D.--2.

XIX

The total coaching train-miles was 3,944,116, and freight train-miles 6,894,478. The total engine-mileage was 15,383,051, as compared with 15,212,086 the previous year, an increase of 170,965 miles. Line Interruptions. —On the a slip of 100 cubic yards of clay came down on the Spiral (North Island Main Trunk line), but there was no serious delay to traffic. A very heavy fall of snow occurred between National Park and Taihape during the night of the 20th July. The tablet and telephone systems were crippled, but there was no damage to the track. Heavy rain in the North Auckland district on the 25th July caused considerable damage to the permanent-way, floods, slips, and washouts occurring at various places, causing delays to trains. A (food and slip on this line at Tahekeroa Tunnel on the 11th August also caused slight delays. On the 26th July a slip occurred on the Otago Central line between Hindon and Deep Stream, derailing the engine and wagons of a passing train and blocking the line for four days. A large slip occurred between Karaka and Paerata on the 27th July, about 10,000 cubic yards of earth coming down in a deep cutting. The line was completely blocked for two days. During the night of the 30th July a slip came down on the Manawatu line, just outside of the Wellington yard, burying the track for about a chain, and traffic over this section of the line had to be suspended until the evening of the 2nd August. In addition to the original fall, a further 500 cubic yards had to be removed from the top of cutting before traffic could be safely resumed. Owing to heavy rains, the line between Riversdale and Gladfield (Outram Branch) was blocked for traffic for twenty-four hours between the 7th and Bth September. Exceptionally heavy rain caused several washouts and slips on the Lawrence Branch early in September and interrupted traffic for several da,ys. After heavy rain on the IBth December several slips occurred between Utiku and Mangaweka, blocking the line for some hours. Passenger Traffic. —The number of ordinary passengers carried during the year was 9,299,157, a decrease of 1,005,908 compared with last year ; 590,800 passengers were carried at holiday and other cheap excursion fares, and 211,862 children and adults at schools, factories, and friendly-societies excursion rates. The total excursion traffic for the year was 802,662 passengers and £353,111 revenue, compared with 910,796 passengers and £384,184 revenue the previous year, a decrease of 108,134 passengers and £31,073 in revenue. The decrease is due to the large number of school-children carried to the various centres last year in connection with the visit of-Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York. The season tickets issued totalled 632,763, an increase of 47,669 ; weekly twelve-trip tickets issued numbered 116,967, an increase of 3,780 ; workers' weekly tickets on suburban lines numbered 390,152, an increase of 38,024 ; trip bearer tickets totalled. 56,416, an increase of 7,237. The total number of passenger journeys for the year was 25,379,665, as compared with 26,002,137 for the preceding year. Every first-class seat earned £36 13s. and every second-class seat £29 4s. during the year, the total seating-accommodation provided being 19,618 first-class and 49,075 second-class seats. Goods and Live-stock Traffic. —The goods and live-stock traffic totalled 7,366,762 tons, an increase of 58,313 tons over last year's figures." The increases were —Cattle, 68,631 head ; sheep and pigs, 402,140 head ; goods (including minerals), 114,232 tons. The traffic in imported coal decreased by 6,050 tons. Native hard coal increased by 12,720 tons, and native brown coal by 61,300 tons. The North Auckland collieries forwarded 108,000 tons, as compared with 102,816 tons the previous year. The output railed from Waikato mines was 530,540 tons, as against 478,031 tons last year,The coal forwarded by rail from mines on the Westport Section totalled 623,450 tons, a decrease of 20,715 tons. The mines in the Greymouth district railed 396,350 tons, an increase of 21,186 tons. The output from mines in the Wairio district, served by the Ohai Railway, was 206,092 tons, an. increase of 11,667 tons. TRAFFIC. The following are the leading features of the traffic in the various districts in comparison with the previous year : — Kaihu Section. —Revenue, £6,622 ; decrease, £262. Passengers decreased 3,286. Parcels, &c, increased £58. Sheep increased 525. Timber decreased 1,719 tons. All other goods increased 203 tons. Gisborne Section. —Revenue, £34,039 ; decrease, £2,140. Passengers decreased 4,362. Parcels, luggage, &c, increased £160. Cattle decreased 951, and sheep decreased 10,643. Timber decreased 352 tons, and all other goods decreased 365 tons. North Island Main Lines and Branches. —Revenue, £4,321,201 ; decrease, £56,529. The principal items of traffic were : Passengers, 5,018,480 ; decrease, 632,727. Season tickets, 463,938 ; increase, 44,290. Parcels, luggage, and mails revenue, £239,667 ; increase, £2,918. Live-stock, 5,113,713; increase, 314,400. Goods tonnage, 3,024,024 ; increase, 2,029 tons. Timber decreased 48,522 tons; all other goods increased 50,551 tons. The revenue per mile of railway decreased from £3,386 4s. sd. to £3,289 9s. Id., and decreased per train-mile from 13s. Bd. to 13s. 4d. The variations in the individual districts were approximately as follows : — . Northern District. —Revenue, £2,059,805; increase, £6,784. Passengers decreased 209,631. Season tickets increased 22,754. Parcels, luggage, &c, increased £2,216. Cattle increased 46,135, and sheep 114,457. Timber decreased 14,445 tons, and all other goods increased 40,675 tons.