6d ; 1595-6, £9778 16s lOd ; 1890-7, £9353 17s Bd. The staff has increased gradually from 123 in ISS7-S to 241 in 1896-7. THE BIMUTAKA LINE, The Government Railways are at a disadvantage in competition with the private line, inasmuch as the mileage charge over the Kimntaka to Woodville is for 116 miles, while that via Manawatu to the same place is only 10’. As a matter of faot, the former route is only 111 miles in actual length, but five miles extra are tacked on to both passengers and goods for the wear and tear of the mountain journey. Whether the Government Department will knock this fivemile charge off, as they have repeatedly been asked to do, is a question for the future, but as far as can be seen it is unlikely. _ The frightful expense attached to the negotiation of the Bimutaka becomes more apparent every year, and if the increased traffic which is expected comes, the department will be faced with the necessity of further expenditure for engines and rolling stock. The maintenance of this line is the bugbear of the management, and it is estimated that it eats up between £30,000 and £40,000 iu profits yearly with its gre it wear and tear, ils iuterchang able systems and consequent relays of men. It must bo apparent to everybody that this kind of thing cannot go on, and although Ministers seem inclined to pooh-pooh the idea of an alternative route, it must come as a mere matter of economy within the next ten years.