The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, October 21, 1918, Page 8

ERENIELOPE SR R - over 1 per cent per annum for How Australia Runs Its State Railways America Can Learn Much Frpm Success of Government Roads. in the Far-Off Pacific Continent BY GEORGE MACDONNELL XTY years ago, the government of one of the Australian states decided that government owner- ship was the correct railroad policy. - This step was imme- diately followed by the other states. At the present time most of the roads are owned and run by the six state gov- ernments, and not by the federal government. This is due to the fact that the states were not federated into the commonwealth of Australia un- til 1901. However, due to the fact that Australia, which has an area slightly greater than that of the United States, has only six states and due to the fact that each state has a coast line and ports of its own, this state ownership as opposed to federal ownership is not the hindrance it would be etherwise. In 1914 there were 20,529 miles of railroads in. Australia, of which 18, 332 miles were owned by the various governments, state and federal. Of the 2,197 miles owned by private companies, only half were open for general traffic, the remainder being used for special purposes only, such as the carrying of lumber. The capital for building the govemment roads is raised by issuing bonds at rates varying from 3 to 4 per cent, the average rate in. 1914 being 3.63 per cent for the whole of Australia. - The railroads pay a net profit on the investment after paying interest on the bondis- sues, majntenance charges and wages. BUILT FOR LESS THAN IN' AMERICA The annual net profit for the railroads of the whole of Australia varied from 0.24 to 0.98 per cent on capital cost for the years 1908-1914. The average capital cost of the railroads in 1914 was $47,500 .per mile, varying from $77,500 per mile in New South Wales to $25,500 per mile in.the state of Western Australia. ;This variation is due to the fact that the roads of Western Australia are narrow gauge, while those of New South Wales are standard 4-foot, 8% -inch gauge, which is the gauge in the United States. Also, New South Wales is more mountainous and more' settled than Western Australja. In the United States the aver- age capital cost in 1914 was $78,900 per mile, varying from $116,100 per mile in the east- ern district to $61,400 per mile for the southern district. The capital cost of the railroads in the United States is higher than the average given in the above figures if the value of the land: grants to the rail- roads “is taken into account. In Australia, on the other hand, there have been no land grants- with the government roads. .Further, the steel rails for building . the . Australian roads - have largely been im- pdtted from the United States antlg England and this fact wb_i‘x‘ld; tend to increase the capifal cost of the Australian roads. The, cost of $77,500 per milg# in ‘New South - Wales thérefore compares very well with. the cost .of -$78,900 . per mile for roads: ofsimilat fil}ée in the -United . States. The ‘Australian railroads are run as near as possible at cost. If the net profit after paying wages, interest and mainte- nance charges becomes large, ; the rates are reduced. Thisg occurred in the state of New South: Wales' in 1911, when, after paying a net’ profit of v the two previous: years,. the rates. for:New South Wales were reduced while. at. the same time the wages of the - railroad - employes - were m;__ S miles._ creased, with the result m ‘the Blue mountains. = tickets to the wives and children of -the workingme '!‘hat is at: the Tate of llttle more that in 1912-13 the net profit was reduced to 0.35 per cent. In Australia the Eng- lish custom of having more than one class on the railroads is follow- ed. There are first and second class coaches on each train. The second class rates are cheaper than first class rates. However; it is the sec- ond class rates which should be compared with the ordinary day . coach rates in the Unit- ed States, as first class corresponds with the parlor class in this country. . Further, in some.of the Austrafian states it 1s the custom to issue “return” or “round trip” tickets bet.ween all statlons. ‘A retum ticket is cheaper than two “single” or “one way” tickets for the same distance. The return tickets are issued -at a maximum rate of 2 cents per mile, the fare for a distance of 50 miles and back, or a total distance of 100 miles, being $2. Rates be- tween particular stations are, however, often cheaper than the mileage rates. The maximum rate for a single journey is 2.5 cents per mile. This is the rate in South Australia. Besides these maximum rates, there are “ex- cursion” rates. These are issued to holiday re- sorts and tourist sections of the country; they are also issued at certain times of the year and in con- nection with agricultural fairs, conventions of po- litical partles, religious bodies, etc. The heat is very intense in the inland gold mining towns of Western Australia in the summer. season, the government issues excursion fares to portant. « " the @ives and children of the miners to the seaside resorts. The fare .is $6.25 for a total maximum journey of 1,600 miles, which is a rate of 0.39 cents per mile. In New South Wales fares are issued to tourist resorts at the rate of 2 cents per return During the hot season the: Evening calm, Sydney harbor. region, and has many ports, but Sydney, New South Wales, is the most im- In addition to government railways, there are also’ government-owned docks. Durmg the hot. Australia is settled only along the coast mile, or 1 cent per mile traveled. In South Aus- tralia tourist excursion tickets are issued at cer- “tain times of the year at a rate of 2.6 cents per return mile. On public holidays excursion fares _ are issued at the rate of 1.85 cents per return mile. CHEAP FARES FOR HARVEST HANDS Particular reference to the rates in New South Wales is of interest, due to the fact that this state is the oldest and most settled, and most nearly cor- responds to the maJorlty of the American states. In this state there are no ordmary return fares, but tickets are issued for single journeys only. The ordmary (not excursion) rates per single mile are shown in the following table: NEW SOUTH WALES Centsf Per Mile Miles Workmen’s Monthly - Single Joumey Weekly b $ .42 $3.12 10 1 2 ¢ .60 4.32 34 1.12 1.09 6.78 50 1.44 200 1.85 500 1.68 The workmen’s weekly and the monthly tickets are what is known as com- muters’ tickets in the United States. The workmen’s weekly ticket entitles the ‘holder to ride in any train before 8 a. m. and to return in any train in - the evening. The monthly tickets are available on any train during the day and as many times a day as the holder wishes. Monthly tickets are also issued to the adult female members of a monthly ticket- holder’s family at one-half the above rates. School and col- lege students are issued month- - ly tickets at one-qudrter of the above monthly rates if they are under 18 years and one- half the rates if over that age. The rates up to 34 miles are ' suburban rates. Fot distances greater than 34 miles the first 34 ‘miles of the journey is - charged at the suburban rates. HAUL WHEAT FOR 28 PER CENT LESS AGRICULTURAL WORK- ERS ARE ALLOWED A SPECIAL RATE OF THREE- QUARTERS OF THE ABOVE RATES FOR SINGLE JOUR- NEYS, WHILE SETTLERS WHO ~ARE TAKING UP. . LAND.: ARE CARRIED AT ONE-HALF = RATES ' AND THE SAME: CONCESSION Here are the picnic gronnds on the Federal pass, Katoomba, New Sonth Wales. This m\'ls ALLOWED. ON. THEIR - srament rallroads‘ issue excursion - BELONGINGS, which are car- S ned by frelght A compaflson ‘