Current Topics.

Otago Witness, Issue 1581, 4 March 1882, Page 5

Current Topics.

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The Railway returns for ihe four weeka ending the 6th January embrace the principal holidays of the year, and give some idea of the result of gif iug effect to. the policy of excursion fares which we have repeatedly advocated. The number of passengers carried on the North Island lines during that four- weekly period was 124,307, against 92,643 for the corrdsponding period in 1880-81. The revenue received for these passengers was £10,456, against £8459 for the previous year. This shosvs an increase of nearly 25 per cent., the increase of mileage open for traffic beiug only 36 miles, or 9 yer cent. On the Middle Island lines 211,946 passengers were carried, against 202,980 Lot the previous year. The revenue for passengers was £29,097, againßt £26,652— an increase of 10 per cent., with an increased mileage of only 12 miles, or 1£ per cent It may be claimed, therefore, that the increased advantages given to the public have not been at the cost of the department, but to its profit. We have only counted return tickets in the above summary as if they were single tickets. It says something for the travelling capabilities of a colony with half a million of inhabitants that 336,000 tickota should have been issued during this one four-weekly period. For these tickets £39,643 was paid — aa average of rather more than 2s 4d per ticket, the number of passengers for short journeys, of course, vastly predominating. It would need a more complete analysis than we can make from the figures before us to enable us to assert positively that the excursion trains for long distances, such as that between Christchurch and Dunedin, or Dunedin and the Lakes, have paid ; but from other information we have little doubt that they have, and the general results deduced above are quite consistent with this conclusion. Until this stimulus was applied the passenger traffic was languishing, and directly it is applied a satisfactory inorease of revenue takes place. But it is obvious that in so sparsely • populated a country the limit of possible increase must soon be reached, and we cannot expect the passenger traffic to develop to the same extent as the goods traffic. A reduction of ordinary fares by 25 per cent, might perhaps inorease the traffic by 10 or 15 pec cent., but there would then be a considerable lobs to the department. We believe reasonably frequent excursion trains afc low rates will meet present requirements, and be aocompanied by a gain rather than a loss of revenue. For the whole period from Ist April, 1881, to < 6th January, 1882— rather more than nine months, — the total earnings of the lines are £668,462, against £624,210 for the cor' responding period of the previous year — an increase of rather more than 7 per cent. ; while the expenditure has been actually reduced from £403,010 to £392,379, or about 3 per cent. The percentage of expenditure to total earnings ia now 58*69, as against 6456—a very satisfactory result indeed. For the Hurunui-Bluff line by itself the percentage is only 55 85. For the North Island it is 67*05, and for the Middle Island 58 69. It is true we have had no exceptional expenditure this year from floods, which at any time may come; but there are undoubted evidences in these figures of economical management, as well as of improving receipts. Tha present appearances are that our working railways will net for the year between £380,000 and £400,000 —or something like 4 per cent, on their cost. The total mileage now in operation is 1306, as against 1258 miles last year.

Mr Bradlaugh haa done his own prospects and the cause he representa a fatal injury by his ungovernable oonduct. During the late recess he received a distinct promise from Mr Gladstone that his case would be dealt with by the Government, and there cannot be a doubt that if he had remained quiet and left Mr Gladstone to choose a favourable opportunity for introducing a motion or a bill on the subject, he would have got his seat all in good time. Instead of doing that, however, he has made the incredible blunder of trying to force himself into the House of Commons, and set his own individual will against the deliberate judgment of that Chamber. By his persistency in this foolish line of conduct he has alienated the good- will of his best friends, and positively compelled the Liberal Government to drop him altogether. He has been expelled from the House on a motion moved by the leader of the Opposition, supported by the Prime Minister, and carried, apparently, without a division. A new writ has been issued for Northampton, and Mr Bradlaugh wiil no doubt seek re-elec-tion. The chances are, though, that he will be defeated, because if a Liberal is brought forward against him the Conservatives will join with their opponents to secure the exclusion of Mr Bradlaugh. But even if he is returned agaiu it will not improve his position, for the House of Commons will be more determined than ever not to admit a man who has insulted their dignity, defied their {Speaker, and

made himself a perfect nuisance. The House were utterly, wrong in the first instance, but Mr Bradlaugk has contrived by this time to put them very nearly ia the right.