THE RAILWAY FIGURES

Waipa Post, Volume 42, Issue 3305, 4 June 1931, Page 8

THE RAILWAY FIGURES

MINISTER’S STATEMENT QUESTIONED.

' The Minister of Railways boasted a few days ago that, since he assumed political control of the railway system about twelve months since, economies had been brought about to the extent of £1,000,000 per annum in a full year. Of this saving, he indicated, about one-half would be effective in the year for which the completed financial returns have now been issued. He spoke in a strain which suggested that he was perfectly satisfied that the effect of the economies would place the railways in a very sound position. The spirit of optimism which the Minister displays ds highly admirable, but the public would be more greatly: impressed by it if it had reason #0 believe that it was justified. Unfortunately, the gazetted results of the operations of the railway system for the past financial year do not encourage the expectation that, unless an improvement is shown to an extent that would at present seem incredible, the country will escape losses year after year. Tbg_ returns for the past two financial years show the following result:—

From these figures it will be seei. that, while the expenditure for the past financial year was reduced by £476,047, the drop in the revenue was substantially greater, amounting to £708,378. The balance of revenue over expenditure for the past year is lower than it has been at any time for about thirty vears. with the exception only of that in 1922. As a contribution to tne amount which has to he provided for the payment of the interest on the railway debt, it is lamentably meagre. The days of miracles are not over, and it may be possible for the Board of Directors, which is to take over the management of the railways on Monday next, but of which the personnel has not yet been disclosed to the public, to devise, in consultation with the general manager, plans for the operation of the railways that may, along with the eeenomies already instituted, produce results of a satisfactory nature. It is obvious, however, that the directors will have a hard row to hoe and that they will require all the goodwill which the public may extend to them, in the tangible form of increased use of the railway system, in order that they may succeed in relieving the taxpayers in appreciable measure from the cost of maintaining the services.—Otago Daily Times.

1929-30. 1930-31. £ £ Revenue 8,279,914 7,571,536 Expenditure ... iiaiance 7,358,856 921,056 6,882,8u8 688,72.