8.—2.

The following table shows the cost of maintenance per vehicle and per vehicle-mile over a period of five years : —

The maintenance of wagons during the year entailed an expenditure of £689,495, a decrease of £9,002 (1-29 per cent.) as compared with 1938. Reduction in expenditure occurred in wagon repairs (£13,265) and conversions and alterations (£1,883), while an increase of £6,200 was shown in respect of depreciation charges. The cost of maintenance per vehicle and per vehicle-mile was as under (five-year period) :—

EXAMINATION, LUBRICATION, AND LIGHTING OF ROLLING-STOCK. Increased traffic involving additional examination of rolling-stock was the main cause of the increase shown in expenditure under this head, the figure for this year being £85,482, as compared with £78,727 in 1938, an increase of £6,755 (8-58 per cent.). Lighting of coaching vehicles cost £40,156 for the year, as against £37,571 last year, an increase of £2,585 (6-88 per cent.). The conversion from gas to electricity and increased train-mileage were the main causes of the increase. LOCOMOTIVE TRANSPORTATION. This item of expenditure shows an increase of £102,992 (6-34 per cent.), the total amount expended being £1,727,375, as against £1,624,383 last year. The increased expenditure is largely due to the additional cost of wages, additional staff, and increased cost and consumption of coal. The quantity of coal consumed during the year was 484,423 tons, as against 473,233 tons last year, an increase of 11,190 tons. This was due to an increase of 504,878 engine-miles (2-92 per cent.). The total consumption and cost of coal during the last three years is shown hereunder:— 1937. 1938. 1939. Tons. Tons. Tons. Consumption .. .. .. 433,266 473,233 484,423 £ £ £ Cost .. .. .. .. 554,420 690,029 738,991 The average consumption of coal and cost of same per engine-mile, per engine-hour, and per 1,000 gross ton-miles for 1939 as compared with 1938 were as follows : —

The following table furnishes statistics of locomotive operation for the last five years : — 1935. 1936. 1937. 1938. 1939. d. d. d. d. d. Cost per engine-mile .. .. .. 18-04 18-40 20-23 22-52 23-27 Cost per train-mile .. .. •• 23-91 24-51 26-84 30-04 31-00 Cost per engine-hour .. .. .. 190-78 19-3-42 212-03 233-26 239-93 Cost per 1,000 gross ton-miles .. .. 116-59 117-09 128-24 141-43 147-25 Number. Number. Number. Number. Number. Engine-miles per engine-hour .. .. 10-58 10-51 10-48 10-36 10-31 Gross ton-miles per engine-hour .. 1,636 1,652 1,653 1,649 1,629

XVIII

Cost per Vehicle. Cost per Vehicle-mile. 1935. | 1936. 1937. | 1938. 1939. 1935. | 1936. 1937. | 1938. 1939. i £ £ £ £ £ d. d. d. d. d. 112 139 156 184 175 1-57 1-70 1-82 2-06 1-95

Cost per Vehicle. Cost per Vehicle-mile. 1935. 1936. | 1937. | 1938. 1939. 1935. | 1936. j 1937. | 1938. | 1939. £ £ £ £ £ d. d. d. d. d. 17 20 22 26 24 0-65 0-69 0-72 0-77 0-75

Consumption. Cost. 1939. 1938. 1939. 1938. lb. lb. d. d. Per engine-mile .. .. .. •• 63 • 91 63-50 10-45 9-92 Per engine-hour .. .. .. .. .. 649-40 651-06 106-14 101-71 Per thousand gross ton-miles .. .. . 392-12 389-46 64-09 60-84