NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS. (REPORTS BY THE ENGINEER-IN-CHIEF AND MR. C. NAPIER BELL ON THE CONDITION OF THE OPENED RAILWAYS.)

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1895 Session I, D-02b

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1895. NEW ZEALAND.

NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS. (REPORTS BY THE ENGINEER-IN-CHIEF AND MR. C. NAPIER BELL ON THE CONDITION OF THE OPENED RAILWAYS.)

Laid upon the Table by Leave of the House.

SUMMARY EEPOET ON NORTH ISLAND RAILWAYS. Sic, — Wellington, 26th January, 1895. We have the honour to submit herewith our summary report on the condition of the North Island railways. We have, &c, William H. Hales, The Hon. the Minister for Public Works, Wellington. C. Napieb Bell.

The full report of an inspection being very long, we think it is important to condense it into this summary To summarise such a mass of observations, involving the examination of a great variety of objects, including 586 bridges, is by no means easy if strict accuracy is looked for , but for accuracy in details we must request that the body of the report be referred to. The railways in the Auckland District are maintained in very fair condition considering the urgent need for economy which always haunts the railway management. When these railways were constructed light rails and bridges to carry light engines were provided, but from that day to this the traffic keeps increasing, and the use of heavier engines has involved renewal of the rails by heavier sections and strengthening the bridges at great cost. All bridges and culverts were made of kauri and totara, and sleepers were mostly kauri. The rapid decay of these timbers has occasioned great expense for renewals and repairs, which have become urgent on the older lines. These repairs and renewals are carried on as fast as possible, but numbers of bridges are waiting their turn, and when they are finished those on the newer lines become ripe for repairs. Notwithstanding the constant work of repairs, we found that the faulty bridges are carefully watched, and everything kept in safe working order Open culverts have also been extensively repaired or renewed altogether, some are getting very old and decayed, and are repaired as they require it. Wooden box-culverts appear to last pretty well, except exposed ends, which are repaired as they decay , but many have been taken out and replaced with concrete pipes, of which a great number are kept in stock at Auckland, ready for use when necessary All repairs of bridges, culverts, and beams of cattle-stops are now done in ironbark, and in time the constant anxiety and expense caused by rotten bridges will be obviated. It would have saved thousands of pounds if no New Zealand timber had been used in these bridges and culverts, the life of which timber for such uses is only from ten to fifteen years, while ironbark, which is as cheap as New Zealand timber, will probably last fifty years. The fencing is in fair condition generally Some parts are much decayed, other parts are. repaired with old sleepers, and all is kept up in serviceable condition. Sixty-seven miles of line are unfenced, and sixteen miles are not according to the Fencing Act. Gates, signboards, and mileposts are very good, and signals are in first-rate condition. Cattle-stops are under constant repairs , many are renewed in concrete walls and ironbark beams; many are much decayed, and are propped to carry the heavier engines, but all are kept safe. The rails are of various sections. There are 66-J miles of 401b. iron, 2-| miles of 561b. iron, 2 miles of 521b. iron, 30f miles of 401b. steel, and 190J miles of 531b. steel. The 401b. iron is getting worn, and is continually being replaced by 531b. steel. The steel rails are in good condition. The ballast is excellent near Auckland, and on parts of the Whangarei and Kaihu lines, in other parts it is sandy, earthy, and poor—generally sufficient, but often scanty. The sleepers, taken altogether, are good, although there are great numbers of poor, half-rotten kauri sleepers in these lines. They are, however, constantly renewed, and a total of 24,000 sleepers was provided last year in place of those which were found to be unserviceable. These are mostly puriri, which are considered the best and most durable to be had. The stations and station fixtures are well kept and in fair condition. On the older lines there is some decay going on to exposed parts, but none of any importance. On the newer lines they are in very good condition. Cattle-pens, loading-banks, and timber fronts of platforms suffer most; many have been repaired, and a number require early attention. I—D. 2b.

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The formation is in good condition, and well drained, but there are places on Eotorua Extension and the King-country where slips are troublesome. Near Auckland several deviations and alterations have been made to improve grades and curves. We examined 75 per cent, of the locomotives and 63 per cent, of the vehicles. The locomotives we could only judge of by outward appearance, and they appear in very good condition. The boilers and fire-boxes are regularly inspected, and kept in good working order Numbers of boilers are under repair at the workshop. Carriages of all classes are in the best repair in every part, the painting and upholstery clean and very well kept. Trucks are in good condition, and, considering the durability of the puriri, undernames are almost as good as new The floor and sides suffer most, and these are kept in fair repair There are a number of vehicles with very thin tires : this is unavoidable, as tires are not renewed until they are thin. The stores are kept in small quantities, and are replenished as required from the contractors in New Zealand, or imported from England through contracts let by the Agent-General. We found all the stores to be suitable, and in good condition, without overstocking or superfluity of any articles. The lines in the Napier, Taranaki, and Wellington Districts are kept with an eye to economy, the urgency of which draws a sharp line for all work done on the railways. Nevertheless, the lines are maintained in very good running condition, and everything is in fair repair As in the North, the growing traffic has had to be met by heavier rails, and strengthening all the bridges, for which great expense has been incurred. The bridges have been and are still the principal trouble , constant repairs and renewals are going on, but, on the whole, these bridges are better than on the Auckland lines, as kauri was not much used, and the totara which was used is of better quality than in the North. Four lofty timber viaducts on the Napier line are beginning to suffer from decay We were told that it was proposed to abolish two of them, and rebuild one in iron, and the fourth is to be repaired piece by piece, as considered necessary The bridges over the larger rivers are in various conditions—-some in want of repair, others very good. The smaller bridges have been extensively repaired or renewed, and many are waiting their turn for repairs or renewals. Open culverts are mostly in good condition, as are the boxculverts, many of which have been taken out, and concrete pipes put in their place. Cattle-stops are the most in need of repair, and are soon to be taken in hand. The rails are of various sections there are 2 miles of 301b. iron, 81f miles of 401b. iron, 80| miles of 521b. iron, 38 miles of 401b. steel, and 222 miles of 531b. steel. The 521b. iron rails are in fair condition, the 401b. iron rails are more or less worn, and are gradually being replaced with 531b. steel. On the Kimutaka incline the ordinary rails are much worn, and frequently renewed, while the central rails, of 701b. steel, wear very little. The ballast is scanty in many places, and much of it is poor stuff, but there are long lengths of line with good and abundant ballast. Sleepers are maintained, by renewals, in fair condition, there are many old and half-rotten sleepers in the lines, but the most defective ones are removed before becoming unsafe. 38,000 new sleepers were laid in the lines during last year The station-buildings and all station fixtures are in good order and preservation, clean, and well kept, decay is overtaking some of them, but it is chiefly in unimportant parts, which are easily renewed at little cost and, with a few annual repairs and painting, station-buildings will last longer than most other items of the railways. Out-of-door structures like cattle-pens, loading-banks, &c, suffer most, and many have already had repairs. The fencing is getting old —in places the posts are decaying, in other places they are burnt and we did not observe so many renewals of these by old sleepers as we saw in Auckland, generally, the posts are good totara, and will last a long time. There are forty-two miles of line unfenced. Gates in many places are flimsy many are of iron, but too light, and easily damaged , in other places they are stout and strong, and generally they are in good repair Signboards and mileposts are all in good condition, and signals in good working order From the above description we exclude the Foxton Branch, which is in very poor condition, and much in need of repairs. We inspected 77 per cent, of the locomotives and 82 per cent, of the vehicles, and the observations made above on the Auckland rolling-stock apply to these. The stores are well housed, small in quantity, in good condition, and all are serviceable articles , there is no overstocking nor superfluity of any kind. From Wellington as a centre, the whole of the lines in New Zealand are supplied with stationery. Other kinds of stores are supplied to Wanganui, Nelson, Picton, Westport, and Greymouth, while Auckland is a separate centre of supply for its own system of lines. Taking into consideration the whole of the North Island lines, they have been constructed on the most economical basis, and they appear to be maintained on the same principle. All parts are kept up to serve their purpose with safety and efficiency and beyond that nothing is spent on them. To this report is attached lists of vehicles and bridges, against each of which is written the condition in which we found them. We have, &c, William H. Hales, 26th January, 1895. C. Napieb Bell.

The objects on the railways which come under inspection are classed in the following order :— 1. Formation Includes conditions of cuttings, embankments, slopes, drains. 2. Permanent-way Includes rails, ballast, sleepers, with the condition and description of them. 3. Structures Include bridges, culverts, over- and under-bridges, tunnels. 4. Fencing Includes fences, cattle-stops, gates, signboards.

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5. Stations Include buildings, platforms, signals, urinals, turntables, cattle-pens, loading-banks, water-supply 6. Mile-posts and grade-boards. 7 Boiling-stock. 8. Stores Include material for bridges and permanent-way, as well as ordinary railway stores.

SUMMAEY EEPOET ON SOUTH ISLAND EAILWAYS. Sic, — Public Works Department, Wellington, 7th June, 1895. We have the honour to submit herewith our summary report on the condition of the South Island railways. We have, &c, William H. Hales, The Hon. the Minister for Public Works, Wellington. C. Napiee Bell.

