A RECORD OF PROGRESS.

Colonist, Volume LVI, Issue 13420, 18 March 1914, Page 1 (Supplement)

A RECORD OF PROGRESS.

(From "The.Colonist," Feb. 24.)

In his presidential address* to the annual meeting of the Nelson Chamber of Commerce last evening, Mr. W. W. Snodgrass quoted from, arid laid on the table, a schedule prepared for him by Mr. T. S. Edwards; snowing the pro-/ grass made on the Nelson section of railways since 1906. It read as follows;

"The above figures show the work on the Nelson railways for eight years. It will be seen that, during this time the line has nearly doubled in mileage, and by the end of the present financial year the revenue will show an increase (over that of 1906) of nearly 200 per cent. It will be seen by the abovie figures that the passenger traffic during the last eight years has increased by no less than 21,000 per annum. {(This does not include school children".) There haa been a corresponding increase in railway facilities during the above years, including no less than three large cars, five, sheep trucks, twenty coal trucks, two vans, two cattle trucks, and fifteen freezing waggons for carrying mutton, one. large engine—at a total cost or £5,850. In addition to this the line has been relaid, and now possesses heavy rails from end to end capable of carrying the heaviest engine, and main- i taining a speed of 50 miles per hour. ; "The figures for the current year will exceed the above in grand totals for both tonnage and revenue. In short, the revenue for 1914 will be double that of 1906, and very little better success could be" expected in any public department."

.906 .907 .908 .909 910 .911 912 Mile- Pas.- Tonnage Rev. age. sengers.. Carried. £ ... 33 101,332 28,784 17,537 ... 43 112,374 80,999 19,375 .., 43 113,926 32,206 20,756 ... 48 114,309 34,247 21,110 ... 48 114,696 31,144 23,359 ... 48 115,215 86,114 24,842 ... 48 123,198 -33,689 25,026