D.—2

A comparison of tonnage and revenue from 1928 to 1935 is afforded in the next table : —

A comparison with 1934 of the tonnage of commodities under six main headings is as follows : —

A further comparison on the same basis of the composition of the revenue from goods traffic, as shown immediately above, for the last five years is as under

The above two tables give a fair indication of the relative importance of the traffic on the basis of a natural classification of national production. The fluctuations are due to the varying nature of the seasons and to the varying effects of the economic depression on the different industries of the country. A detailed comparison of 1935 with 1934 is as follows Traffic in agricultural products increased by 41,396 tons. In the South Island grain showed an increase of 26,686 tons and £12,341 in revenue. The harvest was much earlier than last year, with the result that traffic was very heavy during January and February, but showed a substantial falling-off in March, the bulk of the yield, which was very light this year, having been carried by the end of February. The North Island showed an increase of 2,058 tons and £875 in revenue. Animals and their products showed a slight decrease in tonnage. The number of cattle forwarded increased from 311,872 to 336,840, an increase of 8-01 per cent., due to the stimulation given to cattleraising by the potentialities of the chilled-beef trade. The number of calves forwarded by rail decreased by 122,064 (20-13 per cent.), due to the operation of the export restriction on veal. Sheep increased from 9,74-7,676 to 10,295,953, an increase of 548,277 (5-62 per cent.), due to the comparatively light year experienced in the South Island in 1933-34, when farmers held lambs consequent upon the increase in wool prices. In 1933-34 the number railed in the South Island was 406,000 below the average for the three previous years (1931-32-33), while in 1934-35 the number was 39,000 in excess of this average. Butter-production for the year showed a decrease of 3-43 per cent., due to the dry summer. The commodity statistics show that the tonnage carried by rail declined by 14,685 tons, or 10-04 per cent. Practically the whole of the decline was shown in the North Island. The average receipt per ton-mile was 3-47 d., compared with 3-66 d. last year, while the average haul was 76 miles, compared with 71 miles for the previous year.

X

Variation as compared with Previous Year in each Case, Year. Tons. Revenue. , Tons. Per Cent. Revenue. Per Cent. £ £ 1928 .. .. 7,358,388 4,680,135 + 49,939 0-68 + 83,969 1-83 1929 .. .. 7,613,445 4,846,125 + 255,057 3-47 +165,990 3-55 1930 .. , .. 7,788,973 4,904,324 + 175,324 2-31 + 58,199 1-20 1931 .. .. 6,957,709 4,487,357 - 831,264 10-67 -416,967 8-50 1932 .. .. 5,824,811 4,019,600 -1,132,898 16-28 -467,757 10-42 1933 .. .. 5,490,686 3,745,777 - 334,125 5-74 -273,823 6-81 1934 .. .. 5,642,199 3,911,245 + 151,513 2-76 +165,468 4-42 1935 .. .. 6,023,960 4,138,434 + 381,761 6-77 +227,189 5-81

Variation. 1935. 1934. Tons. Tons. Tons. Per Cent, Agricultural products .. .. 615,779 574,383 + 4-1,396 7-21 Animals and their products .. .. 1,227,490 1,230,014 — 2,524 0-21 Products of mines .. .. .. 1,842,462 1,746,648 + 95,814 5-49 Products of forests .. .. .. 449,766 362,805 + 86,961 23-97 Benzine, cement, and manures .. .. 791,372 710,361 + 81,011 11-40 General goods and miscellaneous .. 1,097,091 1,017,988 + 79,103 7-77 Totals .. .. .. 6,023,960 5,642,199 +381,761 6-77 i

I 1935. 1934. 1933. 1932. 1931. I Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Agricultural products .. .. .. 8-78 8-64 9-17 8-79 7-37 Animals and their products .. .. 27-98 30-50 29-73 26-99 24-73 Products of mines .. .. .. 20-16 20-51 20-49 23-14 23-29 Products of forests .. .. .. 8-69 7-52 6-67 6-55 9-39 Benzine, cement, and manures .. 13-12 12-61 13-42 14-21 11-74 General goods and miscellaneous .. 21-27 20-22 20 • 52 20 -32 23 • 48 Totals .. .. .. 100-00 100-00 100-00 100-00 100-00