The South Island railways, on the whole, are in somewhat better condition than those in the North Island, especially as regards structures in timber this may be partly due to timber lasting better in a colder climate, but it also seems that repairs and renewals have been carried out more thoroughly in the South Island. Eails, sleepers, culverts, and bridges are the principal articles which require renewing, and the amount of repairs and renewals done on these in the South is immense, so much so that in places we remarked that little remained of the original work but the formation. Over a large part of the lines the bridges and culverts are nearly all either rebuilt or extensively repaired in ironbark timber, in concrete or masonry , and, in more recently constructed lines, iron girders are largely used in place of timber bridges. Some large bridges of native timber have been taken down and rebuilt in ironbark, others have been so much repaired in ironbark that little remains of original timber Many have new piers of ironbark piles, concrete, or masonry —■ especially the long bridges over the larger rivers have great numbers of new ironbark piles. Beams bearing heavy cross-strains, such as stringers, rail-beams, and floor-beams, are almost entirely renewed in ironbark, and very few open culverts have now the totara or matai beams with which they were originally built. A great number of the open culverts have been rebuilt with masonry or concrete walls, but there are still a great many with timber sills and back lining, and many of these are hastening to decay Efforts are being made to overtake this, and we saw many under repair in concrete or ironbark. Great numbers of timber box-culverts are still in the roads in very various states of preservation, some few being very bad a number have been replaced with large concrete pipes, and such renewals are going on now There are still many bridges and culverts which now, or soon will, require more repairs, especially as in some lines that had been long under construction we noticed that the structures first built had become rotten, and had to be renewed before the lines were finished. This is a serious defect of Native timber, but when all renewals are completed in ironbark it is probable that bridges and culverts will give on further trouble for nearly half a century In addition to the repairs of decaying bridges, most of the embankments have been widened, and this is being done at the present time. In places, curves have been eased by diverting the line, and gradients cut down and made flatter Banks and abutments of bridges have been protected with heavy stone pitching, and a new tunnel built for security of the line at Purakanui Cliffs. Iron rails are replaced by steel, better fastenings put on the iron rails, and a large part of the older lines are now laid with 531b. or 401b. steel which originally were iron. Last year 1 mile 10 chains were relaid with 401b. steel, 23J miles with 531b. steel, and a large quantity of new and better fastenings put on the iron rails. At the rate renewals have been carried out in the past it would not be long before all the lines requiring it are renewed in more durable materials. One or two small lines, or parts of lines, are in a very inferior condition (see body of report) but the traffic is also inferior, so they will do for the present. The rails are a very mixed lot : thus, there are in the South Island 73 miles of 301b. iron, 302 miles of 401b. iron, 73J miles of 521b. iron, 14J miles of 561b. iron, 4 miles of 641b. iron, 54 miles of 701b. iron, 164J miles of 401b. steel, 6J miles of 451b. steel, 25 miles of 521b. steel, and 488 miles of 531b. steel. With very few exceptions the lines are kept in excellent running order— straight, well curved, and good level top. On some branch lines, and one or two parts of main line, fast running would not be advisable, chiefly on account of bad joints, and partly on account of poor condition of rails. The lines are generally well ballasted with shingle, of which there is no scarcity in this Island. Sleepers are maintained in very fair condition, the main lines receiving most attention in the way of renewals. Eenewals of sleepers are carried out with much uniformity year by year, the amount of decay being also very regular, renewals vary in different parts from 4to about 7 per cent, yearly of the total number in the line, which is about 2,000 per mile. Of 114,000 sleepers renewed last year 6 per cent, were matai, 21 per cent, totara, 31 per cent, birch, 2 per cent, jarrah, 1 per cent, puriri, 21 per cent, kamai, 2 per cent, karri, 1 per cent, ironbark, 13 per cent, silver-pine, and \\ per cent, yellow-pine. Jarrah, karri, and ironbark are used on bridges, native timber being considered by the Eailways Department too brittle to be safe. Tunnels are all in very good condition. We made a careful inspection of the two longest, the Lyttelton and Deborah Bay tunnels a detailed account of their condition is given in report. Fencing is of various kinds, and in different states of repair There are thorn hedges in various places, mostly poor and thin, and of little use, some gorse hedges, which are generally good, some wire fences, with iron standards, good against fire, but weak to resist cattle, but the larger part is post and wire, generally looking very old, but kept in working order by the defective posts being renewed with old sleepers. There are, however, lots of places where the posts are rotten and fallen over, burnt, or otherwise out of repair Many miles of line are unfenced, and many more enclosed by

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private fences. Gates, signboards, and mile-posts are usually in very good condition. It is now the practice to replace rotten gate-posts with posts made of old rails, and a very large number have been so renewed. Cattle-stops have been so largely renewed with ironbark beams that probably less than one-third have the original matai and totara beams. These latter are usually propped in the middle for safety, and will not last many more years. A good number have had the frames replaced in concrete, but much the larger part have the original sills and frames, now in various stages of decay, and considerable expense will be incurred to renew them. It is the practice to renew a certain number of the worst every year, but we observed that such renewals scarcely overtake the decay, and consequently many are in very poor condition. Station-buildings seem to last very well, and, with a few unimportant repairs yearly done on them, the old ones are probably good for twenty years more. The only decay we noticed chiefly affected outside structures, such as loading-banks, platforms, cattle-pens, and a few sills and bottom boards in sheds and. stationbuildings , but repairs to these would amount to a small sum. Corrugated-iron roofs become rusty after a few years, and we think they are worth painting, which would preserve them for a considerable time. Several stations have been rebuilt, others improved or enlarged, and many platforms have been rebuilt with concrete or masonry fronts and asphalt tops. Station-buildings are kept very neat and trim, and nowhere did we notice any evidence of slovenly disorder Privies and urinals are almost always clean. Signals are always in good working-order Water-supply by windmills, steam-pumps, rain, or gravitation, with fire-prevention arrangements, at Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill, we found in good order Structures and buildings are painted at regular intervals, and are well attended to in this particular With exception of the iron in them, bridges are not painted, as it is the opinion of the Engineers that it does no good. We do not agree with this opinion, and we think wooden bridges, after being thoroughly dry, should be kept well painted or tarred. The wharves at Port Chalmers, Picton, Nelson, Greymouth, and Westport have all had repairs, and still require more or less, but on the whole they are very good, and the repairs necessary are not of an expensive nature, at Port Chalmers and Westport timber and piles are on hand for repairs , the Nelson wharves require the most extensive renewals of any of them. Of the rolling-stock, on Hurunui-Bluff lines we inspected 77 per cent, of the locomotives, 80 per cent, of the carriages, 82 per cent, of the vans, and 73 per cent, of the wagons. Of the West Coast stock we inspected 71 per cent, of engines, 90 per cent, of the carriages, and 78 per cent, of the wagons and vans. The whole of this stock is kept in good repair The coal-trucks at Westport and Greymouth suffer most from the heavy traffic, and, being made of thin iron, the bodies rust away rapidly; a great deal of repairing and tarring is done for them, and most of them are in good condition, but a number are rusty and thin and will require repairs. The rest of the stock is so constantly sent to the shops that it is often impossible to say whether they are old or new, and, if they continue to be treated as they have been, no one can say how long they will last in good running condition (see details at end of report). Stores are small in quantity, in good condition, well housed, and all serviceable articles. Christchurch has much the largest quantity of stores, Dunedin has its own lesser quantity, and Picton, Nelson, Westport, and Greymouth are supplied from Wellington. Stores are chiefly supplied under local contracts, others by contracts let in England by the Agent-General. No large quantities of stores are kept in stock, thus preventing a common source of waste. On the whole, these lines of railway appear to be maintained with economy, but their working condition is not impaired. They do their work well, and carry a large number of passengers with as much safety as any other lines. William H. Hales, C. Napiee Bell.

DETAILED EEPOET ON CONDITION OF NOETH ISLAND EAILWAYS. Sib,— Wellington, 26th January, 1895. Acting under your instructions, we have now the honour to present to you the result of pur inspection of the North Island railways in the following detailed report. We have, &c, William H. Hales. The Hon. the Minister for Public Works, Wellington. C. Napieb Bell.

The Auckland Bail ways. Auckland Station.— Permanent-way is kept in excellent condition, with good scoria ballast; sleepers—kauri and puriri—all in good preservation. Fences all in good order Buildings .We found all the buildings in very good condition, and well looked after these are, — Eunning-shed : Concrete floor, wood walls, iron roof, brick engine-pits with concrete bottom, draining to harbour, all in excellent order Goods-shed in very good condition in every part. Iron roof, slightly corroded, but will last some years yet. Goods office in very good condition. Carriage-shed in very good condition. Carriage and wagon repair store in good order. Office in first-rate order Passenger-station, built of brick, in good order, and well kept. Everything neat and clean. Workshops in good order, and well kept, the iron roof considerably corroded. The set of tools and machinery are all in good condition, and none the worse for wear Floors are concrete, with wood blocks round about the machines, all in good condition. Smith-shop building in good order, as are the forges and tools , glass skylights somewhat patched; corrugated-iron roof much corroded. Woodworking shop in very good condition, excellent roof, concrete floor, somewhat worn , all the machines in good condition, and well kept.

