"STRATFORD EVENING POST" SATURDAY, JUNE 22, 1929. RAILWAY BUSINESS.

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 40, 22 June 1929, Page 4

"STRATFORD EVENING POST" SATURDAY, JUNE 22, 1929. RAILWAY BUSINESS.

SPEAKING at Kaikoura, says the Lytetelton Times, the. Minister of Railways stated that, during March and April, the railways handled more goods traffic than at any time in the history of the service. The March figures, of course, will be included in fcho aggregate lor the iinancial year J 928-29, but those for April should have given the departmental authorities an encouraging start for the current year. And it is interesting to note that the unproved outlook is due, largely, to increased traffic: i ll the South Island. During the first four weeks of this year the southern main lines and branches handled 28-1,436 tons of general freight and timber, against 219,758 for tho corresponding period of last year. An additional 10,000 tons on tho Westport section, and a small increase on the Picton hue, more than off-set a decrease on the Nelson line, so that the advance i\.r tins whole, of the South Island lines was substantial.

]n the North Island the main lines and brandies recorded a increase of osly about 4001) tons., and the returns for the isolated sections showed little, if a,ny, improvement. The same movement in the freight passing over the lines is noticeable iurtho figures relating to the carriage of live stock. Southern main lines and branches carried 781,104 head,, 'against 689,442 in the first four weeks of the previous year, while in the north there was a decrease of about 38,000 head. The value of the railway service in the carriage of live stock is shown by the fmct that, in four weeks, 1,106,886 cattle, sheep and pigs passed over the lines, and that was an increase of over 4.3,000' on the aggregate for the corresponding period of last year 'General freight advanced by 1->,610 tons, a very substantial improvement in such u short period, and this was augmented by a welcome increase i s the quantity of timber carried, amounting to 4552 tons. The weak spot in the system is the passenger traffic. Here the Department has had to meet very severe competition, but the Minister in charge of this important branch of State activity is confident that the railways will be able to hold the longdistance passenger traffic. Last year there was a decrease of 224,164 in the number of passengers carried on the trains, although the subsidiary motor services of the Department showed an increase of 2,059,570, The adverse movement continues, for, during the first four weeks of the current year, after allowing for an increase of 43,990 in the number of passengers using the motor services, there was a. net loss of 121,767 in the passenger traffic. It may be that a considerable portion of the Easter traffic this year was credited to the returns of 1928-29, but even so, this decline presents problems of a difficult character to the authorities, and there appears to be no reason to anticipate any slackening in the competition which tho Railway Department must face in this branch of transport. Theie can be no doubt that to-day it is endeavouring to cater for the needs of the people, and that its efforts to popularise railway travelling have been carefully planned. The measure of success achieved with respect to goods traffic should afford encouragement for further developments. Mr Taverner has been entrusted with the control of a great public undertaking, and if he can effect financial improvements!, by providing more convenient and more efficient service, his efforts will quickly be- recogised. The financial affairs of tho Railway Department are of such importance that any improvement there would be at once reflected in the wider sphere of national finance.