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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 3, Issue 11 (March 1, 1929)
Variations In Traffic And Revenue — 1st April, 1928, to 2nd March, 1929—as compared with last year
Variations In Traffic And Revenue
1st April, 1928, to 2nd March, 1929—as compared with last year.
| District. | Passengers. Number. | Season Tickets. Number. | Bearer Tickets. Number. | Road Motor Passengers. Number. | Cattle, Calves. Number. | Sheep, Pigs. Number. | Timber, Tons. | Other Goods. Tons. |
| Auckland | -76,454 | 7,724 | 1,729 | — | 81,994 | 96,960 | -19,515 | 59,569 |
| Ohakune | -17,576 | 235 | 9 | — | 8,504 | 4,324 | -10,166 | 4,238 |
| Wanganui | -23,585 | 115 | 59 | — | 52,213 | 1,623 | 1,657 | 29,967 |
| Wellington | -133,428 | 17,160 | -795 | 1,939,161 | 29,225 | -71,008 | -1,337 | 39,901 |
| Total N.I.M.L.B. | -251,043 | 25,234 | 1,002 | 1,939,161 | 171,936 | 31,899 | -29,361 | 133,675 |
| Christchurch | -37,096 | 9,763 | 528 | 24,693 | -278 | -15,457 | 28,087 | 58,079 |
| Dunedin | -28,806 | 10,130 | 544 | -1,098 | -355 | 190,949 | -3,035 | 37,771 |
| Invercargill | -30,274 | 281 | 78 | — | 130 | 111,759 | -3,917 | 4,369 |
| Total S.I.M.L.B. | -96,176 | 20,174 | 1,150 | 23,595 | -503 | 287,251 | 21,135 | 100,219 |
| Westport | -4,640 | -143 | — | — | 31 | -630 | -211 | -24,330 |
| Other small sections | 4,165 | -289 | -12 | — | 729 | 11,357 | -215 | 1,022 |
| Grand Total | -347,694 | 44,976 | 2,140 | 1,962,756 | 172,193 | 329,877 | -8,652 | 210,586 |
Revenue.
| District | Passengers £ | Parcels £ | Goods £ | Road Motor £ | Miscellaneous £ | Total Increase or Decrease £. |
| Auckland | -19,560 | 3,304 | 22,775 | — | 6,528 | 13,047 |
| Ohakune | -3,524 | 164 | -11,902 | — | -91 | -15,353 |
| Wanganui | -7,565 | -855 | 7,547 | — | -1,708 | -2,581 |
| Wellington | -29,979 | 1,011 | 41,644 | 63,479 | 1,227 | 77,382 |
| Total N.I.M.L.B. | -60,628 | 3,624 | 60,064 | 63,479 | 5,956 | 72,495 |
| Christchurch | -8,134 | -955 | 51,264 | 3,557 | 192 | 45,924 |
| Dunedin | -7,344 | -1,061 | 12,275 | -157 | -995 | 2,718 |
| Invercargill | -6,001 | -1,191 | -3,407 | — | -246 | -10,845 |
| Total S.I.M.L.B | -21,479 | -3,207 | 60,132 | 3,400 | -1,049 | 37,797 |
| Westport | -343 | -75 | -3,420 | — | -825 | -4,663 |
| Other small sections | 1,494 | 151 | 3,867 | — | -77 | 5.435 |
| Grand Total | -80,956 | 493 | 120,643 | 66,879 | 4,005 | 111,064 |
Note,—“Minus” sign indicates decrease. In all other cases the figures indicate the increase in number, quantity or amount.
The total operating revenue for the Dominion shews an increase of £111,064 for the twelve periods (336 days) as compared with the corresponding periods (338 days) of last year. Increased traffic in “live stock” and “other goods,” and extended operations of the road motor services are the chief causes of the increased revenue.
The number of “ordinary” train passengers carried continues to decline, but is offset to a large extent by the substantial increase in the number of season and bearer tickets issued, and by the passengers conveyed on the road motor services.
The increase in the cattle traffic for the North Island and small sections is due mainly to the activity of the boneless veal industry in the earlier part of the current year, and to the good prices ruling for beef and dairy stock. The position in the South Island is improving, and is almost normal.
The number of sheep and pigs conveyed by rail continues to increase, especially in the Auckland district, where there have been heavy yardings at markets during February and flocks of store sheep changing hands.
The timber traffic shews an improvement, due mainly to an increased demand. In the Auckland and Ohakune districts, however, this traffic is adversely affected by several mills having cut out their contracts.
The tonnage of “other goods” conveyed by rail shews a general increase for all districts, with the exception of the Westport section. The decrease on this section is due to adverse weather conditions and shipping fluctuations affecting the movement of coal. The very satisfactory increase of over 200,000 tons of goods moved by rail is due chiefly to heavy traffic in metal, manure, frozen meat and wool, in all the main districts.