D.—2

XVI

Auckland Section. Revenue, £392,348 ; an increase of £58,252. ".. . l Increase over Previous Year. Amount. Amount. No. £ No. £ Passengers .. .. ..1,329,374 121,033 115,821 11,146 Season tickets .. ... 38,557 11,862 7,074 1,943 Parcels, &c. .. 135,674 21,377 12,976 1,587 Live-stock .. 269,189) 40,259) Tons. 230,486 Tons. I 42,502: Goods ... .. .. 519,532 j 93,422 J Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. 7,588 .. 1,074 The returns from this section indicate a rapid expansion of business, every class of traffic showing a large increase. Timber increased by 18,310 tons, and coal by over 20,000 tons. Butter exported from Onehunga totalled 3,904 tons, an increase of 723 tons. In January a serious interruption of traffic was caused by floods, the line between Pokeno and Huntly being chiefly affected. Communication between Auckland and the Waikato district was entirely suspended for a fortnight, and for a further period of a week only a limited service could be run during repairs to the line. The effects of this serious dislocation of business were seriously felt for some time after traffic was resumed. ... - North Auckland Sections. Whangarei. —Revenue, £26,927 ; an increase of £1,274. Both passenger and goods traffic have been well maintained. The timber traffic increased by over 5,000 tons, coal by over 2,000 tons. .. Kawakawa.— Revenue, £1,935; an increase of £135. Goods traffic gave a small increase; passenger business declined slightly. Kaihu. —Revenue, £5,218 ; decrease of £1,855. The decline in business is due to the exhaustion of the supply of timber in the vicinity of the railway. . . Gisborne Section. Revenue, £6,594; an increase of £547. Both passenger and goods traffic yielded an increased revenue. As will be seen from the table below the time-table has been maintained with punctuality :—-

Average Late Arrival of Trains.

Stokes. Mr. H. Baxter, Stores Manager, reports as follow : — The value of stores (purchased under the Railway vote) on hand on the 31st March, 1907, at the various depots amounted to £195,056 10s. od., as against £152,707 ss. 9d. on 31st March, 1906. The value of the stores on hand on account of additions to open lines amounted to £8,435 12s. 4d. on 31st March, 1907, as against £5.669 os. 9d. on 31st March, 1906. The stock is in good order, has been carefully and systematically inspected, and is value for the amounts stated. The conduct of the staff as a whole has been very satisfactory. I have, &c, T. RONAYNE, General Manager. • The Hon. the Minister for Railways.

s § s 1 & 1 < H. » 5? < &c Period ending a O o CO CN 0CO 3 CO — X 'r 3 _ X q CO _ — -rH;2 _; o Si X o CD Q g fa \ Express and Mail Trains. 'ear ending 31st March, 1-66 0-48 1-04 1-49 I 0-54 0-37 10-35 0-87 0-64 3-09 2-52 2-48 1907 'ear ending 31st March, 1-76 05 1-23 0-68 j 0-18 0-23 0-3 007 0-71 2-23 1-18 0-63 1903 0-87 007 0-64 0-71 3-09 2-23 2-52 1-18 2-48 0-63 2-52 1-39 0-85 0-87 Long-distance Mixed Trains. 'ear ending 31st March, 2-33 | 1-33 1-54 1-03 1-37 \ 0-87 0-57 0-83 1-06 2-32 2-35 2-52 1907 'ear ending 31st March, 2-26 1-6 2-OG 0-71 0.71 I 0-64 . 0-48 1-05 0-84 1-49 1-36 1-47 1906 I 2-43 1-63 1-6 1-25 Suburban Trains. 'ear ending 31st March, 0-29 0-34 032 0-22 0-23 0-13 I 0-22 i 0-24 0-17 0-53 0-59 0-72 1907 'ear ending 31st March, 0-47 0-38 0-43 0-21 0-13 0-15 I 0-17 0-09 0-35 I 0-31 0-29 0-27 1906 0-34 0-38 0-43 0-19 0-34 0-26