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Traverser-pit in good order Paint-shop all in the best condition and preservation. Tarpaulin-shop Corrugated walls and roof in good condition, wood floor still good, but patched with old cases in centre. Brass foundry ; Floor of lime concrete, somewhat the worse for wear, otherwise in good condition , furnaces and pots in good order Carpenters' shop in excellent condition. Maintenance-shop in good order Stores building in very good order, and well kept. General store building in excellent condition , floors a little old and worn, upper story in firstrate order, and well fitted up for stores of every kind. Storekeeper's office in good order Stations • Platforms, signals, and turntable in good order Stores Two storemen, one clerk, and one assistant look after, receive, and issue stores, and keep accounts of all transactions. We found in store a large assortment of necessary articles, but no great quantity of any one kind. The system of contracting for most of the stores, and ordering them from contractors when wanted, obviates the necessity for large accumulation in the railway stores , it is also, in our opinion, a wholesome check on waste, which is usually encouraged when large quantities are held in stock. In addition to the stores of oils, paint, upholstery, lamps, ironmongery, bar- and rod-iron plates, copper, brass, stationery, and all other articles used for the various shops, there is a quantity of wheel-tires and a small quantity of rails and fastenings, which are purchased as required out of a loan of £25,000 from the Public Works Department. There are also in stock about £4,735 worth of puriri and silver-pine sleepers, which are used to replace those which are rotten on the line. The total value of stores in the Auckland District is £10,413 18s. 7d., and this includes a small quantity of seasoned timber for trucks and carriages, a quantity of ironbark beams and piles, some totara piles, a large quantity of seasoned rimu logs picked up from the felled timber along the new line. The value of the stores issued for the year ended 31st March, 1894, is £15,293 3s. 10d., which shows that the stores issued were much in excess of those in stock. At Newmarket Station we found the permanent-way in good order and well ballasted, sidings of 401b. rails in good condition, the station-building in good order and neatly kept, small goods-shed, urinals, signal-boxes and -house in excellent order and well kept, and asphalt platform in good condition. At Beviuera Station everything was in good order, the station-house old but well kept, with new verandah and good platform. Fences of post and rails, with hawthorn hedge very irregular and thin. Greenlane Station The station-house old but in good order, platform in good condition, fencing old, but still serviceable. Racecourse siding in fair condition. Ellerslie Station House old-looking but in good order, platform timber front old and partly rotten, but in good condition. Stationmaster's house wants painting, otherwise in good order, urinals in good order and clean , post-and-rail fencing old and thin, other fencing of stone walls. From Ellerslie to Onehunga we found the stations and all appurtenances in very good order, notwithstanding that the woodwork is getting old, and one or two wanted painting, which we were told was soon to be done. Generally, the wooden fronts of platforms are somewhat gone with age, but in the Auckland Station there is a large number of concrete blocks with which all these platform fronts are to be renewed. The line from Auckland to Onehunga is in excellent order, and well ballasted, all doubtful sleepers are renewed in puriri and silver-pine. The main line is laid with 531b. steel rails, and all sidings with 401b. iron. Structures The bridge over the Parnell Eoad is in very fair condition, seeing that it is twentyfive years old. A good many pieces are rotten at ends, and Commissioners have replaced many pieces with new ironbark. The old corbels built into masonry are in doubtful condition, but preparations are made to renew the whole bridge in iron girders, and we consider this as the best thing that can be done with it. The tunnel cutting at south end was lined by Brogdens, the original contractors, with kauri beams and planking to keep the ground from slipping. The planking is extensively rotten, and many of the beams are in a bad way, especially at the ends, the Commissioners have, however, kept up the repairs of it so as to make it safe, and they are preparing to build concrete walls strutted across with rails , when this is done there will be no further trouble. There are three overbridges, two of which are old-looking, but still good and safe, one has been recently renewed, and is in first-rate order The Onehunga wharf has in the old part of it the piles considerably eaten by crabs , a few are very far gone, but the greater number are still good for several years more. Waling and braces are much eaten away at ends. This structure requires constant attention to renew the doubtful pieces, and the Commissioners are doing, and have done, much repairs. The new tee towards the north-east is in much better condition, but the decking of the whole wharf looks old and half-rotten, and should have constant repairs. The overbridge at Onehunga is having a new top put on it, with ironbark beams. The fencing, where it is post and rails, is old but still serviceable, the most of the fencing is stone walls. Cattle-stops and gates are in good order, many of the former having new concrete walls and ironbark beams. From Penrose to Drury. Formation good, and clear of weeds. Permanent-way is in first-rate condition, the ballast is scoria, and plentiful; sleepers are mixed puriri and kauri, among the latter renewals are made with pixriri as fast as they get doubtful. Structures The bridges are all timber, and, though very old, they are well looked after, and all doubtful pieces renewed as fast as it appears advisable. We found many of the piles partly

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rotten at ground-level, chiefly however, in the sap. Many beams are gone at ends, but the bridges are so closely watched, and so frequently repaired and renewed, that nowhere could we say that any exception could be taken to the condition of them as they stand at present. Many of the bridges which are considerably gone are set down for renewal in rotation, and all that require it will be renewed before long. The culverts are mostly stone, or stone walls and timber beams, and are in good condition. .Fencing is partly stone walls, but mostly post-and-wire fence, and is in very fair condition, the posts as they rot being continually renewed with old sleepers. Some of the cattle-stops are very old, but still serviceable, and some are renewed with concrete walls and ironbark beams, which is done as soon as any of chem are so decayed as to be no longer safe. Gates are all in good order and kept well painted. Station and other buildings are mostly very old, but we found them to be in good order and well kept. In some the corner-studs and covering-boards are rotten at ground-level. Privies and urinals clean and well kept. Platforms generally very good, in some cases front boarding and front piles of same gone at ground level, but they are being renewed in concrete blocks, for which the blocks are made at Auckland. Loading-banks generally in good order, in some of them a few front piles rotten. Cattlepens and -yards mostly in very good order , a few posts rotten at ground. Mile-posts well painted and in first-rate condition. From Drury to Mercer Formation We observe that the line has been diverted in several places to avoid bad curves, and in two other places land has been acquired to make similar diversions. In other places steep grades have been cut down, and the line greatly improved. Formation clean. Permanent-way is in excellent order, abundance of scoria ballast rails, 531b. steel, with good top and line , sleepers, mixed puriri and kauri, many of latter gone at ends, but are continually being taken out and renewed with puriri. There is a large number of kauri sleepers towards Mercer, and many of which must be renewed very soon. Bridges are getting old, and have undergone many renewals and repairs. Some are being rebuilt, and others, which are far gone, are down on the list for renewal. One is renewed in iron girders, but generally the renewals are in ironbark, which is far safer, and even cheaper, than any New Zealand timber As noticed in the section Penrose to Drury, this section has many bridges in which some of the piles are much gone at ground-level, with many beams and other pieces decayed at ends, but they are closely watched, and repaired immediately they become suspicious. All of these bridges, we think, should be tarred with suitable mixtures of tar to keep rain out of cracks. They have never been tarred as there is some difference of opinion as to the utility of doing so. Culverts are mostly stone. There are some wooden box-culverts, in good order except the exposed ends, which are repaired as they decay Several have been replaced with concrete pipes, of which a stock is kept at Auckland. Fencing there is not much of, but what there is is in good repair Cattle-stops are much the worse for their age, but are good for some years, and some have been renewed with concrete walls and ironbark beams. The stations, though old, are in good order. In some eases we noticed ground-sills and covering-boards at corners rotten , but these are of little importance. Many of the platforms have been renewed with concrete fronts, those which still have wooden fronts are the worse for age. Loading-banks and cattle-pens in good order, though some of the posts are gone at ground-level. Privies and urinals in all cases are in good order, and clean. Station-buildings are very well kept, though some are in want of paint. Goods-sheds in very good condition, with floors and roofs well preserved, but in a few cases sills and posts are a little decayed. Platelayers' cottages in good order. Water-tank stands in good order Mile-posts very good. Mercer Station has first-rate platform, with concrete front, and covered with a new verandah. The station-house is in excellent condition, clean, and neat. Goods-shed, engine-shed, coal-store, water-tank stand, pump-shed, engine, and pump, turntable all in good condition, and well cared for Privies and urinals in good order, and clean. There are eight cottages, in very good order. At Mercer there is a wharf at the river which is now entirely disused. The piles have all been renewed in square totara, the back lining against the earth is puriri, and in fair preservation, the decking much bruised and worn, but still good. Mercer to Huntly. Formation passes through many swamps, but is in very good condition, with drains and watertables in fair order, and clear of weeds. Permanent-way Most of this section has 401b. rails, some of which are the worse for wear, but in general they are in good condition. The rails are being replaced with 531b. rails as fast as time and other necessary work will allow The road is kept in good order, and generally well ballasted, but there are places where the ballast is scanty, and sleeper-ends exposed. The ballast is sand, and is not to be compared with the scoria ballast which extends from Auckland to Mercer Sleepers are mostly kauri, of which over 10 per cent, are rotten at ends. There has been a great quantity of them renewed in puriri, and such renewals are continually going on. We are told that the Auckland lines use twenty thousand sleepers a year for renewals, being puriri or silver-pine. This rate of renewal is therefore sufficient to insure the stability of the line as far as sleepers are concerned notwithstanding the large number of kauri sleepers rapidly decaying. Structures Bridges are all of kauri timber, which is very unsuitable for bridges on account of rapid decay, consequently the bridges have had very extensive renewals, ironbark being substituted

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generally for decayed kauri. In many cases the entire topwork above the piles has been renewed others are entirely renewed in ironbark. We noticed a considerable number of pieces in the bridges rotten at ends or having other defects, in some cases ground-sills are rotten. Several trussed bridges have had repairs in ironbark to top or bottom cords, diagonal struts, floor-beams, and rail-beams. What remains in kauri is old-looking, but still serviceable. The piles are usually in better condition than on the sections nearer Auckland, which is attributable to the wet, swampy ground, in which kauri does not decay so rapidly as it does where the ground is alternately wet and dry. There are many box-culverts in wood, which are in fair condition, the exposed ends being that which goes soonest, and which is easily repaired. A few open culverts have ironbark beams, and are in good condition. Fencing There is very little, and what there is is in good order Buildings are few, and all in good order At Huntly we found all the buildings in very good condition platform of asphalt, with timber front, in good order , turntable in good order , coalstore , platform a little gone , water-tank stand in good order , privies and urinals in good order and clean , cranes and pump , cattle-pen and loading-bank in good condition. At Huntly there is a wharf on the Waikato, which is in good condition. Huntly to Frankton. Formation Clean, and generally clear of weeds. Permanent-way From Huntly onwards there are forty miles of 401b. iron rails, mostly with the objectionable Ibottson's joint-fastenings, but there are stretches with good fish-plates and fastenings, and many of the curves are laid with 401b. steel rails. The road is well kept and in very good order, generally well ballasted with sand, but in many places the ballast is scanty and sleeper-ends exposed. Sleepers are mostly kauri, among which are many with rotten ends ~ but the platelayers renew them with puriri whenever it is time to do so. The most important bridge is that over the Waikato at Ngaruawahia, which is in very fair condition, one or two of the corbels and one or two of the diagonals are decayed at ends, but these are watched, and will be repaired when necessary The iron lower cords are in good order and well painted, and so are the tie-bolts. The other bridges are suffering a rapid decay, which is as rapidly repaired with good ironbark. We noticed a great number of pieces much gone, but they are carefully watched by the Bridge Inspectors. Sill and posts of trestles are decayed in places. The piles are generally good, but there are many with saps decayed and somewhat gone at groundlevel. Generally the bridges are in very fair condition, as they ought to be, considering the constant repairs they are undergoing. From the constant watching and endless expenditure on these bridges all over the Auckland District, we consider it is a great mistake to use any New Zealand timber in their construction, so long as such a strong and durable timber as ironbark can be had, even if at a greater price than New Zealand timber Fencing is all in very fair condition, being, as noticed above, constantly repaired with old sleepers , cattle-stops old but serviceable gates in very good condition. Station-buildings are in good order and well kept. A few corner-studs and ground-sills are decayed, but with these exceptions all are in good preservation. Privies and urinals, good order and clean. Platform in good order, here and there a little of the woodwork is the worse for age. Loading-banks A few of the front posts decayed, but otherwise in very good order At Ngaruawahia the cattle-yards are very old, but will be renewed next year. At Frankton there is a new cattle-pen, made of iron rails. Stationmasters' houses all in good order Water-tank stands, water-columns, pump-house, and engine all in good order Siding to wharf has poor sleepers and ballast, but it is not now used. Wharf at Ngaruawahia Piles good, but planking and beams decayed. This, however, is no longer used. Ballast siding is in good order Frankton Station building is in good order, neat, and clean. It is to be removed soon to another site. Frankton to Tβ Aivamutu. Formation clean. Permanent-way 401b. iron, with good fastenings, but parts of the road have the Ibbottson's joint-fastenings. The road is in very good order , ballasted with sand. In many places ballast is scanty, and sleeper-ends exposed and deficiently boxed up. We were told that the ballast was kept scanty for fear of settling the banks in the great peat swamps. There are places, however, where the line is well ballasted. Generally there are very good puriri sleepers, and we noticed very few in bad condition. " This line was opened between 1878 and 1880 , the bridges, therefore, are newer than on abovementioned lengths. Generally, they are in good condition, although we noticed some piles slightly gone at ground-level, and some beams and sills and other pieces somewhat decayed, which must be renewed in a year or two, and there have been many renewals already Piles are usually of totara. There are many box and open culverts, all of timber, but in good order and well looked after On the hard ground concrete culverts and pipes are in use. The fencing is usually in good order but we saw a few places where it needed repairs. Cattlestops usually in very fair condition. Gates and signboards very good. Station-buildings are all in good condition, with the exception of a few ground-sills or cornerstuds or covering-boards, which are decayed.

