D.— 2,

Passenger Traffic.—The number of ordinary passengers carried during the year was 11,813,480, a decrease of 610,532 when compared with last year." 711,743 passengers were carried at holiday and other cheap excursion fares ; and 193,719 children and adults at schools, factories, and friendlysocieties excursion rates. The total excursion traffic for the year was 905,462 passengers, £470,394 revenue, as against 562,122 passengers and £297,702 revenue last year, an increase of 343,340 passengers and £182,692 revenue, principally due to excursionists visiting the Exhibition at Dunedin. Season tickets issued numbered 600,292, an increase of 62,738 ; workers' twelve-trip tickets issued numbered 126,179, a decrease of 6,823. Workers' weekly tickets issued on suburban lines numbered 354,716, an increase of 41,605. There has been a good demand for the twelve- and fifty-trip bearer tickets which were first placed on sale on the 31st August, 1925. The issues up to the 31st March last were : — First Class. Second. Class. Total. Twelve-trip .. .. .. .. 4,995 27,785 32,780 Fifty-trip .. .. .. .. 1,208 3,478 4,686 Total .. .. .. 6,203 31,263 37,466 The total number of passenger journeys for the year was 27,653,414, as against 26,106,859 for the preceding year —an increase of 1,546,555. Every first-class seat earned £45 and every second-class seat earned £33 6s. during the year. The total seating accommodation provided in the Department's car stock is 19,618 first-class and 49,075 second-class seats. Goods and Live-stock Traffic. — The goods and live-stock traffic was 7,256,142 tons, an increase of 222,683 tons over last years figures. The increases were —Cattle, 39,950 head ; sheep and pigs, 114,538 head ; timber, 16,942 tons ; other goods (including minerals), 189,054 tons. The increase in general goods traffic was 154,083 tons, and in minerals 34,971 tons. The traffic in imported and native hard coals dropped 14,938 and 31,924 tons respectively, but there was an increase of 57,751 tons in the quantity of native brown coal placed on rail. The North Auckland Collieries forwarded 116,267 tons of coal during the year, as against 111,251 tons last year. The output from the collieries in the Waikato district was 447,676 tons, as compared with 456,201 tons the previous year. The coal railed from the Westport mines was 562,058 tons —a decrease of 5,201 tons on the previous year. The output from the mines in the Greymouth district was 341,834 tons, an increase of 8,775 tons. The 1925-26 figures show an increase of 65,102 tons over 1922-23 (prior to opening of the Otira Tunnel) in the output from the mines in the Greymouth district. The connecting-up of Westland with Canterbury in August, 1923, has been the prime factor towards this. The output from the mines in the Wairio district served by the Ohai Railway was 188,378 tons, an increase of 60,012 tons. Maintenance, &c.—The permanent-way, buildings, structures, and appliances have been efficiently maintained, and a considerable number of improvements have been made in the accommodation at the various stations. Eighty-seven and a quarter miles of track have been relaid with heavier material, and 239,536 new sleepers and 166,940 cubic yards of ballast were placed on the track during the year. TRAFFIC, The following are the leading features of the traffic in the various districts in comparison with the previous year. In this connection it should be noted that the districts have been altered in connection with the reorganization of the Department. In the North Island the Whangarei District was merged into the Northern District, and in the South Island the Westland District was merged into the Northern District of the South Island, while the boundaries of the districts have been amended. The revenue figures shown are from transport operating services only; the non-operating services, such as advertising, refreshment-rooms, rents, &c., are not included. Kaihu Section.—Revenue, £8,411; decrease, £661. Passengers decreased 981; parcels, £145; sheep, 405 ; and timber, 1,605 tons. All other goods increased 1,049 tons. Gisbome Section.—Revenue, £39,565 ; increase, £1,564. Passengers decreased 9,077. Parcels, luggage, &c., decreased £270. Cattle increased 91, and sheep 6,860. Timber decreased 785 tons! All other goods increased 1,779 tons. North Island, Main Line and Branches Section.—Revenue, £4,534,946 ; increase, £377,435. The principal items of traffic were : Passengers, 6,738,142 ; decrease, 651,566. Season tickets, 432,790 ; increase, -37,241. Parcels, luggage, &c., revenue, £251,403 ; increase, £5,735. Live-stock, : increase,^2l7,929. Goods tonnage, 3,093,380 tons ; increase, 304,617 tons. Timber increased 68,806 tons ; all other g00d51|235,811 tons. The revenue'per mile of|railway increased from £3,601 14s. Bd. to £3,611 3s. 7d. but decreased per train-mile from 15s. lOd. to 14s. Bd.

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