D.—l.

APPENDIX B. ANNUAL REPORT. ON PUBLIC WORKS BY THE ACTING ENGINEER-IN-CHIEF. The Acting Engineer-in-Chief to the Hon. Minister op Public Works. Sir, — 1 have the honour, in the absence of the Engineer-in-Chief (Mr. Furkert) abroad, to submit the following leporfc upon the various works under my control completed and in progress throughout the Dominion during th period from the Ist July, 1925, to the 30th June, 1926. RAILWAYS. Abstract. The following table shows the expenditure on Government railways in New Zealand up to the 31st March, 1926 :—

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Length ot i 0pen ! Expenditure Name of Ball way. S™.' for to Seotfon ! Traffic. j 31st March, 1920. M. oh. M. oh. £ Kaihu Valley .. .. .. .. .. .. 24 32 24 32 179,118 Otiria-Ngapuhi .. .. .. .. .. .. 13 45 13 45 125,987 Opua Wharf - Onerahi .. .. .. .. .. 58 6 58 6 608,292 Kioreroa-Waiotira .. .. .. .. .. .. 19 79 19 79 417,357 North Auckland Main Trunk Railway (from Helensville) .. 172 35 80 63 2,942,998 Helensville - Te Awamutu, with Branches (inoluding AucklandWestfield Deviation) .. .. .. .. .. 215 35 160 63 3,990,238 Erankton Junction-Thames, with Branches .. .. .. 127 35 87 20 1,395,748 Thames Valley - Rotorua .. .. .. .. ... 69 33 69 33 421,748 Tauranga-Opotiki, with Branches .. .. .. .. 145 32 .. 1,336,420 Gisborne-Opotiki .. .. .. .. .. .. 93 44 49 32 623,358 Napier-Gisborne (including Waikokopu Branch) .. .. 231 44 23 44 1 621,738 Wellington-Napier and Palmerston North (including Te Aro Extension, Greytown and Martinborough Branches, and Hutt Valley Railwa)) .. .. .. .. .. .. 258 62 233 12 2,950,164 Wellington-Waitara, with Branches .. .. .. .. 350 11 285 59 3,493,145 Stratford-Okahukura .. .. .. .. .. 112 47 47 40 1,439,172 North Island Main Trunk (Marton-Te Awamutu), including Raetihi Branch and Waipa Gravel-access Branch .. .. 225 79 218 39 3,058,705 Pioton-Waipara (South Island Main Trunk Railway)— Picton southwards .. .. .. .. .. 92 38 56 6 * 656,027 Waipara northwards .. .. .. .. .. 90 45 44 14 378,740 Nelson-Greymouth .. .. .. .. .. .. 177 51 125 57 714,819 Stillwater - Arthur's Pa?s .. .. .. .. .. 51 41 50 41 2,045,196 Rolleston-Arthur's Pa-s (including Whitecliffs Branch) .. 92 59 84 45 1,029,453 Westport-Ngakawau .. .. .. .. .. 19 56 19 56 193,883 Westport-Ngakawau Extension to Mokihinui* . .. 7 12 7 12 Mokihinui Colliery Linet .. .. •. .. ■ • 3 69 3 69 Westport-Inangahua .. .. .. .. .. 26 0 5 74 198,048 Ngahere-Blackball .. .. .. .. .. .. 3 40 3 40 147,532 Greymouth-Rewanui and Branches .. .. .. .. 11 34 11 34 329,743 Greymouth-Waitaha .. .. .. .. .. 50 32 38 68 355,853 Waipara-Waitaki, with Branches .. .. .. .. 459 34 413 70 2,835,798 Canterbury Interior Main Line—Oxford-Temuka .. .. 83 0 11 44 59,942 Waitaki-Bluff, with Branches .. .. .. .. 600 21 561 2 5,375,265 Otago Central .. .. .. .. .. .. 182 51 147 27 1,436,626 Invercargill-Kingston, with Mararoa Branch .. .. .. 117 4 97 44 393,767 Forest Hill Railway—Winton-HedgehopeJ .. .. .. 12 40 12 40 23,337 Western Railways .. .. .. .. .. .. 94 8 78 49 447,437 Preliminary surveys .. .. .. .. .. • .. 45,452 General charges not yet apportioned .. .. .. .. .. 3,698 Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 10,337 Stock of permanent-way on hand .. .. .. .. .j • .. 22,458 Rolling-stock .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 10,124,091 Suspense Account, being proportion of cost of raising loan for Railways Improvement Authorization Act 1914 Aocount. .. .. 23,580 Total .. .. .. .. .. 4,275 49 3,145 79 §51,455,270 Pbovincial Government Lines, etc. Canterbury (lengths included above) .. .. .. .. .. .. 731,759 Otago and Southland .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 372,522 Gisborne to Ormond Tramway .. .. .. .. .. .. 4,975 Midland Railway, valuation of works constructed by company .. .. .. ||683,460 Grand total .. .. .. .. 4,275 49 3,145 79 53,247,986 * The funds for this extension—namely, 35,501 2s. lid.—were provided by the Westport Harbour Board. I The fuuds for purchase of this line, £15,745, were provided by the Westport Harbour Board. t The expenditure on this line as a tramway was made by the Lands Department. § Includes expenditure on railways und9r Hutt Road and Railway Improvement, Kail way Improvement Authorization Act, and Railway Improvement Authorization Act 1914 Accounts. || Includes value for £150,ODD paid to debenture-holders under the Midland Railway Petitions Settlement Act Amendment Act, 1903.