7

P.—2b.

At Eukuhia the cattle-pens are in a ruinous condition, but are not used. At Ohaupo the posts of these are much decayed at ground, and at Te Awamutu they are also decayed, and are to be renewed shortly Platforms are generally in good order, a few front posts being decayed, and the same applies to the loading-banks. Privies and urinals neat and clean. Mile-posts are being put in along this entire length as far as Mokau. Altogether, this is a very good piece of line, and in very good order. Te Awamutu to Mokau. Formation has many places where the lower part of slopes is pitched to keep up slips , drains and water-tables well kept. The rails on this section are 531b. steel, the road is in fine order, sleepers chiefly puriri, with which the old sleepers are continually being replaced, and there are a great many sawn totara sleepers at the joints. The gravel ballast is good and generally abundant, there are, however, a few places where it is scanty, and this is more the case at the farther end. Towards Te Kuiti and Mokau the ballast is earthy and inferior as well as scanty The bridges have mostly totara piles, which are far more durable than kauri, the bridges generally are in good order—there is less decay and fewer renewals. The bridge over Waipa, 80ft. truss, with iron lower cords, is in very good condition, but wants painting , and the great Waititi iron viaduct is in excellent condition. There are few wood culverts, and they are in fair order , most of the culverts are concrete or stone. Fencing is very good, and so are cattle-stops and gates. Station-buildings are all in good order, some comparatively new , privies and urinala good and clean, platforms in good repair; water-tank stands very good; loading-banks in good order; pumps in good order; platelayers' cottages, and Stationmasters' houses in good order, and well painted; cattle-pens good, and two are renewed in iron rails, goods-shed, with good floors and roof. Frankton to Buakura Junction. Bails are 401b. steel. The road is in very good trim , ballast, sandy gravel, is good and sufficient, sleepers are mostly kauri, and many are rotten, there are, however, a great many renewals in puriri. Hamilton Bridge Land spans, totara sills on concrete walls, in good order , main-span abutments, ironbark sills on concrete, all in good order, main span of 132 ft., iron girders on cylinders, in very good condition. Fencing in good order, cattle-stops old and weathered, but still good, some are renewed with ironbark beams. Hamilton East Station-buildings very good, platform in good order , privies and urinals very good , new iron-rail cattle-pen, good loading-bank. Buakura Station Both platforms in good order , station-house in good order, neat and clean , privies and urinals good and clean , coal-store in good order, front of platform gone a little in places , tank-stand in good order Cambridge Branch. Formation clean and well kept, rails 401b. steel, and good fastenings, road in very good trim, good ballast of sandy gravel, one or two short pieces a little short of ballast. Sleepers are generally good, but many are gone at the ends, and many are renewed in puriri. Fencing, chiefly post and rail, is in very fair order , cattle-stops have ironbark beams, and are very good private gates all good, and well painted. The bridges are in very fair condition, having had many renewals in ironbark , some of the piles, which are kauri, are a little gone at ground-level, but are good for some years yet. All station-buildings are in good condition , privies and urinals good and clean. Platforms and loading-banks very good, but some front posts are gone at ground-level. Cattle-pens in good order, and some renewed in iron rails. Stationmasters' houses and platelayers' cottages good and neat. Tank-stands in good order, engine-shed in excellent order Te Aroha Branch (opened March, 1886.) Formation fairly good, and usually clear of weeds; rails, 401b. steel to Morrinsville, then 531b. steel to Te Aroha. The road is in very good order, well ballasted with gravelly sand, and there are very few places where the ballast is scanty or deficiently boxed up. The first sixteen miles or so have a good number of sleepers with rotten ends or dosed, after that they appear to be better. The bridges have many piles somewhat gone at ground-level, but are still good for some time, the superstructures are mostly in good condition, though we noticed a few sills and one or two stringer-ends gone a little, but they are well watched, and have had already many repairs. The bridge over the Thames has all piles sound, as are all the trestles , superstructure in good condition, but the planking is the worse for wear The swing span is opened every month. Timber box and open culverts in good order Fencing is in good condition. Cattle-stops, gates, and signboards all in good order, though some of the cattle-stops are already getting old, and a few are renewed with ironbark beams. Station-buildings are in very good order and well kept, platforms and picket-fences in good condition. Stationmaster's house and platelayers' cottages good and neat. Privies and urinals in good order and clean , coal-store and tank-stand in good condition, engine-shed very good order and perfect repair Cattle-pens and -yards in good condition. The buildings at Eureka, Motumaoho, and Morrinsville have a few ground-sills gone a bit, and one or two of the front posts of loading-bank and platforms are somewhat gone at ground.

8

9

D.—2

MoBKINSVILLE-BOTOKUA. Morrinsville to Putarwru (opened 1886.) Formation clean and well kept. Permanent-way Bails are 531b. steel, and the road is in good trim; ballast is chiefly sandy gravel. For a considerable length of the line the ballast is scanty—that is, the boxing-up is deficient and sleeper-ends bare , other parts are well ballasted. The line is clear of weeds. Sleepers are mostly kauri, and have been extensively renewed with puriri and totai'a, there are a few which have rotten ends, but generally the sleepers are in good condition. Structures The bridges have totara piles and trestles, and kauri beams and upper work. In many of the bridges the piles are already suffering at ground-level, though we saw nothing serious, and we noticed that they are carefully inspected. The beams and upper work are in every case in good condition, as a considerable number of renewals have been effected. The wooden box-culverts are all in good order, though some are getting very old. The fencing generally is in good condition, cattle-stops, gates, and sign-boards, all in good order and condition. Stations All the station-buildings are in good condition, tidy, and well kept, as are the cattle-yards, loading-banks, privies and urinals in good order and clean. Putaruru to Botorua. Formation has steep grades of 1 in 35, but very good curves. The heavy part in the hills is not very well trimmed, slopes being somewhat rugged, and drains in cuttings often blocked with small slips. In places the cuttings have suffered many slips, and have been pitched with stone, and drained. Permanent-way The rails are 531b. steel, and the road is in very good running trim, and mostly clear of weeds. The ballast is gravelly sand on the first part, and pumice sand at the farther end. The ballast is abundant, and sleepers well covered, and the line clear of weeds. In consequence of the abundant ballast we could see nothing of the sleepers, but as the line is new the sleepers must be new also. Structures The bridges are comparatively new, and are in good condition. They suffer from sun-cracks, and none of the bridges have been painted or tarred, which, we, think, impairs their durability. Most of the culverts are concrete, stone, or pipes, and open culverts mostly Stone walls and timber beams in good condition. Fences, cattle-stops, gates, and sign-boards in good condition. Station-buildings, and all appurtenances to the stations, in very good order, privies and urinals clean. The part of this line from Tarukenga to Botorua was not quite completed at the time of our visit. Lichfield Branch (five miles long) This piece of line is in very good order , rails in good running trim, and clear of weeds, the ballast is sandy gravel, and abundant. The sleepers are not visible, but we were told that they are kept by renewals in good order and condition. Fences, cattle-stops, gates, and signboards are in very good condition. Stations At Lichfield Station the station-buildings, yards, and engine-sheds, Stationmaster's house, platelayer's cottage, coal-store, cattle-pen and -yards, and. platform, are all in good condition and well kept, the privy and urinal good and clean. From Auckland to Helensville and on to Kaukapakapa (43i| miles): — Auckland to Taupaki (opened in 1888). Formation is well kept, and drains generally clean and clear of weeds. Permanent-way The road is in excellent running order, the rails are 531b. steel, and only two miles of 401b. iron rails are now in the road. The ballast, of clean scoria, is generally abundant, though there are a few places where it is somewhat scanty The sleepers are very good as far as we could see them , most of them have been renewed in puriri. The road is free from weeds. Structures The bridges on this length have been extensively renewed, and this is going on now There are about ten bridges on which there is much decay of sills and piles at ground-level, and two are in a condition that requires renewal as soon as possible , the others are good for two years or so. These bridges are booked for renewal, which is done one after the other, and meantime they are watched and repaired. Many bridges have been entirely renewed in concrete and ironbark, and are in excellent condition. Most of the culverts are stone. Fencing is mostly in good order The first part of the line they are stone walls, after that post-and-wire fence. Cattle-stops are mostly in good condition, having been renewed, but there are some badly decayed. Gates and sign-boards in good condition. Stations : The station-buildings are all in fair condition, with here and there a few decayed boards or sills. Some of the shelter-sheds are getting very old, and want painting, and a few of the piles on which they stand are decayed at ground-level. The platforms are in good condition, except that one or two have the timber fronts partly decayed. Cattle-pens and loading-banks in good condition, but a few of the front piles show decay at ground-level. Privies and urinals were in good condition, and, with one exception, clean. Taupaki to Helensville North. Formation is in good order, in places the grades and curves have been altered and improved. Permanent-way The roading is kept in good running order, and clear of weeds. Up to Kumeu Station the rails are 531b. steel, after that to Helensville the rails are 401b. iron, with two miles or so of 531b. steel in places. These 401b. rails are somewhat worn, but are to be replaced 2—D. 2b.

