Traffic Returns.

The latest figures available in regard to the Department's business shew that, despite the general slackness of trade, the Railways are rather more than holding their own in the matter of net returns of revenue, the improvement, as already announced, amounting to £73,175 for the financial year to the 10th December. At this stage in the previous year our passengers by rail and road services shewed a decline of nearly four millions in numbers: in the current year the decline is only fifty-four thousand, shewing that the position is rapidly approaching equilibrium.

A similar comparison of freight shews that whereas last year's decrease at the end of 36 weeks was nearly one million tons, this year's decline for the corresponding term is less than one-fifth of that amount.