COST OF THE STRIKE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17352, 17 May 1924, Page 2

COST OF THE STRIKE.

LOSS TO RAILWAYS. BIG DROP IN CANTERBURY REVENUE. Although it is. impossible on account of the difference in conditions to arrive at an entirely satisfactory estimate of the loss caused by the strike on the Canterbury section of the railways bymeans of a comparison of the for this vear with those of last year, it is probable that the actual decline in revenue has l>een in excess of £20,000. The returns for the four-weekly period ended on April 26. which include five days of the seven working days of the strike disclose a decrease in revenue of £20,688 as compared with the same period last year. This year, however. Easter is included in the period, and the strike did not start until midnight on Easter Monday after the issue of holiday- excursion tickets had ceased. That meant that the bulk of the Easter revenue had actuallybeen received before the strike commenced. Easter last year occurred in the previous four-weekly- period. In regard to goods traffic the comparison under the heading of “ other goods ” shows an exceptionally large difference in favour-of last year. Thi3 was principally due to the fact that last year ;arge quantities of grain were handled during the period which were not handled, this y-ear on account of the poor grain season. The following is the comparison for the four-weekly period in each year:—

For the week ended on April 26, which included Easter Monday (a full working day) and five days of the strike the outward revenue was only £6141. as compared with £17,949 last year without Easter Monday, a difference of £II,BOB. If the figures for | the following week are added the loss jis correspondingly- increased. The de- ! creases in revenue were' as follow; ! Passengers £1247, parcels £647, luggage £52, goods £8533, miscellaneous £328. To those decreases must be added the decreases in the inward returns.

The revenue for the week ended last Saturday- showed a substantial increase on outward traffic, but serious floods which occurred in the same week last year caused a big drop in revenue. The figures for the two years are:—Total revenue 1924, £20,470: 1923 £13.709, increase £6760. Another factor in favour of this year was the visit of the cruiser Squadron with a consequent increase -of traffic on the Lyttelton line. The numbers of passengers was:—l924, 54,016: 1923, 288 409; increase 25,607: revenue, 1924, £6767; 1923, £4578, increase £2IBB.

The total revenue from outward traffic is usually about £20,000 a week at this time of the year.

OUTWARD TRAFFIC. 1924. 1928. Passengers (No.) . 146,065 1 64.405 Cattle and calves (No.) . 3,154 3,606 Sheep and pigs (No.) . 26,106 362,996 Timber (tons) . . 1.895 4.318 Other goods (.tons) . - 52,940 S5.47T REVENUE. 1924. 1928 J» £ Passengers ... 26,510 23,643 Parcels .... 2,606 3,264 Luggage, etc. . . • 561 67$ Goods .... 34,343 49.062 Miscellaneous ... 3,438 4,416 Total revenue ... 66.466 81,109 INWARD TRAFFIC. 19-24. 1928. Cattle and calves (No.) . 3.227 3,753 Sheep and pigs (No.) . 296,947 391,823 Timber (tons) . . . 8.075 5,111 Other goods (tons) . . 61,908 89,284 REVENUE. 1924. 1923. £ £ Parcels . . « . 2,394 3.025 Goods .... 47.982 53.2S7 Total revenue . . 50,377 66.322