£>.—2s.

by 531b. steel in their turn. The ballast is scoria. A good deal of the line is a little bare of ballast—that is, the boxing-up and sleeper-ends are bare, other parts are well ballasted. The sleepers have been extensively replaced with puriri, and are generally in good condition, except in sidings where, as usual, renewals are not so urgent as in the main line. We observed large stacks of fine puriri sleepers at different places waiting to be put into the line. Structures The bridges have undergone extensive renewals, and many are booked for same. In many of them the piles are decayed at ground-level, many beams and sills are partly rotten or severely sun-cracked. A mimber of bridges have been entirely renewed in concrete and ironbark. The large bridge over the Kaipara Eiver is in very fair condition, the piles, being in mud and water, stand well. A few beams are partly decayed, and must be renewed soon. The open culverts are in good condition. Fencing Usually in good condition, has a patch or two with rotten posts, and is being repaired. There are very few cattle-stops, and they are in fair condition. Gates and signboards in good order Stations The buildings are all in good condition, with the exception of a few unimportant parts a little decayed. Platforms are in good order, although there are some with the woodwork gone a little. Cattle-pens, tank-stands, water-supply, and loading-banks in good condition, although the cattle-pens and loading-banks have the posts of one and front piles of the other touched with decay in places. At Helensville the station and all its appurtenances are in very good order The wharf at Helensville is in good condition except the top planking, which requires continued repair. Stationmasters' houses and platelayers' cottages are all in good order and condition. Helensville to Kanohi. This part has been open about four years, and is therefore comparatively new Formation and drains are in good condition, and well kept. One cutting is troubled with slips. Permanent-way The road is kept in good running order , rails are 531b. steel. The ballast— earthy gravel—is not overabundant, which is partly owing to the rails having been lifted where banks have subsided, which leaves the sleepers somewhat bare. The sleepers are in very good condition . Structures All the bridges are in good condition, and nearly new , all culverts are also in good condition. Fencing Fences are in excellent condition, as are the cattle-stops, gates, and sign-boards. Stations All station-buildings are in good order, and nearly new The wharf at Mount Eix is in very good condition. The embankment leading to it is liable to be damaged by the waves, and the stone pitching on the slopes is damaged in places, fascines being provided to protect it. The siding and gate leading to this wharf is in good condition. Lines Noeth of Auckland. Whangarei Baihuay This line commences with the wharf and station at Opau, on the Whangarei Eiver. The •wharf is in very fair condition, and will require few repairs for some time. The planking, however, is rapidly going, and must have continual repairs. At Opau the sidings are in good order, the angle weedy, shelter-shed and its platform in good condition, platelayers' cottages very good, and surrounded by good fences, weighbridge in good order. From Wharf to Whangarei. Formation The banks over swamps are well pitched, but drains are much overgrown. Permanent-way: The line is a little irregular, down at joints, and slightly kinked, but nothing of consequence. The rails are 531b. steel. The line is well ballasted with earthy gravel, and a few places with scoria, and at the time very weedy Sleepers are mixed kauri and puriri, many of the kauri are gone at ends. Structures The bridges have totara piles in good condition. We noticed many beams and other pieces which were somewhat decayed, one or two considerably so, and, although still serviceable, they must be renewed soon , in general, the bridges are getting very old and want repairs. Fencing There is little or no fencing. Stations At Whangarei the station-house is in very good order, and neatly kept, with asphalt platform, the timber front of which is getting old; goods-shed in good condition, except roof, which is rusty, engine-shed in fair order, though the roof has suffered from smoke, carriage-shed and workshop in very fair repair and condition, tank-stands very good; coal-store in good condition , spare crane in good order; privies and urinals good and clean ; sidings in good trim, well ballasted with poor ballast. Whangarei to Buatangata. Formation is in good condition, but near Euatangata there is a troublesome slip. Permanent-way . The line is not in the best trim, although some parts are good, in places the line is weedy The rails are 401b., but have been renewed in many places with 531b. steel, the ballast is very inferior, except where the above renewals have been made it is better. Under the 401b. rails the sleepers are old, and many have rotten ends , under the 531b. they are good. Structures: There is one overbridge in good condition, the planking of which is somewhat rotten. Fencing Part of the fencing is in stone walls, the rest, post-and-rail, is in good order, cattlestops are old but good, though there are three or four which have beams or sills partly decayed; gates are in good condition,

10

D.—2b.

11

Stations Station-buildings are in very fair order and neatly kept, platforms in good condition , privies and urinals in good order and clean. The goods-shed at Kamo is in good condition, but showing a little decay at ground-level, that at Euatangata is new From Buatangata to Waro. Formation on this length is excellent, cuttings neatly sloped, drains clean, and neatly in line with slopes, clear of weeds, and everything in the best order Permanent-way The road is in excellent running trim, rails 531b. steel, ballast abundant, and of clean scoria, sleepers new and good. At the summit the siding is in excellent order. Structures All the bridges and open culverts are good and new Fencing Fences, cattle-stops, and gates in the best condition. Stations The station-buildings, platforms, cottages, privies and urinals, goods-sheds, cattlepens, loading-banks, are all in the very best condition. Kawakawa Line. ' Commencing at the coal-sidings at Kawakawa, the rails are 561b. iron, the ballast poor, and sleepers many half-rotten , other parts of this siding, however, have better ballast and sleepers; the ballast is broken slate. At Kawakawa there is a goods-shed in very fair condition, except that the roof is rusty, engine-shed in very good condition, cattle-pen in good order, and loading-bank very good. From Kawakawa to Port Opua. The formation at the upper part is little above the water of the swamps, and the bridges are thus partly drowned this arises from the drains being choked with weeds. Permanent-way The rails are 561b. iron, in fair condition, and good for some years with light traffic. From five miles and a quarter the rails are 531b. steel, and very good. The ballast is rough, broken slate, the line is fairly-well ballasted. The road is better at the part near the bay , the upper two miles near Kawakawa is not in such good condition. The line has fairly-good sleepers, but those under sidings are much gone in places, and want renewal if there were any traffic, which at present there is not. Structures The bridges on the upper or inland part are suffering considerable decay—piles gone at ground-level, stringers, caps, and sills, and other various pieces are here and there found in most of the bridges with rotten ends or decayed parts. These are still serviceable, but extensive renewals must begin soon. Near the sea all the bridges are in much better condition. Fencing The fences occur only in detached parts, and are in fair condition. Stations The station at Opua has the station-building in good condition, with good platform, Manager's office good order and neat, privies and urinals clean and good order There are two platelayers' cottages in good condition, and empty The wharf has the piles coppered, and in good condition , the caps and floor-beams are also in good condition, and the top planking fairly so, a few planks only being rotten at ends. The Kaihu Valley Eailway Formation is narrow, being only lift, wide , one or two cuttings are slipping, but not to any serious extent the formation generally clear of weeds. Permanent-way The line generally is good, though there are a few places where it wants straightening and picking up, and in places the rails are not properly curved. The rails are 531b. steel, and very good. The ballast is rough, heavy gravel, there is sufficient of it generally, and we noticed only a few places where it was short. The ballast in many places is very weedy The sleepers generally are good, although already they are being renewed, and there are a few places where they are much decayed. The line is only in use seven years, which is about the life of kauri sleepers. Structures The bridges are in very fair condition , in several of them the piles here and there are touched with decay at ground-level, a sill or two has rotten ends, but in most the beams and caps are severely shaken by the sun, and, we think, are badly in want of tar Box and open culverts are in good condition. Fencing Except at stations there is no fencing, there are signboards and cattle-stops, all in good condition, but want paint. Stations At Dargaville the station-house is good and neatly kept, with good platform, with attached store in good order, engine-shed in good order, with good pit —in it is a small lathe dismounted and not used, tank-stand, good order, coal-stage and small store in good order; privies and urinals in good order, water-supply and pump in good condition. The wharf is in very good condition and preservation. The other station-buildings are sheltersheds, mostly with earth floors, and in good condition. Mile-posts A number of mile-posts are being prepared for erection on the line. Wellington Eailways. Wellington to Lower Hutt. Formation is in excellent condition. The pitched slopes of banks, which are repeatedly damaged by waves, are kept constantly repaired, and are mostly in good order Permanent-way The line is in first-rate running-order The rails (531b. steel) are in good condition. Ballast of broken stone is good and abundant. Sleepers (totara and birch) are very good. The line is clear of weeds.

