D.—2

1881. NEW ZEALAND.

WAIMEA PLAINS AND RAKAIA AND ASHBURTON FORKS RAILWAYS (ARRANGEMENTS FOR WORKING THE).

Presented to both Souses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

THE WAIMEA PLAINS RAILWAY. MEMORANDUM OF ARRANGEMENTS FOR INTERCHANGE OF TRAFFIC BETWEEN THE WAIMEA PLAINS RAILWAY AND THE NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS, AND THE RUNNING OF THE COMPANY'S TRAINS BETWEEN ELBOW AND KINGSTON. 1. The company will work the traffic on its own line, and will be entirely responsible for the safety of Government rolling-stock, passengers, and goods passing over the same. 2. Passengers will be booked vid the company's line between Kingston and Elbow and the following stations —viz., Duneclin, Mosgiel, Milton, Balclutha, Clinton, Gore, and Mataura. In all other cases passengers must rebook at the junction. 3. Goods and parcels may be booked between all stations on the New Zealand railways south of and including Port Chalmers to stations on the company's line and vid the company's to New Zealand Railway Stations similarly situated. 4. The company's line will be counted as thirty-seven miles for purpose of through traffic. 5. Passengers, parcels, and goods will be charged at the rates gazetted to come into force on the New Zealand Railways on 11th October, 1880, but subject to any changes made hereafter. 6. Divisions of charges will be made between the New Zealand railways and the company thus: — 7. For passengers and parcels proportionately to mileage. 8. For goods passing through the company's line between New Zealand railway stations proportionately to the mileage carried, but subject to the following reductions before the division of charges is made. 9. All goods, Classes A, B, C, and D, 3s. per ton, excepting when consigned to Dunedin and Invereargill; 4s. Id. per ton on goods consigned to Duneclin and Invercargill, but not to privato sidings at those stations ; 3s. per ton to private sidings at Dunedin and Invercargill. On goods, Class E, 4s. Id. per ton on goods consigned to Dunedin and Invercargill, but not to private sidings at those stations ; 3s. per ton, excepting when consigned to or from private sidings, or to Dunedin and Invercargill; 2s. 6d. per ton when consigned to or from a private siding ; 2s. per ton when consigned between two private sidings. On wool, Class H, Is. per bale undumped ; Is. 6d. per bale double-dumped. Cattle and sheep, Class M, ss. per truck. On goods of Classes F, X, N, and P, the rates will be divided proportionately to the mileage carried, the extra charge of Is. per ton on Class P being first equally divided. 10. On all goods, Classes A, B, C, D, E consigned to or from the company's stations in addition to the pro-rata share ascertained to be due to the company iv accordance with the preceding method, an allowance of Is. per ton will be allowed to the company. 11. Payment to the company of the charges and allowances due to it will be made by the Minister for Public "Works four weekly, due time being allowed for compiling and auditing the accounts. 12. One penny per mile will be charged for each loaded New Zealand railways wagon passing on, to, or through the company's line, which the company shall pay to the Minister for Public "Works as rent for the use of the New Zealand railways goods stock. 13. The company's officers will render all accounts both for the company's local traffic and traffic interchanged, in the form and manner prescribed for the New Zealand railways. All moneys collected by them will be paid into the Public Account. 14. The accounts shall be open for the inspection of the company, and such statistical information as is wanted may be obtained by the company on payment of the clerical expense involved in compiling it. Under this arrangement the company's clerks become accountable to the Crown, and are thus subject to the Public Revenues Act.