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D.—2

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT RAILWAYS. New Zealand Government Railways, Sir,— Head Office, Wellington, 30th August, 1913. I have the honour to report upon the working of the open railways for the financial year ended the 31st March, 1913. The capital cost has increased from £30,506,089 to .£31,611,220. The revenue was £3,971,002, against £3,676,509. The expenditure for the year amounted to £2,705,609, against £2,465,896 last year. The rate of interest on the capital was £4 os. 9d., as compared with £3 19s. 7d. for the preceding year. The revenue per train-mile was Bs. 9jd. and the expenditure, ss. llfd., as compared with Bs. 9|-d. and ss. 10|d. respectively last year. The following extensions were opened during the j'ear : — M. oh. Westport -Te Kuha ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 61 Waikohu-Otoko ... ..." ... ... ... ... 7 79 Te Wera-Pohokura ... ... ... ... ... ... 8 51 Mina-Parnassus ... ... ... ... ... ... 851 Kiwi-Glenhope ... ... ... ... ... ... 12 45 Te Hana - Kaiwaka ... ... ... ... ... ... 8 67 52 34 The mileage added to the system was thus 52 miles 34 chains, making the total mileage open for traffic on the 31st March, 1913, 2,860 miles 10 chains, as against 2,807 miles 56 chains at the close of the previous year. During the year 13,123,879 passengers were carried, yielding a revenue of £1,314,340, and 265,259 season tickets were issued, the revenue derived therefrom amounting to £147,533. There was thus an increase of 1,232,745 ordinary passengers and £128,514 revenue, and 28,30 i! season tickets and £14,244 revenue over' the traffic carried under these heads during the previous year. 72,763 children and teachers and 61,134 adults travelled by school and factory excursions during the year, the revenue derived therefrom amounting to £9,509. 964,695 passengers travelled at holiday excursion fares, yielding a revenue of £271,612. The coaching and goods traffic has been well maintained during the year, and shows increases under all heads with the exception of sheep, pigs, and timber. Increases. Coaching. — Parcels, 129,966; horses, 1,461; carriages, 103; dogs, 1,232. Revenue, £11,875. Goods. —Drays, 285; cattle and calves, 14,049 head; chaff, lime, &c, 21,528 tons; wool, 6,128 tons; firewood, 1,636 tons; grain, 232,343 tons; merchandise, 34,768 tons; minerals, 84,200 tons. Decreases. Goods. —Sheep, 65,638 head; pigs, 11,138 head; timber, 23,353 tons. Several additions and alterations were made to the train services during the year to meet traffic requirements and to give greater facilities to the public. The train-mileage was 9,016,234, an increase of 644,537 miles. The increase on the North Island main line and branches was 499,951 miles, and on the South Island main line and branches 107,376 miles. During the year floods and slips have caused serious delays to traffic, but the train services generally were well maintained. There was no serious train accident during the year, and no passengers were injured as the result of train accidents. Locomotive. Mr. A. L. Beattie, Chief Mechanical Engineer, reports as follows :— The engines, rolling-stock, plant, machinery, and appliances have been maintained in thoroughly efficient working-order, the details of work completed and in hand being as follows : — Locomotives.—On the Ist April, 1912, there were 493 engines in service, and on the 31st March, 1913, there were 513 engines. Twenty new engines were added to stock. Of the new engines added to stock thirteen were built in the Government Railway workshops, and comprised five large tender engines, Class Ba, and eight heavy tank engines. Class Wn; seven Class Ad, 72-ton tender engines, four-cylinder " balanced compound," were completed under the contract with Messrs. A. and G. Price (Limited), of Thames. In the Government Railway workshops to date 110 engines have been built, and twenty-four old locomotives have been rebuilt to modern designs.