OUT OF THE TUNNEL.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 July 1933, Page 6

OUT OF THE TUNNEL.

Metaphorically speaking, the New Zealand railways seem to be emerging from the tunnel of gloom through which they have 'been slowly travelling for the past few years. It is pleasing to learn that for the four-weekly period ended on June 24 an increase in nett revenue of £12,024 was recorded, but it is even more satisfactory to be told that only a portion of this increase is accounted for by reduction in expenditure, the greater part, £9816, being due to an expansion of the gross revenue. For a considerable time the railway returns have been declining Ln a maimer that at some stages was positively alarming. This increasing loss was to some extent met by reductions in costs and expenditure, but now for the first time the balance has swung the other way. In the previous fourweekly period the decrease had been reduced to £9OO. Now the decrease has been stemmed altogther and a substantial increase is shown. It is true that the same scale of improvement may not be maintained, for statistics have a way of being perverse as if to discount theories based upon them. However, even though there may be fluctuations it is the general trend that matters. Now that the tunnel seems to have been left behind there is every prospect of a brighter and easier journey ahead.