19

D.—2

Westland Section. Revenue, £144,723 ; decrease, £6,479. Most classes of traffic show decreases, the most noticeable being 15,696 tonsfotf timber[and 9.923 tons of coal. South Island Main JAne and, Branches. Revenue, £1,533,611 ; increase, £121,774. The principal items were : — Number. Number. Passengers .. .. .. .. ..5,090,256; increase, 381,846 Season tickets .. .. .. .. 92,409; „ 10,872 Parcels, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 684,827; „ 65,100 Live-stock .. .. .. .. ..2,799,161; „ 51,075 Tons. Tons. Goods .. .. .. .. .. 2,470,658; increase, 221,421 The annual revenue per mile of railway rose from £1,043 ss. last year to £1,125 16s. lOd. for the year under review, and per train-mile from Bs. 9Jd. to 9s. 2fd. The variations of traffic in the different districts were approximately as follows :— Christchurch District. —Revenue, £684,104 ; increase, £69,175. Passengers increased by 171,480. The increase was general, but was largest at Lyttelton, Christchurch, and Ashburton. Season tickets increased by 5,301. Parcels increased by 32,000, the largest increase being at Christchurch. There was an increase of 65,000 sheep, but cattle and pigs decreased slightly. Wool increased by 3,216 tons, grain by 121,667 tons, merchandise by 10,057 tons, and minerals by 25,443 tons. Chaff, &c, decreased by 1,272 tons ; and timber by 20,301 tons, chiefly water-borne timber at Lyttelton. The 1912 grain crop was exceptionally heavy, and the season later than usual. Dunedin District. —Revenue, £492,118 ; increase, £37,464. Passengers increased by 139,000, season tickets by 4,712, and parcels by 23,547. Sheep increased by 108,000, wool by 10,877 bales, and grain by 61,987" tons. Chaff, &c, decreased by 304 tons, firewood by 6,450 tons, merchandise by 41 tons, and minerals by 5,919 tons. Invercargill District.- —Revenue, £357,389 ; increase, £15,135. Passengers show an increase of 71,247 ; season tickets, 859 ; and parcels, 8,440. Cattle show a slight increase ; but sheep decreased by 114,307, in consequence of the absence ol the usual demand from Canterbury. Grain increased by 22.813 tons, and minerals by 17,269 tons : but chaff, wool, and timber declined. Lake Wakatipu Steamers. Revenue, £7,021 ; increase, £352. Passengers, parcels, and live-stock show increases, but there were decreases in some other classes.

Average Late Arrival of Trains, Year ended 31st March, 1913.

Period ending n „ ** **> — fc » i § o £ 5 2 » i . - ■ rt - s s<d.5 en d Or . iH , L ■* « .. fefHS ■4 >;5 >, ub -g *i > o as i „ g _ Hd to i ° ss fl -a. ft, a a ■*: - Express and Mail Trains. 'ear ending 31st March, 4-60 2-01 3'28 1-00 0-88 0-57 0-69 1-04 0-76 2-44 1-21 j 0-92 | 2-40 ] 1-67 1913 ear ending 31st March, 6-48 2-96 | 2-65 ! 2-47 ! 1-66 | 0-08 1-06 ! 1-01 0-84 3-45 1-95 I 2-14 > 1-65 2-28 1912 I Long-distance Mixed Trains. ear ending 31st March, 5-52 I 3-65 ] 8-85 1-46 i 1-17 1-34 1-30 1-71 1-89 2-94 ; 2-52 2-64,4-14 2-58 1913 ear ending 31st March, 4-52 I 3-18 i 2-85 2-53 2-19 1-84 1-88 2-15 2-49 4-05 13-54 4-29 3-45 2-99 1912 Suburban Trains. 'ear ending 31st March, 0-76 0-60 0-93 0-54 0-42 0-27 0-29 0-57 0-32 0-77 0-55 0-65 0-62 0-56 1913 ear ending 31st March, 0-81 | 0-63 068 0-44 0-30 | 0-21 0.58 0-34 0-30 0-68 0-59 0-66 0-64 0-52 1912 I