Coaching and Goods Traffic.

The following table shows the number of passengers carried on the lines of the state during the year 1887, the earliest for which particulars are available, and for the last ten years, together with the receipts from the traffic, and the average receipts per journey:—

The statement shows a large increase in the number of passengers carried each year; the gradual reduction in the average receipts per journey indicates the expansion of the suburban and local traffic.

The amount of goods tonnage for a similar period is shown in the following table:

1887

1894

1895

1896

1897

1898

1899

1900

1901

1902

1903

Year.

Tonnage of
Goods.

Earnings.

It will be seen that the increase in the goods traffic has been considerable since 1897, while the tonnage in 1902 was nearly two and a half times that of 1897. Owing to reduction in the charges for carriage, the earnings have not shown so considerable an expansion.

TASMANIA.

The progress of railway construction in Tasmania has been somewhat slow, for owing to the fact that the island is small and possesses numerous harbours, the railways have had to face severe competition with sea-borne traffic. As stated earlier in the chapter, the line from Launceston to

Deloraine, 45 miles in length, was opened on 10th February, 1871, and though an agitation long existed for the construction of a railway between the principal centres, Hobart and Launceston, it was not till the 1st November, 1876, that it was opened for traffic. No further extension was carried out until 1884, when an increase of 48 miles was made, and up to 1890 the total mileage opened was only 398, of which 48, opened in 1884, were constructed by a private company. The length of state railways opened to 31st December, 1902, was 4613 miles, at a cost of £3,840,747 for construction and equipment, or at the rate of £8,302 per mile.

The lines of state railway in operation in Tasmania are the Western, from Launceston to Burnie, with branch to Chudleigh; the Main line from Hobart to Launceston, with branches from Launceston to Scottsdale, Parattah to Oatlands, Conara Junction to St. Mary's, Bridgewater to Glenora, and Brighton Junction to Apsley; the Sorell line, from Bellerive to Sorell; and the West Coast line, from Strahan Wharf to Maestris.

The control of the railways is vested in the Department of Lands and Works, the active management being undertaken by an officer with the title of General Manager.

Revenue and Working Expenses.

The net sum available to meet interest charges in connection with the railways of the state for each of the years during the last decennial period was as follows:

:

The cost of working the Tasmanian railways is comparatively high, and, as in New Zealand, the lines have to face severe competition with sea-borne traffic while there are no large inland centres that could support railways. There is a marked decrease year by year in the Australian traffic vid Launceston, which is attributed to the great improvement in the direct steamer service between Melbourne and Hobart

The following analysis of the working expenses of Tasmanian railways for the ten years 1893-1902 does not call for special comment. There has, of late years, been a slight upward tendency in the cost of train mileage, partly due to the increased price of coal. In the years 1895, 1896 and 1897 it is evident that necessary expenditure on rolling stock was not carried out, thus throwing the burthen of repairs on to later years—this was especially the case in regard to locomotive repairs. In 1901 there were extensive renewals of locomotive boilers, but a portion of the expenditure in connection therewith might have been saved by earlier attention :—

Interest returned on Capital.

The following table shows the average loss on the working of the Tasmanian railways for each year during the last ten years :

The foregoing table shows that there was a slight improvement in the condition of the railway revenue during the five years preceding 1901. During 1901 the interest returned on capital expenditure fell to nearly that of the year 1895. Among the causes leading to this was the reduction in passenger fares, in the case of single fares by 45 per cent., and return fares by 27 per cent. These large reductions did not result in the fulfilment of anticipations, and on the 1st December, 1901, a revised scale was adopted, which is still 20 per cent. below that in force in 1900. The competition of the Emu Bay Company and the low prices ruling for lead and silver have brought about a decrease in revenue on the Government West Coast line. Working expenses have absorbed 84.26 per cent. of total revenue, and the large increase over the previous five years is due to increased mileage, more extensive renewals of locomotive boilers paid for out of working expenses, and the increased price of coal. The competition already referred to, together with the heavy initial cost of the railways themselves, especially of the main line connecting Hobart with Launceston, for which the price paid by the Government on its resumption was at the rate of £9,069 per mile, as against an average of £8,304 per mile for the lines of the state generally, render it extremely difficult, even with the most careful management, to effect any considerable diminution in the average loss. Even in the case of the Western line from Launceston to Burnie, which passes through the finest agricultural land in the state, the return, after paying working expenses for the year ended 31st December, 1902, was only 2.69 per cent. on the cost of construction and equipment. The returns for the rear ended 31st December, 1902, however, show a

393

considerable improvement on those of the previous year, the gross and net earnings being the highest for the decennial period.

Earnings and Expenses per Mile.

The following tables indicate the gross earnings, expenditure, and net earnings per train mile and per average mile of line open. It will be observed that the net earnings per train mile reached 15d. in 1902, a point beyond which it does not seem likely there will be much expansion. The considerable reduction in net earnings during 1901, in comparison with the previous five years, is due to the shrinkage of revenue consequent on the reduction of fares, and the contraction in revenue from goods traffic already referred to. This compares very unfavourably with the results for other parts of Australia.

The earnings and expenditure per average mile open were as shown in the following statement:-