D.—2b

12

Structures The bridges are all concrete or stone walls and ironbark beams, and in excellent condition. Open culverts are stone and ironbark other culverts, concrete, stone, or pipes all in good order. Fencing The fencing is of various kinds of post-and-rail and post-and-wire. Generally it is in very fair condition, but there are places where the posts are getting old and decayed. There are a few cattle-stops and gates, in good order Wellington Station is in excellent condition, including station-house and platforms, goods- and engine-shed, coal-stores, building containing office, store, and drivers' room, stores-building, tank-stands, fixed crane, privies, and urinals. The sidings in good order, and well ballasted. At Petone the buildings are all in good condition and preservation. Machine-shop Floor, wood blocks , building, very good , machines, all in very good order, and well kept engine and boiler, very good , travelling-gantry in good condition. Wood-working machinery shop Floor concrete, much knocked about and damaged in places , building, very good , machines, very good order, and well kept, pattern-store in good condition. General-store building in very good condition, office neat, and in good order Tarpaulin-shed very good, floor old and patched. Paint-shop very good, floor old and patched. New coppersmiths' shop, brass-foundry all in good condition. A large number of locomotives are here under repair as well as carriages and trucks. The other stations on this length of line we found in very good condition. The cattle-pens at Ngahauranga and Lower Hutt are in good condition and preservation. Platelayers' cottages in good order. Lower to Upper Hutt. Formation is in good condition along the Hutt Eiver somewhat overshadowed by trees and willows. The concrete retaining-walls are in very good condition. Permanent-way The road is in excellent running-order The rails are mixed 531b. steel and 521b. iron. Ballast—of shingle, mostly—is abundant, and good. The sleepers are in various conditions and of various timbers, and have been extensively renewed. There are still, however, a considerable number of old half-rotten sleepers, which are waiting their turn to be replaced with new Structures The Hutt Eiver bridge is in very fair condition, though twenty years old. In three of the piers the posts and struts are somewhat decayed at ends, and the sills touched with decay in places, there is nothing serious about them, as there is still sufficient good timber, but considerable renewals must soon be made. Most renewals have been already done in new floor-beams and stringer-bolts required to carry the heavier engines which continually are put on the line. The 80ft. trusses are in very good condition, considering their age. The Silverstream bridge has a few piles and posts slightly decayed, and one badly so, it is intended to renew this very soon. The other bridges are in good condition, as are all the open and other culverts which we could see. Fencing The fencing is very old, and in places a little out of repair, and in other places totally buried in bushes. Towards Upper Hutt the fences are better There are a few cattle-stops and gates, in good condition. Stations The station-houses and shelter-sheds and platforms are in good condition, privies and urinals clean, though old. At Upper Hutt the station-building, goods-shed, engine-shed, tankstand, coal-store, and picket-fencing are all in good order and well kept. Five cottages and Stationmaster's house in very good condition, and neatly kept. Upper Hutt to Summit of Bimutaka. Formation : Throughout this very rough portion the formation is in very good order, cuttings and drains clean. There are a few slips at upper part, some of which are strutted with timber Permanent-way The road is kept in first-rate running trim. The rails are chiefly 521b. iron, and much worn. They are renewed on curves in 531b. steel. On other curves the outer rail is 531b. steel, and inner 521b. iron , and there are places where all is steel. The rails wear rapidly on this portion, and, notwithstanding frequent renewals, many rails are badly worn now but all renewals are in 531b. steel, and in time all the iron will be replaced with steel. The ballast on the first twothirds of this length is gravel, good and abundant. The upper two-thirds or so is inferior earthy ballast, and scanty in a few places. Sleepers are generally very good, though there is a mixture of, say 2 to 3 per cent, of old, partly-decayed sleepers. Structures The bridges are in excellent condition, chiefly masonry walls and ironbark beams. That over the Pakuratahi was struck with a load of timber and the trusses now lean over a little, but it is quite strong. One or two bridges have been filled in with earth and done away with. Culverts, concrete or stone walls, and ironbark beams, are in excellent condition, tunnels in good condition. Fencing The line is not all fenced, but what fence there is is in good condition. Stations . The station-buildings and shelter-sheds are good, with good platforms and privies and urinals, old but good and clean. At Kaitoki the water-supply, tank-stand, steam-pump and boiler is in good condition. At Summit the station-house, platform, engine-shed, coal-store, and two tank-stands are in good order and preservation. Incline (l-in-15 Grade, Centre Bail, Fell System). Formation is in excellent trim, the wind-screens in good condition, and cuttings and drains clean and free from slips. Permanent-way The rails are considerably worn, especially those on outside of curves, in spite of frequent renewals. The centre rail, of 701b. weight, is not much worn, notwithstanding the heavy work done on it by brakes. The ballast is good broken stone , sleepers very good, being continually renewed. The timber carrying central rails looks old, dry, and much sun-cracked, and

D.—2b.

burned in places by cinders from engine. It is totara, of the best quality, and still good, though parts have been taken out and renewed. Structures There are no timber structures except the wind-screens, which are sound and in good repair Culverts are stone, and in good condition , tunnels in good condition. Fencing There is no fencing. Stations At foot of incline the engine-shed is old but good, though the floor is damaged and partly rotten, and some ground-sills and covering-boards rotten, smith's shop good, coal-stores and platforms good, water-tank stands good, permanent-way store in good condition, oil-store in good order but very old, water-service and signals in good order, signal cabins in good order, Stationmaster's house and fourteen cottages in good order Main sidings and extra new sidings good and well ballasted, runaway-siding in good condition, points and crossings in good trim. Foot of Incline to Master ton. Formation is in good order, cuttings and drains clean, and one wind-screen in good order. Permanent-way The road is in very good running trim, rails, 521b. iron, in very fair condition up to 56 miles, then 531b.-steel rails are mixed with the iron to Masterton. The ballast is gravel, good and abundant, though there are places where it is very earthy , sleepers, usually very good, but in places there are a few old matai sleepers partly rotten. Structures The bridges have been extensively renewed and strengthened in ironbark, and are now in excellent condition , the piles, caps, and trusses are mostly the original totara, and are still in very good condition. Open culverts are some timber sides, and some are masonry walls; a large number have new ironbark beams, others the original totara beams, which are still good, those with timber sides are getting old, but still serviceable , box-culverts are few and good. Fencing is mostly in good order, but there are patches where the posts want renewing ; cattlestops usually good, many with new ironbark beams, some are very old but still good; gates in good condition. Stations . The station-buildings and shelter-sheds are all in good condition and well preserved and neatly kept, platforms very good, goods-shed, loading-banks, privies, and urinals in good order; cattle-pens very good, and well kept, high-pressure water-supplies and tank-stands good, coal-store at Featherston very old and disused; post-and-rail fencing at stations good but old, Stationmaster's house in good order Greytoivn Branch (three miles long). Formation Good, and clear of weeds. Permanent-way The road is in excellent running trim, rails, 521b. iron, good gravel ballast and good sleepers. Structures There are no bridges. Fencing Fences are in fair condition, but there are places where new posts are wanted, cattlestops and gates in good order. Stations Grey town station-building good and tidily kept, platform good, privies and urinals good and clean, goods-sheds very good condition, loading-bank and cattle-pen old and somewhat knocked about in the timber-work, tank-stand good, engine-shed very fair condition and well kept. Masterton to Eketahuna. Formation of first part very good; towards the summit a number of cuttings slipping and stopped by timber struts, the struts being very rotten; generally the formation is in very good trim, drains neat and clean, and the whole of this road from Wellington is clear of weeds. Permanent-way The road is generally in very good running trim , the rails are mixed 521b.--iron and 531b.-steel-—from 68 to 88 miles are steel rails. Most of the ballast is good, towards the Summit it is indifferent. As far as we could see the sleepers are very good, there are extensive renewals in good totara, and we noticed few bad sleepers, which were chiefly beyond Masterton for a short space. Structures The bridges are in excellent condition, due to very extensive renewals in ironbark , we noticed none with any defect. Culverts, as far as we saw, are in good condition, the open culverts with birch and ironbark beams. Fencing is usually in good condition, but there are stretches which look very old, though none actually damaged. Cattle-stops usually very good, some renewed with ironbark beams, the original ones are still good. Gates vary—many are very good, some are old-looking and slight, the posts of all are very stout and presumably good underground, but we could not examine them. Signboards all in good condition. Stations At Masterton the station-building and its platform is very good, neat, and well kept, privies and urinals good and clean , goods-shed very good , cattle-pens, loading-bank, and crane in very good condition, Stationmaster's house very good , picket and other fences good , engine-shed, earth-floor good, but roof old and worn , coal-store old but good, tank-stand good, windmill new At Eketahuna Station everything is excellent condition and nearly new The intermediate stations have station-houses and shelter-sheds very good, platforms good, privies and urinals good and clean, cattle-pens and loading-banks good, platelayers' cottages and Stationmasters' houses good and tidy , tank-stands good, goods-shed and picket fences all in good condition. Napieb to Spit. Formation in very good condition. Permanent-way The line is well kept and in good trim. The rails, 401b. to the yard, are in good condition , they have been in use twenty years, and with present traffic will last twenty years more, notwithstanding that they are fastened with the objectionable Ibottson joint. The ballast is fairly good and sufficient, the sleepers of totara are good, and very few decayed.

13

D.—2b.

Structures There are no bridges, but a few open culverts, which are in good condition. Fencing is generally good near Napier, a few wires are down, cattle-stops in very fair condition. Stations At the Spit, shelter-sheds and goods-shed very good condition, platform good, Stationmaster's and porter's cottage in good order (the roof of the latter is old), Stationmaster's office in good order, old wooden turntable in fair condition, iron turntable very good. At Napier, station-building in first-rate order and well kept, privies and urinals good and clean, station-platform very good, loading-bank and goods-shed very good, Traffic Manager's office very good, neat, and tidy, weighbridge in good order, locomotive foreman's house in good condition, tankstands very good, engine-shed in excellent condition (except the old part of it, which has the floor a little damaged), Stationmaster's house and library in very good condition, turntable very good, coalstore old but serviceable, crane in good order repairing-shed very good, but roof getting old, boilers, repairing-shop, good, small steam-hammer and forges in good condition turntable, wooden floor somewhat gone, pits full of water from choking of drains , workshop building very good, but concrete floor much damaged; benches in good order and neat, machines all in very good condition, boiler and engine good and clean. Napibk to Palmeeston Napier to Eastings. Formation in very good trim ; in one place it was threatened by the sea, but a large quantity of heavy stone has been placed on the beach, which so far has protected it. Formation clear of weeds. Permanent-way The line is in excellent running trim , rails are 401b. iron, Ibbotson joints, 2J miles, and 401b. steel and good joints for llf miles the ballast shingle, good and abundant, and the sleepers, where visible, are very good. Structures The Waitangi Bridge has been extensively renewed with ironbark beams and some new ironbark piles. The old totara piles are still very good many of them are split and hooped with iron—this was, however, done in the original driving. The bridge is in good condition. The Ngarororo Bridge has been thoroughly renewed in ironbark, the old totara pile-piers are in good preservation, and the bridge sound. Bridge 113 has been entirely renewed in iron girders, and is in excellent'condition , one other small bridge is entirely renewed in concrete. Open culverts are good. Fencing The fences are all in fair condition, with here and there a wire or two and some posts damaged , cattle-stops and gates in good condition. Stations Shelter-sheds, platforms, ioading-banks, in very good condition. At Hastings, station-buildings very good, neat, and tidy, good platform, privies and urinals neat and clean, goodsand engine-sheds very good, coal-store in good condition, tank-stand and ram good order, four platelayers' cottages good and neat cattle-pens renewed with iron rails, andloading-bank very good, sidings well ballasted. Eacecourse siding in good condition. Hastings to Te Ante. Formation very good , clear of weeds. Permanent-way The line is in excellent running trim, rails are 12-f miles of 531b. steel and 4J miles of 401b. iron, with Ibbotson joints , the 401b. rails are still good for years, but are being relaid with 531b. steel as fast as practicable. The ballast on first part is abundant, on the latter part it is scanty, partly on account of the relaying that has been going on. The sleepers vary, those under the 401b. rails being old but good, and those under the 531b. very good. Structures The bridges are entirely renewed in ironbark or iron girders and concrete, besides the bridges there are a few open culverts, some with new ironbark beams, but all in good condition. Fencing is in very fair condition, in one or two places it is a little damaged cattle-stops all good, there are very few gates, and they are in good condition, signboards in good order Stations Shelter-sheds and platforms good. At Te Aute all the buildings are in good condition , privies and urinals old, but good and clean , platform good cattle-pens renewed in iron rails, and good, tank-stand in good condition. Mile-posts in good condition. Te Aute to Waipukurau. Formation is in good condition, drains clean and clear of weeds. Permanent-way The line is in good running trim , rails are 4| miles of 531b. steel, 9J of 401b. iron and Ibbotson joints, and 3 miles 50 chains 401b. iron with good joints, sleepers and ballast good. Structures Bight bridges have been entirely renewed in ironbark. Three are old and in doubtful condition, and are to be renewed at once. The Waipawa bridge is in very fair condition considering its age , piers and piles very good, truss old but good. About 250 ft. of the south end of it was washed away and is renewed in 20ft. spans in ironbark, and it is intended to renew the whole of remainder, 1,250 ft., in this style. Between Waipawa and Waipukurau, Bridge 83 has new concrete abutments, but old beams remain, and are to be renewed in ironbark. Bridge 82 has totara piles, and caps and beams have been renewed in ironbark, it is very good. Bridge 81 has new ironbark beams and caps, strengthened with iron rails, is in good condition. In the Waipukurau bridges the piles and caps are very good, the trusses old and dry but good, floor and railbeams are renewed in ironbark. It would last years yet, but is intended in a few years to be renewed in ironbark, in 20ft. spans. There are one or two box-culverts, in good condition, but most of this kind of culverts have been converted into open culverts.

