D.—2

IX

The variations in traffic in the individual districts were approximately as follows : — Christchurch. —Revenue, £901,736 ; increase, £167,853. Passengers increased 330,663, and season tickets 6,395. Parcels, luggage, and mails increased £5,800. Cattle and calves decreased 1,702. Sheep increased 178,875, and pigs 3,173. Timber increased 32,195 tons, general goods 150,885 tons, and minerals 24,556 tons. Dunedin. —Revenue, £712,986 ; increase, £101,434. Passengers increased 255,876, and season tickets 8,233. Parcels, luggage, and mails increased £5,414. Cattle and calves decreased 1,959, and pigs 250 ; sheep increased 58,917. Timber increased 4,527 tons, minerals 744 tons, and general goods 38,239 tons. Invercargill, —Revenue, £439,482 ; increase, £63,816. Passengers increased 102,612, and season tickets 1,121. Parcels, luggage, and mails increased £1,963. Cattle and calves decreased 604, and pigs ,487 ; sheep increased 7,293. Timber increased 9,804 tons, general goods 15,224 tons, and minerals 26,684 tons. Lake Wakatipu Steamers. Revenue, £7,878; increase, £1,196. Passengers increased 6,411. Live-stock increased 2,731. Timber decreased 33 tons, and minerals 344 tons ; general goods increased 335 tons.

Average Late Arrival of Trains, Year ended 31st March, 1920.

MAINTENANCE. Mr. F. W. Mac Lean, M.lnst.(l.E., Chief Engineer, reports as follows : — The track, buildings, structures, and appliances have been maintained in efficient order and repair. The difficulty in carrying on not only urgently needed new work, but also ordinary maintenance work during the year: has been even greater than in the preceding years. Although, at much increased cost, it has been possible to obtain materials to some extent, yet owing to the shortage of labour it has been possible to make only a limited use of these materials. Some of the rails previously ordered have been delivered in New Zealand, but very ittle relaying of track could be carried out for lack of men. If the essential work of maintenance is to be carried on efficiently, arrears of work overtaken, and tin; large extensions and alterations which increasing traffic demands to be carried out, it seems obvious, in view also of the large works contemplated by the Government and others, that special steps will have to be taken to obtain the necessary labour. Permanent-way. - -The relaying during the year has been as follows : — Miles. Main and branch lines, 53 lb., 56 lb., 65 lb., and 100 lb. steel rails relaid with new 70 lb. material . . . . .. .. .. .. . . 5 Branch lines, 401b. relaid with 55 lb. material .. .. .. .... Branch lines, relaid with second-hand material ..' .. .. ..If Total relaying for the year .. .. .. .. .. 6§ Sleepers. —B2,96B new sleepers were placed in the track during the year, Ballasting,— -86,805 cubic yards of ballast were placed on the, track during the year. Slips and Floods. Slips and floods of a minor character which do not call for special comment occurred in the Auckland, Ohakune, Wanganui, and Invercargill districts. Heavy rain during the middle of August caused a heavy flood in the Taieri River, traffic on the Main South Line and Outram Branch being suspended for two or three days. A large slip also occurred on the Otago Central Railway, blocking the, line for several days. 1,680 tons of rock were used on protective works on the Midland Railway, and about 1,300 tons of rock to protect the foreshore at Oainaru. 7,279 tons of stone were also used on protective works on the Westland Section. Mr. Borlase's quarry at Sawyer's Bay has been purchased by the Department.

ii—D. ±

| Period ended - .Hi as u s gi*s ■5 .s Year ended CM ' -41 Cl •C r. ' H I 2 CJ OS a a 1-3 OS'S Hj CD CJ3 a S H < ~ H og o ; CD O S3 CD d 0 Q I a 3 Hi 70 a rS 1 £ I A I 0 fc | S3 i a Express aud Mail Trains. March 31, 1920 March 31, 1919 .. I 4-70 I 5-38 I 5-31 I .. I ..I .. I ..' I 2-41 | 3-25 j 5-28 i 5-04 5-98 7-85 I 5-02 .. | 3-68 ! 2-04 | 2-35 | 1-79 | 1-81 | 1-69 , 1-50 i 1-61 i 1-81 1 4-79 | 3-53 6-48 5-16 | 2-94 Long-distance Mixed Trains. March 81, 1920 March 31, 1919 .. I 0-74 [ 8-32 I 8-00 I .. I .."[.. . I .. I 4-74 | 5-00 | 6-15 j 7-16 110-78 '11-62 j 7'67 .. | 6-25 | 4-20 | 3-51 j 3-31 | 2-51 | 2-90 I 2-67 ; 2-34 | 3-08 | 5-97 | 6-38 | 9-36 | 8-33 | 4-07 Suburban Trains. March 31, 1920 March 31, 1919 .. I 0-82 I 1-10 I 1-12 I .. i ..]..].. | 0-42 I 0-40 l 0-74 I 0-64 | 0-93 I 1-08 I 0-80 .. [ 0-83 I 0-58 ! 0-02 | 0-37 | 0-45 | 0-30 | 0'40 j 0-38 | 0-42 | 0-02 | 0-49 | 0-62 ] 0-79 | 0-53