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Memorandum for the General Manages, New Zealand Railways. Public Works Office, Wellington, 9th June, 1899. RIMUTAKA DEVIATION. Could you please give me information on the following points : — Passenger-trains each way per day. Goods-trains each way per day. Total number of trains Cross Creek to Featherston in a year. Total number of trains in a year, Featherston to Cross Creek, to be sent up incline. Gross tonnage of same, exclusive of engine-weights. Total number of trains down incline in a year. Total number of trains up incline in a year. Gross tonnage of same, exclusive of engine-weights, and exclusive of incline brake-van. Is this van always used, and what is its weight ? Total number of trains in a year Summit to Upper Hutt. Total number of trains in a year Upper Hutt to Summit. Gross tonnage of the same exclusive of engines. Assistant-engine mileage, Upper Hutt to Summit. Assistant-engine mileage, Pigeon Bush to Cross Creek. Is there any marked increase in cost of rolling-stock maintenance on Wellington-Woodville Section due to sharp curvature Upper Hutt to Cross Creek ? 1899 returns, wool, sheep, cattle, timber, firewood, general merchandise (Wellington-Waira-rapa). P. S. Hay, Superintending Engineer.

New Zealand Government Eailways, Head Office, Wellington, N.Z., 22nd June, 1899. Memorandum for Mr. P. S. Hay, Superintending Engineer, Public Works Department, Wellington. The following information is forwarded in response to your memorandum of the 9th instant: — Average number of passenger-trains each way per day, Cross Creek and Summit ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 Ditto goods-trains ... ... ... ... ... .. 6 Total number of trains from Cross Creek to Featherston in a year ... 1,792 Tonnage of ditto (approximate)... ... ... ... ... 174,323 Number of trains in a year from Featherston to Cross Creek to be sent up incline ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,756 Tonnage of ditto ... ... ... ... ... ... 197,348 Number of trains down incline in a year ... ... ... ... 2,303 Tonnage of ditto ... ... ... ... ... ... 180,653 Number of trains up incline in a year ... ... ... ... 1,982 Tonnage of ditto ... ... . ... .. ... .. 197,348 Number of trains from Summit to Upper Hutt in a year ... ... 1,939 Tonnage of ditto ... ... ... ... ... ... 197,348 Number of trains from Upper Hutt to Summit in a year ... ... 1,938 Tonnage of ditto ... ... ... ... ... ... 180,653 Assistant-engine mileage from Upper Hutt to Summit, including return 5,863 Assistant-engine mileage from Pigeon Bush to Cross Creek, including light running to Pigeon Bush ... . ... ... 7,785

Traffic over Rimutaka for year ended 31st March, 1899 :—

Tonnages are exclusive of weights of engines and Fell brake-vans. The weight of Fell brakevan is 6 tons ; and one, two, or more, according to train-load, are put on all trains either ascending or descending the incline. With the exception of that for Cross Creek-Summit, the tonnages are approximate. In addition to traffic given under heading of "Traffic over. Eimutaka," a large quantity of coal for locomotives, timber, ironwork, cement, &c, for maintenance works, is conveyed over the incline. The tonnage of this departmental traffic is, however, included in that for trains given on first page of this memorandum. An answer to your inquiry in regard to increase in cost of rolling-stock maintenance will be sent in a few days. T. Bonayne, , General Manager (per T. W. W.).

Cattle. Sheep, &o. Wool. Firewood. Timber. Grain. Merchandise. Minerals. forth louth No. No. 222 1,873 1,792 421,197 Tons. 3 5,947 Tons. Tons. 48 130 5,298 25,852 Tons. 4,978 691 I Tons. 11,367 ! 4,516 Tons. 2,640 405 Total 2,014 423,070 5,950 5,346 25,982 5,669 15,883 3,045 ■ I