N.Z. RAILWAYS

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12094, 23 March 1925, Page 6

N.Z. RAILWAYS

MINISTER SPEAKS “■ONLY ON FRINGE OF REORGAN* iSATIOX ” EPIDEMIC AFFECTS RECEIPTS. Per Press Association. NATIER. March 22. “We have only Kst started on the fringe of ’©organisation and have onU just endeavoured to deal with main services,” stated the Minister for Railways, the Hon. J. G. Coates, in his reply to the deputation from the Napier Chamber of Commerce, which had brought several railway matters before him. “Intermediate and suburban cervices have not yet been tackled. In the past our policy has been to have long trains carrying to the full capacity of tho engine, and running at a speed which as an economical propostion was correct. Now we propose to run shorter and faster trains in the hope that w*o *-hall be able to pick up enough revenue to pay for the extra mileage run. We shall have Mr S. E. Fay here shortly, and shall then have the icncfit of his asiistnnce. We are out to get your assistance and give you service, hut the question of pounds shillings and pence of course must not be lost sight of. BIG DROP EXPECTED. “This year would have been a most satisfactory .*ne had it not been for the prevailing epidemic. * You will hardly credit it, but u to date we are down hearty half a million passengers on lash year, i©presenting in revenue up to eighty thousand or ninety thousand pounds. “By the end of tho year I anticipate we shall be down one hundred and fifty thousand pounds. That is eihort of paying three and three-quar-ter per cent. “The goods traffic on the other hand does show' a. satisfactory increase. There is a distinct improvement all round, and that is encouraging. With that we may be able to pull up some of the losses 6n passenger service. The control of goods, too. has been undergoing complete overhaul and we are anxious to expedite delivery.” WEEK-END EXCURSIONS. Later the Minister stated in reference to week-end excursions that the matter had heen under consideration. He realised a good deal could be done with excursion fares, and that they had to urge more people to travel on the railways. He had every confidence in he future. He was not going out of his way to encourage people to travel on Sundays, but wherever there was a legitimate demand for service he would provide it ‘‘We are out to give service.” Tin deputation congratulated the Minister upon recent improvements and hi* evident desire to bring about a better state of affairs.