14

D.—2b.

Fencing The fences are in very fair condition. Near the summit, and towards Puketoi and Kaikora, many posts are burnt and fallen down. Cattle-stops and gates are in good condition, though getting old. Stations At Puketoi, platform and shelter-shed in good order At Kaikora, station-house, platform, platelayer's cottage are in good order, privies and urinals good and clean, cattle-pen, loading-bank, tank-stand, and pump good, engine-shed very good order At Waipawa, stationbuilding, platform, and privies and urinals in good order goods-shed and Statiomnaster's house very good, loading-bank and cattle-yards very good, latter renewed in iron rails. At Waipukurau, windmill, tank-stands, loading-bank, and cattle-pens in very good order station-building very good, platform and privies and urinals in good condition, and clean , coal-store and goods-shed very good, smith-shops, forge, and tools in good condition , carpenter's shop and small store good, engine-shed and Statiomnaster's cottage very good, and well kept. In this yard there is a large stack of ironbark ready for bridge-renewals. Mile-posts good. Waipukurau to Danevirke. Formation The formation of this length is in good condition , drains clean and clear of weeds-Permanent-way The road is in excellent running order Bails are 19-J- miles of 401b. iron rails with good joints, 3 miles of 401b. steel, and 12f miles of 531b. steel. Some of the 401b. iron rails are much worn, the heavy traffic being too much for them. The ballast is clean shingle on first part, and earthy shingle on latter part. There is none too much of it on the road, many stretches having sleeper-ends and boxing-up bare]; other parts are well ballasted. The sleepers are kept up to a very fair average, and we noticed few to which exception could be taken. Structures Many of the small bridges have had sundry renewals in ironbark, others, though old, are good for some years. Three having weak pile-piers are to be taken down and rebuilt. In several the piles and raking-struts are somewhat gone at ground-level, but nothing serious, and the beams of most are severely sun-cracked. Two small bridges have been substituted for large pipe-culverts. There are several lofty timber viaducts on this length, built of New Zealand timber, which are already showing signs of decay, and are carefully watched. The Kopua viaducts (67) Built in 1879 , timber looks very old, and is entirely unpainted. There is very little decay visible yet. Some of the matai pieces are found by boring to have dry-rot in the heart. The piles are somewhat gone at ground-level, but are still safe. Makotuku viaduct Piles all sound. Several parts have been taken out and renewed in ironbark. The bridge looks sound enough, but there is much matai in it which cannot be trusted long, it is in good condition. When required to be renewed, it is proposed to substitute an iron structure. Parapara viaduct (53) is in very fair condition. Mangatera viaduct (54) Timber very fair condition , much matai, the interior condition of which is often suspicious. It is, we think, good for six or eight years yet with occasional renewals. In all these viaducts the central iron tie-bolts of the truss are placed the wrong way, throwing the weight on thinner rods which should be counter-ties. No parts of these viaducts have ever been painted. There are many open culverts, the beams of which have been renewed, and all are in good condition. A few are entirely new, in concrete and ironbark, some box-culverts are very old, but still good. Fencing The fencing is old but still good, and in fair repair, though we noticed a few posts burnt and wires down in places. Cattle-stops very good, many are renewed in ironbark beams. Gates are mostly thin and weak, but we noticed only one or two damaged. Stations At Takapau all station-buildings are in good condition, privies and urinals good and clean, platform, loading-bank, tank-stand, and cattle-pens in good condition. At Kopua, sheltersheds and platelayers' cottages, privies and urinals, good and tidy, platform good, loading-bank good, but woodwork slightly damaged. At Ormondville, all buildings and the platform are in good condition and well preserved, privies and urinals good and clean. At Makotuku there are three cottages in good condition, one wants a new roof, however. Station-building good, platform old and worn in the timber front, privies and urinals clean, cattle-pen renewed in iron rails, tank-stand and windmill in good condition and well painted. At Matamau and Mangatera, station-buildings and all appurtenances are in good condition. At Danevirke the station-building and its platform, Stationmaster's house, goods-shed, engine-shed, coal-stores, privies, and urinals all in good order, neat and clean, tank-stand, well, steam-pump, hand-crane, turntable, platelayers' cottages, loadingbank, and picket-fences are all in very good condition ; overbridge in good condition. Mile-posts Signboards and mile-posts good, and well painted. Danevirke to Woodville (opened to Tahoraite 1884, and to Woodville in 1887). Formation in good order, drains clean, and clear of weeds. Permanent-way The road is in excellent running trim, rails are three miles of 401b. steel, and fourteen miles and a half of 531b. steel, both ballast and sleepers are very good. Structures There are twenty-one bridges, all totara, and in very good condition, one of them had its concrete piers undermined, which is now underpinned and very good, Bridges 37 and 35 have one or two beams a little touched with decay, but still good, open culverts are all in good condition. Fencing is in good order, in some places buried 111 fern , gates and sign-boards very good, the latter well painted cattle-stops are Usually in very good condition—in some the beams are severely sun-cracked, in one or two the back planking is rotten. Stations : The stations on this length are only seven years old, and are comparatively new. We found the station-buildings, platforms, platelayers' cottages, goods-sheds, loading-banks, Station-taaster's-house, tank-stand, and water-supply in good condition t privies and urinals good and clean,

15

D.— 2b.

Woodville to Palmerston (opened 1891). Formation is in very good order, drains clean and mostly clear of weeds. At the Gorge there are small slips continually coming down, but nothing to affect the lines. One heavy slip has been tunnelled through, and another, which buried the original line, is being gradually worked out, so that in time ths buried line will be restored. Permanent-way The line is kept in first-rate running order and especially so through the Gorge. The rails are all 531b. steel, except 28 chains, near Palmerston, of 401b. iron The ballast is very good, but rather dirty near Palmerston. What we could see of the sleepers were very good. Structures The bridges in the Gorge, twenty in number, are all concrete and iron, in first-rate condition. The Pohangina bridge is iron cylinders and iron girders, in excellent condition. The bridges outside gorge on either side are in very good condition, two of them being quite new The tunnels are in good condition , open culverts very good condition. Two overbridges at Palmerston are very good. Fencing The gorge is not fenced, but outside it the fences, cattle-stops, gates, and signboards are in very good condition. Stations At the stations, Ashurst, Wakaronga, and Palmerston North, the shelter-sheds, platforms, goods-shed, station-building, cattle-pens, loading-banks are all good , privies and urinals good and clean. At Palmerston, the station-building and platform, goods-shed, drivers' huts, platelayers' and other cottages, are all in good condition privies and urinals good and clean, engineshed in good condition, part of roof is getting old and done, the new part very good, one new coalstore very good, one older one, walls a little damaged, loading-bank, tank-stands, and waterservice very good. Foxton to Palmeeston. Formation is very irregular and overgrown, and, at the Foxton end, invaded by driftsand , the upper part is subject to floods, and deep ditches originally dug are now blocked with vegetation. Permanent-way The line is not in first-rate order—line and levels might be better but for the inferior rails and joints, and poor ballast and sleepers , but there is little traffic, and light engines and trains can put up with this road for years to come. There are 1 mile 30 chains of 531b. steel rails, 2 miles 77 chains of 521b. iron rails, and 15 miles 6 chains of 401b. iron rails, with Ibottson joints, which are somewhat worn in places, the rails are crippled by running over them without ballast. The ballast is thin and poor near Foxton, but better in many places near Longburn , the sleepers are of very various qualities, patches of good and inferior being all mixed up. If it were worth doing so, about 40 per cent, of new sleepers, a large quantity of new ballast, and the rails largely culled out would make a good line. Structures In the Oroua bridge many piles are half-rotten, and some of the beams rotten at heart, it is patched and altered beyond recognition, and is to be rebuilt very soon. A bridge being built over the new drainage-channel, entirely in ironbark, will be a fine bridge. Bridge 12 has partly rotten beams, and must be renewed very soon, the same is the case with Bridge 11. Bridge 10 is a little better, and Bridge 9is pretty good, but all are down for renewal. Bridges 8 and 7 are new and good. Bridges 3 and 4 are in good condition. Many open culverts are in a bad way, and many must be renewed with the least delay, some are under renewal now, and some are in fair condition. Box-culverts are in fair condition. Fencing Fences are mostly private property, there are a few cattle-stops, in good condition though very old , also a few gates, old but still serviceable. Stations: At Foxton the station-building and its platform are in good condition, engine-shed old but good, roof old and worn and must soon be renewed , coal-stors old and somewhat damaged , goods-shed in very fair order, there is also a new goods-shed. Cattle-pens, loading-banks, crane, weighbridge, and picket-fencing in good order ; tank-stand in good order The wharf is in fairly good condition, siding good but weedy At Motuiti, platform and shelter-shed very old but good. The Carnarvon shelter-shed, platform, and tank-stand are old but still good. At Bainesse, platform dilapidated and rotten, sheltershed and loading-bank in good condition. The Oroua platform has its timber rotten, and stationhouse abandoned and ruinous , tank-stand and goods-shed old but still serviceable. At Tiakitahuna, platform and shelter-shed old but still good. At Karere the shelter-shed, floortimber, and sills decayed, goods-shed old but good, loading-bank timber rotten. At Longburn, station-building and platform good, privies and urinals good and clean, loading-bank good. At Awapuni the shelter-shed floor old and decayed, platform in fair condition. Palmbeston-New Plymouth. Palmerston to Halcombe. Formation is good, well kept, and fairly clear of weeds. Beyond Bunnythorpe the line runs over a number of little rises, and it is proposed to cut these down and raise the hollows so as to make easier running, and this has been commenced on the worst of them, and one or two of the lowest banks have been raised. Permanent-way The line is in good running order; the rails are 3 miles 531b. steel, 3 miles 401b. iron, and 18J miles of 521b. iron; the 521b. iron are somewhat worn in places. The ballast, of coarse shingle, is plentiful except in very few places ; sleepers, as far as we could see, are good, though some are getting very old. Structures . There are a great number of small bridges and open culverts, with totara piles and caps or totara back-lining nearly all very good, and we only found two which had piles and beams a little decayed. Nearly every bridge has had new ironbark beams, intended to carry the heavier

