RAILWAYS STATEMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10536, 18 August 1910, Page 2

RAILWAYS STATEMENT.

THE OUTLOOK BRIGHT. YEAR'S PROFITS OVER ONE MILLION. 'By Telegraph.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, August 17. , This afternoon the annual report of the Railways Department was placed before Parliament by the Hon. J. A. Millar. The following is a summary-of results of working for the year ended 31st March, 1910, compared with 1909: 1909. 1910. Gross earnings.... £2,929,526 £3.239,790 Working expenses £2,114,815 £2,169,474 Net profit on working £ 814,711 £1,080,316 Percentage of profit to capital invested 3.13 3.80 Passengers: Ordinary ' 10,457,144 11,141,142 Season tickets 192,547 199,371 Goods tonnage.... 4,871,874 5,223,414 Live stock tonnacre • 263,534 266,604 Train mileage 7,458,236 7,889,166 As a result of inquiries made and data obtained an order has been given for the construction of two self-con-tained motor-cars, which will be built in the railway workshops as soon as the machinery required for generating the motor-power of the car arrives. If found to be suitable to local, requirements, additional cars will be put into service as the business warrants. A new steamer for the Lake Wakatipn service is to be built in the Dominion.

Owing to the financial depression which existed in the early part of last year affecting the revenues of the department it was regretfully found necessary to make some retrenchment, as the outlook at that time did not justify the department in continuing the expenditure at the rate then existing. The retrenchment forced upon the department prevented the usual number of promotions being made and necessitated expenditure on account of increases in salary and wages being accordingly restricted to the limits of the Act. The completion of the special building proaramme for the North Island main trunk line also resulted ] in a reduction of hands in the different workshops, but with the returning prosperity which is now evident it will be necessary to make prevision for the estimated increase of trade, rfnd this it is hoped will enable the department to reemploy some of those men who unfortu-

Nat-ely had to be retrenched. . The Minister deals at length with his visit to Australia, remarking: that there is no doubt that all the States he visited possessed advantages over the Dominion. Amongst these he mentioned the lesser price of coal, the physical ieatures, and the vastness of the Australian continent, the position of the ports and principal markets, which induce verv long hauls of the traffic. Further, in ' most of .the States one central management ran work the whole system, whereas in Tncw Zealand we have ten separate sections, divided from each other bv considerable distances, and wa are compelled to have several complete sets of Government officers. All tilings considered, he adds, it will he seen that our passenger rates generally compare i'avorablv with those in Australia, whilst the salaries, wages, and conditions of railway employment in New Zealand are more desirable than those obtaining in Australia. ••I venture." says the Minister, "after impartially surveying Australia from a railwav point of view, to express the opinion that having regard to _ the consideration given to the producers interests and the extent to which our railwavs have during the past fifteen years of staff management in New Zealand been used as a means of developing the Dominion, the Xew Zealand system will compare favorably with the railway systems in other parts of the world, ana 1 have r.o hesitation in saying that in no part of the world does the question of the safety of the travelling public rere;ve more careful consideration." Regarding the efforts of the Enginedrivers' Firemen, and Cleaners' Association to obtain official recognition, the. Minister savs he anticipates that Parliament will have an opportunity ot dealing with the matter tins session. ••I am fuilv satisfied. •■' the Minister goes on to say, •■that the prosperity manifested by the results of last year's working of our lines will continue durum" the current rear, and notwithstanding the fact that no Easter holiday traffic" will be included in the returns tor the vear. 1 estimate the revenue at £3 250.000 and the expenditure rt £2.2-23.275. , . "In conclusion, I may remark tlmt with the increase of hauling power of our engines and the additional rollingstock that will shortly be available I hope that the department will be ableto continue paving its own interest, and I am confident the policy proposed will enable further facilities to be granted to the people of the Dominion either in the direction of improved service, the acceleration of the speed of trams or bv making reductions in rates, therein- enabling the railways to carry out to the fullest extent their function in assisting the further opening up and development of our country."