SUPPLEMENTARY MEMORANDA. 
A. TRANSPORT. 
also seen representatives of the inter- 
state and overseas shipping interests, 
and, owing no doubt to the importance 
of the subject, and its vital effect upon 
\ustralian conditions, we have had 
uggestions made to us on very many 
ccasions in regard to it by the repre- 
entative bodies and citizens with 
vhom we have been brought into con- 
act. Although, therefore, our general 
wrvey of the economics of the con- 
sinent has not permitted us even to 
ouch upon the details of this vital 
-ubject, we are constrained to submit 
aur general conclusions on the evidence 
vhich we have received. This 
nemorandum . is in the briefest pos 
sible terms, sufficient only to make in- 
selligible the recommendations and 
suggestions which we put forward for 
consideration. 
Railways. 
4. In spite of the competing services 
if sea and road transport, it remains 
rue that railways are the most suit- 
ble means for the haulage of heavy 
roods and for carrying passengers for 
ong-distance journeys, especially 
vhere shipping does not afford a suffi- 
jently rapid means of transport, and 
t is worthy of remark that Australia 
as more railways in relation to popu- 
ation than any other country in the 
vorld. 
5. Practically all the railways in 
Australia belong to and are worked by 
he Commonwealth and State Govern- 
ments. The statistics relating to them 
are: — 
1. Adequate and cheap transport is 
of paramount importance to Aus- 
tralia’s welfare and future develop- 
ment. So fully was this recognized in 
the past that, when the necessary 
capital could not be attracted for her 
railways, they were provided by the 
Government; and during the post-war 
period the experiment of running her 
own ships was also entered upon as a 
State undertaking in the hope of 
giving better service to Australia at 
lower freights. 
2. In order to realize the extent of 
Australia’s problem of transport, it is 
only necessary to remember that she 
ships from overseas between 5,000,000 
and 6,000,000 tons of cargo each year, 
and sends away a similar amount, that 
her interstate shipping amounts to 
more than 6,000,000 tons annually, 
that she has 25,000 miles of Govern- 
ment railways,* whose cost of con- 
struction and equipment has been 
£303,000,000, that there are ap- 
proximately 80,000 miles of properly 
made roads, and that the total length 
of surveyed roads in Australia prob- 
ably exceeds 400,000 miles, that she 
has 645 miles of tramways, which have 
sost £265,000,000 to construct, that to- 
day there are nearly 600,000 motor 
vehicles registered, i.e., nearly one to 
every 11 inhabitants, and that there 
are in use some 90 aeroplanes, which 
in the year 1928 carried over 40,000 
passengers, and flew over 1.100.000 
miles. 
3. Tt would be idle for us to pretend 
to be able to deal in any detail with 
such a vast and complicated subject as 
this of Australian transport. To do so 
effectively requires the services of 
skilled technical investigators for a 
long period; but, fortunately for us, 
such investigations have been made in 
the past and have been available to 
us, and we have, in the course of our 
itinerary, interviewed Ministers in 
charge of transport, Railway Commis- 
sioners, Road Commissioners, and the 
Committee of the Development and 
Migration Commission which is deal- 
ing with motor transport. We have 
* There are also 3,143 miles of privately-owned 
railwavsa. 
Year 
ynded 
30th 
Tune. 
Mileage 
open, | 
Cost of 
Con~ 
struction 
and 
Equip-~ 
ment. 
Net Earnings. 
{Gross Revenue, less 
Working Expenses.) 
A mount. 
[Per cent. 
on Cost. 
1017 
1018 
919 
920 
921 
922 
n22 
924 
925 
926 
108. 
21,642 | 
22,180 | 
22,647 
28,147 
13,296 
23,602 
23,881 
24.484 
24.844 
25,378 | 
DE EID 
00. ©. 
214-8 6:1 | 2:8 
220-3 6:7 | 80 
224-9 6-3 2-8 
281-1 73 32 
235-9 6-0 2-5 
Add 3-4 3-4 
58°5 10:0 4-0 
266+ 2 105 © 40 
276°1 11-9 | 4-3 
988-4 | 64 | 22 
BAQ.O Q.0 ~~