r>.—i

VIII

The Darjeeling line, in India, fifty miles in length, is another very successful 2ft.-gauge railway. This line, however, cost over £5,000 per mile, which is accounted for by the roughness of the country it traverses, and the great height to which it rises—viz., 7,874 feet above sea-level. This railway, in the fourth year after its completion, and for some time after, paid 17 per cent, on its cost. A lighter 2ft.-gauge railway is the Pithiviers-Toury Branch of the OrleansMalasherbes Eailway. This line is nearly twenty miles long, and cost only £1,223 per mile for construction-work, and ,£323 per mile for rolling-stock. The rails weigh only 191b. per yard, and the goods-engines 9 tons when empty, and 12 tons in working-trim, the passenger-engines being lighter. In 1893, 27,236 passengers were carried over this railway. Some lines of similar gauge in Prussia have gradients as steep as lin 18; but it is admitted that such grades are far too steep for economical and safe working, and the authorities recommend adopting nothing steeper than lin4o in future. On these lines, also, they are running locomotives weighing over 14 tons, in working-trim, over rails weighing only 191b. per yard. I am of opinion that it would have been better for the colony if some of our railways in sparsely-settled districts had been constructed to a gauge somewhat approaching those I have referred to. The great economy, both in cost of construction and in working-expenses, indicates that light railways could be made to pay in many parts of the colony where lines constructed upon the present system would stand no chance of doing so. EAILWAYS UNDBE CONSTEUCTION. I will now give brief particulars of the principal works undertaken on the several lines of railway during last year, and what is proposed to be done during the current year. Kamo-Kawakawa . The section of this line between Hikurangi and Whakapara is now practically completed, and goods-traffic is already being run over it. The stationbuildings are now in course of erection, and as soon as they are finished the line will be handed over to the Railway Department for working in the ordinary way. The expenditure on this line last year amounted to .£7,378, out of a vote of ,£B,OOO. This year we ask for a vote of .£7,000. Kaihu Valley Eailway. The short section of this line, about 55 chains in length, beyond Opanake Station, which my predecessor stated last year was already formed, has since been completed by the laying of the permanent-way. This extension brings the line to a point on the Kaihu River where timber-booms and skids have been constructed by private enterprise for the purpose of arresting logs in and removing them from the river for carriage on the railway. A considerable increase in traffic by reason of this extension is already assured, and a further extension of the line will be taken in hand as soon as the requirements of traffic demand it. The vote taken last year was for £3,000, but, as operations were not begun until near the close of the year, scarcely any expenditure came to charge before 31st March last. A similar vote is proposed for the current year. Helensville Noethwabds. The Makarau contract on this railway, 3 miles 6 chains in length, is still unfinished. The Makarau tunnel was completed in September, 1895, but some heavy slips have occurred since in the cutting at the north end of the tunnel, which have seriously delayed the completion of the contract. The work is still proceeding, however—bridging, fencing, platelaying, and ballasting all being in hand —and it is hoped that the contract may be completed by about Christmas next. The approaching completion of this contract will enable the Tahekeroa Section, 3 miles 18 chains in length, to be put in hand shortly, should Parliament approve of the work being undertaken. It is proposed to construct the line on the co-operative principle, and a vote for £8,000 is provided on the