RAIL WA YS AND TRAMWA VS. 277 



kept more prominently in view than Avould be the case were they in 

 private hands and the Commissioners were answerable to a body of 

 shareholders, whose principal concern was about their dividends. If 

 New South Wales Railways were worked solely with a view to profits, it 

 is more than probable that first-class passenger return tickets would bo 

 based upon higher rates than fd. to |d. per mile (about half the average 

 English charge) ; a parcel weighing 1 cwt. would not be carried 50 

 miles for Is. 9d. ; a ton of hay would not be carried at considerably 

 under T^d. per mile ; nor a ton of grain or flour for less than f d. The 

 up-country farmer is " encouraged," and it is doubtless well that lie 

 should be, even at some loss to the railway earnings. Take the traffic 

 in the year 1894-5 as a basis for consideration : — • 



Traffic in 1894-5. 



It is necessary to point out that wool and live stock are both long 

 distance traffic, averaging over 250 miles per ton ; that grain, flour, 

 hay, and general goods average about 150 miles per ton; whereas 

 coal is carried an average of less than 20 miles. This will explain 

 some apparent anomalies in the above table. Towards the total earn- 

 ings, goods, minerals, and live stock contribute 64.5 per cent., or not 

 very far short of two-thirds ; and that, as a whole, it is the most 

 profitable traffic may in a measure be judged by the earnings per train 

 mile. The wool traffic is specially profitable while it lasts, though it 

 has all to be brought over the mountains ; but the agricultural traffic 

 is carried at exceptionally low rates, and is far from profitaljle to the 

 railways. There is, too, a special list for the encouragement of locol 

 products ; and fruit and vegetables, manures, drain-pipes, timber and 

 a considerable number of other goods are thus dealt with. It will be 

 understood, therefore, that the system is hardly worked upon commer- 

 cial lines, especially as Members of Parliament and others are entitled 

 to free passes over all lines. 



