D.—2b.

Traverser-pit in good order Paint-shop all in the best condition and preservation. Tarpaulin-shop Corrugated walls and roof in good condition, wood floor still good, but patched with old cases in centre. Brass foundry ; Floor of lime concrete, somewhat the worse for wear, otherwise in good condition , furnaces and pots in good order Carpenters' shop in excellent condition. Maintenance-shop in good order Stores building in very good order, and well kept. General store building in excellent condition , floors a little old and worn, upper story in firstrate order, and well fitted up for stores of every kind. Storekeeper's office in good order Stations • Platforms, signals, and turntable in good order Stores Two storemen, one clerk, and one assistant look after, receive, and issue stores, and keep accounts of all transactions. We found in store a large assortment of necessary articles, but no great quantity of any one kind. The system of contracting for most of the stores, and ordering them from contractors when wanted, obviates the necessity for large accumulation in the railway stores , it is also, in our opinion, a wholesome check on waste, which is usually encouraged when large quantities are held in stock. In addition to the stores of oils, paint, upholstery, lamps, ironmongery, bar- and rod-iron plates, copper, brass, stationery, and all other articles used for the various shops, there is a quantity of wheel-tires and a small quantity of rails and fastenings, which are purchased as required out of a loan of £25,000 from the Public Works Department. There are also in stock about £4,735 worth of puriri and silver-pine sleepers, which are used to replace those which are rotten on the line. The total value of stores in the Auckland District is £10,413 18s. 7d., and this includes a small quantity of seasoned timber for trucks and carriages, a quantity of ironbark beams and piles, some totara piles, a large quantity of seasoned rimu logs picked up from the felled timber along the new line. The value of the stores issued for the year ended 31st March, 1894, is £15,293 3s. 10d., which shows that the stores issued were much in excess of those in stock. At Newmarket Station we found the permanent-way in good order and well ballasted, sidings of 401b. rails in good condition, the station-building in good order and neatly kept, small goods-shed, urinals, signal-boxes and -house in excellent order and well kept, and asphalt platform in good condition. At Beviuera Station everything was in good order, the station-house old but well kept, with new verandah and good platform. Fences of post and rails, with hawthorn hedge very irregular and thin. Greenlane Station The station-house old but in good order, platform in good condition, fencing old, but still serviceable. Racecourse siding in fair condition. Ellerslie Station House old-looking but in good order, platform timber front old and partly rotten, but in good condition. Stationmaster's house wants painting, otherwise in good order, urinals in good order and clean , post-and-rail fencing old and thin, other fencing of stone walls. From Ellerslie to Onehunga we found the stations and all appurtenances in very good order, notwithstanding that the woodwork is getting old, and one or two wanted painting, which we were told was soon to be done. Generally, the wooden fronts of platforms are somewhat gone with age, but in the Auckland Station there is a large number of concrete blocks with which all these platform fronts are to be renewed. The line from Auckland to Onehunga is in excellent order, and well ballasted, all doubtful sleepers are renewed in puriri and silver-pine. The main line is laid with 531b. steel rails, and all sidings with 401b. iron. Structures The bridge over the Parnell Eoad is in very fair condition, seeing that it is twentyfive years old. A good many pieces are rotten at ends, and Commissioners have replaced many pieces with new ironbark. The old corbels built into masonry are in doubtful condition, but preparations are made to renew the whole bridge in iron girders, and we consider this as the best thing that can be done with it. The tunnel cutting at south end was lined by Brogdens, the original contractors, with kauri beams and planking to keep the ground from slipping. The planking is extensively rotten, and many of the beams are in a bad way, especially at the ends, the Commissioners have, however, kept up the repairs of it so as to make it safe, and they are preparing to build concrete walls strutted across with rails , when this is done there will be no further trouble. There are three overbridges, two of which are old-looking, but still good and safe, one has been recently renewed, and is in first-rate order The Onehunga wharf has in the old part of it the piles considerably eaten by crabs , a few are very far gone, but the greater number are still good for several years more. Waling and braces are much eaten away at ends. This structure requires constant attention to renew the doubtful pieces, and the Commissioners are doing, and have done, much repairs. The new tee towards the north-east is in much better condition, but the decking of the whole wharf looks old and half-rotten, and should have constant repairs. The overbridge at Onehunga is having a new top put on it, with ironbark beams. The fencing, where it is post and rails, is old but still serviceable, the most of the fencing is stone walls. Cattle-stops and gates are in good order, many of the former having new concrete walls and ironbark beams. From Penrose to Drury. Formation good, and clear of weeds. Permanent-way is in first-rate condition, the ballast is scoria, and plentiful; sleepers are mixed puriri and kauri, among the latter renewals are made with pixriri as fast as they get doubtful. Structures The bridges are all timber, and, though very old, they are well looked after, and all doubtful pieces renewed as fast as it appears advisable. We found many of the piles partly

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