191
240
I can find no details of the estimate made by the late Acting General Manager amounting to Rs.129,000 as referred to on page 138 of the Commissioners Report, but from some rough papers were used to obtain it would appear that the "costing statistics this figure, and that the expenditure was arrived at by applying the unit cost for 1930-31 to the performance for the reduced service reckoned in gross ton miles. This method is fallacious, it being evident that a passenger service of 12 trains daily can be run at a cheaper cost per gross ton mile than a service of 5 trains daily. 18. With regard to Revenue I give, in Statement V, the coaching and goods revenue for the last 12 years. The Estimates of revenue given in Statement IV are made up thus:-
As Goods line only.
Rs. 820,000
1932-33. Ra.
Sugar
820,000
Canes
50,000
General Goods
180,000
50,000 180,000
Passengers
370,000
Nil
Parcels
52,800
Nil
Sidings
28,000
Miscellaneous
26,000
28,000 18,000
Rs.1,526,800
Bois Cheri Light Railway Net Revenue Receipts ex- cluding levy Rs.36,000
15,200
32,000
Rs.1,096,000 15,200
32,000
Total
Rs.1,143,200
241
been done by road, and, in another case, have retained for the Railway, by means of a slightly reduced sugar rate, traffic which would otherwise have been diverted to the road.
21. It is important to make it quite plain that practically no renewals expenditure is included in the present Budget, and that, as stated in paragraph 19 of my Report dated 11th April, this policy is, I believe, unsound. From the maintenance point of view the Railway is largely living on its own fat, with some increase of activity, if not of vitality, it is true. The slight restriction of the services allow it to do this, but, the principle being wrong, the matter should be rectified as soon as possible..
22. It has to be remembered that the working of the Railway in the main depends upon the success or failure of the sugar crop. It might well, I think, be laid down that, not until every possible measure of economy has been introduced into Railway working, can the relative merits of the road and the railway in this Colony be finally assessed. The Secretary of State, as a result of His Excellency's despatch, appears to concur in delaying the further reduction of the passenger service, as the latter step would involve more and considerable discharges of employees beyond those con- templated under Scheme " B " I consider that it would be sound policy to allow the Railway to continue functioning as at present at least until the end of 1932-33.
N. C. M. AUSTEN,
General Manager.
Rs.1,574,000
19. Statement V shows that the average revenue derived from sugar is Rs.785,702. Canes have to be estimated yearly owing to the extended use of lorries and tramways. Passengers must be estimated upon the most recent figures. Parcels cannot, as the Commissioners show on page 134, be credited to a goods service, as the carriage of parcels is all done in the brake vans of passenger trains, where regularity and speed of delivery, and care are required. Parcels could not be, in fact, carried on goods trains.
20. With regard to paragraph 5 of the despatch on restricting the use of the roads for goods traffic in the manner proposed by the Commissioners, I consider, after some experience of the local transport conditions, that their proposals would be very strongly opposed, and that the compulsory imposition on all road traffic. both passenger and goods, f measures well recognized as being in the general interest and safety of the public, would go far to achieve a more equal distribution of road and rail transport. It is worthy of note in this connexion that I have this year secured for the Railway Department in 1932-33, for five years, the trans- port of traffic of two sugar factories, which, for many years, has
Permanent Way-
Clerk of Works
Typist
Storekeepers-4
Statement I.
Scheme "B."
Wages.
Pensions.
Gratuities.
Ra.
Rs.
Ra.
2,500
875
1,500
375
3,600
1,200 3,375
Transportation—
Traffic Inspector (Baptiste)
2,700
6,000*
Commercial Inspector (Furlong)
4,000
1,800
6,000
Accounts Clerks-2
2,400
1,800
Leave pay of retrenched Officors
payable in 1932-33 :
2,210
Brakesmen-3
2,160
250
General Chargesi
Assistant Chief Accountant
7,500
6,500
Clerks 2
1,800
300
375
Electrical Charges
3,270
Rs.33,640
Rs.3,600
Rs.25,250
* On account of Mr. de Fondaumiere, Baptiste will return to Bois Cheri,
!
PREORD
OFFICE
Reference →
TC.O.882/12
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ALEÝ WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE | ar \reproDUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- | EQPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
| PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
Statement II.
Estimate of Working Expenditure 1932-33 basis.
242
Bois
Cheri.
2. Stores expenses adjusted ...
1. Total Expenditure ...
8. Scheme "B" reductions not effected
14,553 Rs.
144
14,409
:
Net Expenditure
**
***
14,409
4. Cost of Railway as a Goods Line only...
14,409
5. Cost of Railway as a Passenger Line only
6. Net independent expenditure necessary for
7. Direct cost
Passenger Service
either passenger or Goods Services.
8. Direct cost of Goods Service
...
14,409
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