D.—2.

Christchtjrch-Midland. , , ~( , , ~r< 1931. 1930. Variation. £~ £ £ Revenue 3,497 ,4,271 -774 Expenditure .. .. 5,648 6,831 -1,183 Loss ~. .. .. .. £2,151 £2,560 -£409 This service was one which was originally taken over to protect the Department's business in this area, and at the same time to enable economies in train services to be made. In order to obviate the loss on these services it was decided during the year to try the experiment of leasing them to a private firm at a nominal rental, and this was duly arranged. A measure of control by the Department to enable the services to be co-ordinated with the railway services was retained. The arrangement dated from 3rd. February, 1931, so that the figures for 1930-31 did no£ include quite a whole year, and this requires to be borne in mind in comparing them with the figures for the previous year. Oamaru-Tokarahi. 1931. 1930. Variation. '• £ £ £ Revenue .. .. .. .. .. 2,205 2,261 -56 Expenditure 2,173 2,375 -202 Profit .. .. .. .. £32 .. +£146 Loss .. .. : £114 ' ... The number of passengers carried by the service during the past year was 39,104, a decrease of 3,328 compared with the previous year. The small decline in revenue was more than balanced by a reduction in expenditure of £202, which resulted in a loss in the previous year being turned into a profit. DUNEDIN-PORT CHALMERS. 1931. £ Revenue .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,939 Expenditure .. .. .. .. .. 4,056 Loss .. .. .. : .. .. £1,117 .j.i. This service was brought into operation on 2nd June, 1930, in order to protect the Departrhint's interests which were being threatened by private enterprise and to enable the Department '4o'effect economies in train services in this area. The revenue has been adversely affected by the new-n'esfe of the service, the acute unemployment and general depression, and by the operation of a pirate taxi service. The expenditure was somewhat higher than normal owing to major engine trouble developing in one of the buses, necessitating a heavy overhaul. '.;,,/„ '■':', LAKE WAKATIPU STEAMERS. , Variation. 1931. '1930. Amount. Per £ £ £ Cent. Revenue ~ .. .. 9,166 11,447 2,281 19-93 Expenditure .. .. 14,064 18,374 4,310 23-46 : M Net loss .. .. £4,898 £6,927 £2,029 The variations in revenue for the year ended 31st March, 1931, as compared with the previous year, under their respective headings, are as follow : — £ Passengers . . . . .. .'.' ~ . • 852 Decrease. Parcels, &c. ... .. .." •• .'.' •• 64 Decrease. Goods .. . . .. .. .. .. • • 1 j 331 Decrease. Miscellaneous .. .. . . .. .. . • 34 Decrease. £2,281 Decrease. In common with other services the economic depression has affected the traffic on the Lake steamers, but not to the full extent of the loss, as last year goods revenue was higher than usual due to heavy consignments of pipes being forwarded for irrigation-works at Arrowtown.

XXI