16

D.—2b.

engines, and are in very good condition. The Oroua bridge has been almost entirely rebuilt, and is a fine bridge, with totara and ironbark piles, ironbark truss and beams. There are some boxculverts in totara still good. Fencing There are two or three miles of fencing out from Palmerston, after which the fences are all private, and fairly well maintained. Stations The shelter-sheds, platforms, cattle-pens, loading-banks are in good condition. At Feilding, the station-house, with post-office attached, is in good order, and neatly kept; privies and urinals good and clean , goods-shed very good condition , platform and loading-bank of limestone and timber very good , cattle-pen very good condition , tank-stand very good. At Halcombe, station-building is good and tidy, platform of timber old and patched; privies and urinals, timber posts gone at ground-level, and dirty; cattle-pen old, but fairly good, goods-shed floor worn, a few corner and covering boards rotten, rest of it good, Stationmaster's house good and tidy; tank-stand gone a little at ground-level, steam-pump and boiler in good order Mile-posts Grade-boards broken and illegible, but they are not wanted, and so are not renewed, mile-posts good. Halcombe to Turakina. Formation in good condition, generally clean , weedy in places. Permanent-way The line is in good running trim, but there are a few places where it is kinked a little, probably from hot weather on tight joints, and in a few places it is green from recent renewals. Bails are 1 mile 58 chains of 531b. steel, and 18J miles of 521b. iron , the line is mostly well ballasted, and sleepers good , towards Turakina the ballast becomes inferior. Structures A number of the bridges are concrete and ironbark, all good except one, on which we observed one pile somewhat gone. No. 46 (Eangitikei Bridge) is in very good condition, the 120 ft. span very good, the 60ft. spans all new in ironbark, totara piers good, tank-stand and screw propeller-pump in good condition, culverts all in good condition. Turakina Bridge has been extensively renewed in ironbark , many pieces are rotten, and must be taken out, which is to be done at once. Fencing Fences belonging to the railway begin again at about the 111 miles , they are alternate post-and-wire and gorse hedges, all in good order and well trimmed; gates and signboards good. Stations At Kakariki, shelter-shed and platform good, loading-bank old and dilapidated. At Greatford, all building and' station appurtenances in good condition. At Marton Junction, double platform very good, shelter-shed good, privies and urinals good and clean, platelayers' cottages good and neat, tank-stand, coal-shed, engine-shed, and Stationmaster's cottage all very good. At Marton, station-house good and tidy, platform good, privies and urinals good and clean, loading-bank a little damaged, goods-shed and cattle-yards in fair condition. At Bonny Glen platform, front posts gone at ground, and sill damaged, shelter-shed somewhat gone at ground, and windows broken, privies and urinals, posts rotten at ground, picket-fence, posts rotten, goods-shed good, but floor-posts somewhat rotten at ground-levels. Turakina platform and shelter-shed good, but front posts of platform a little rotten. Turakina station-house and platform pretty good, latter a little damaged , tank-stand and windmill good, goods-shed good, privies and urinals good and clean. Turakina to Aramoho Junction. Formation is in good condition and clear of weeds. The incline from Wangaehu River has been improved and straightened in places, it is on a grade of 1 in 35, with 5-chain curves, and might be greatly improved by spending money on it. Permanent-way The line is in good running condition. The rails are 521b. iron to 132 miles, then 531b. steel to Wanganui. Ballast is mostly sand, the line is well ballasted in places, but generally the ballast is scanty, and great difficulty is experienced between Rangitikei and Stratford to get suitable ballast. The sleepers are in good condition, very few being at all objectionable, on sidings they are not so good, as many are partly rotten. Structures The bridges have been extensively renewed or repaired, and are now in various conditions, though quite safe. Bridge 49, totara piles and ironbark beams good , Wangaehu Bridge has been extensively renewed in ironbark, and very good , Bridge 51, totara piles and caps, ironbark beams, good, Bridge 52, the same, Bridge 53, sheeting much decayed, beams severely suncracked, piles fairly good, 54, three totara piles badly gone, caps good, ironbark beams good , 55, good , 56, beams good, sills partly rotten, back planking partly gone , 57, totara piles and caps, iron beams, good, 58, totara piles and caps, three piles much gone, ironbark beams good, 59, abutment piles gone a little at ground, caps and beams good , 60, good. Wanganui Bridge (built 1878) walking planks gone at ends, several diagonal struts of truss gone a little at ends, totara planking overheads of cylinders much gone, truss wants painting , with a few repairs the bridge will be in very good condition. Fencing ; The fences are fairly good, much of it being buried in gorse-hedges , cattle-stops are often much decayed, though the beams are generally good; gates, of poor, light construction, ara mostly in good condition ; signboards good. Stations The stations are in various states of preservation, as follows : Wangaehu, platform good, shelter- and goods-shed a little decayed at ground-level, privies and urinals partly damaged. Baker's Siding, platform pretty good, shelter-shed, loading-bank, and cattle-pen good. Fordell, tankstand and platform good, station-house good and tidy, privies and urinals good and clean, cattlepens renewed in iron rails, goods-shed in good condition. Matarawa, platform pretty good, timber of front very old, shelter-shed much gone at ground, privies and urinals fairly good, but posts of shelter rotten, picket-fence posts rotten. Okoia, platform and shelter-shed good, but piles partly rotten. Aramoho, platform, station-house, shed very good, privies and urinals good and clean, coal* 3-D. 2b.

17

b.—2b.

store old and worn but good, tank-stand and goods-shed good, loading-bank good, Inspector's office and store good. Eastown Workshops Lifting-shed very old, floor old and patched with old cases, roof-iron old and rusty , pit, good beams, bottom rotten in places , timber-shed old but good boiler-shop, both buildings and tools in good condition , coppersmith-shop good all but roof, which is gone benches and tools old but good, smith-shop, roof rotten, building good, forges and steam-hammer good condition ; main workshop building good, benches and pit good, machines all in good condition and well kept, engine and boiler very good, tank-stands good and well painted, fire arrangements and brigade very well drilled and ordered, water spouting in one minute and a half from ringing of alarm-bell, storehouse very good and tidy, tarpaulin-shop very fair condition and repair office neat and well kept, time-house old but good, pattern-store good and tidy , engine-shed, concrete floor a little damaged, roof old and patched, otherwise good , coal-shed old and damaged oil-store old but good; locomotive foreman's office good and new Wanganui Station good and neat; piatform very good, privies and urinals good and clean , traffic office good and well kept, Besident Engineer's office very good and new; lamp and porter's office new and good, tank-stand good , coal-shed old and worn, but good, goods-shed good, but roof gone a little , Customs' bond house and shed very old, but good condition , loading-bank good, post-and-rail fences good, picket fence good, second loading-bank good; cattle-pens and -yards very good , old Public Works store good, but gone at ground, platelayers' cottages good, Stationmaster's house old but good. All buildings well painted. Wharf Back piles, wales, and planking very rotten, and need much repairs, second row of piles mostly good, third and outside rows good, caps, beams, braces and wales, mostly in good condition, top planking very rotten. Cattlewharf very good. From Aramoho to Wanganui. Permanent-way The road is in fair running order, rails, 521b. iron, ballast, poor and sandy, sleepers, generally good, but some half-decayed. Structures Only culverts, which are in fair condition, but old. Fencing Fences fairly good, but there are parts which are half-rotten, cattle-stops in poor condition, but beams safe , the sills and planking are much decayed, the gates are in good repair , signboards good. Stations St. John's Station platform good , shelter-shed good, windows broken Aramoho to Patba. Formation is in good order, clear of weeds, except in a few places. The line is being altered and straightened in places. Permanent-way : The road is in good running trim; the rails are 531b. steel, except 3-jjj miles of 401b. steel; the ballast is sandy gravel at first, then a long stretch of shell ballast, then shelly limestone ; on the whole the ballast is scanty, but parts are well ballasted. The sleepers are very good. Structures All these bridges, from Wanganui northward, are in their turn to be strengthened for heavier engines. A number have been entirely renewed, many have had extensive repairs, and a number remain which must be repaired pretty soon, but with few exceptions there is nothing very urgent about the bridges which are in want of repairs. Brick tunnels in very good order Fencing is mostly in fair order, cattle-stops, many getting old and decayed, some good gates fairly good, but want painting. Stations: Station-buildings, shelter-sheds, platelayers' cottages, platforms, loading-banks, goods-sheds, are all in fair condition, with unimportant defects here and there, privies and urinals, good and clean, cattle-pens, tank-stands, all in fair condition, with a few places here and there slightly decayed. At Patea all building and station fixtures are in good condition. The wharf is in very fair condition, the top planking only wants some repairs. Patea to Hawera. Formation Part of the formation through high papa cuttings is slipping or stretching, and blocks the drains , otherwise formation is very good, and mostly clear of weeds. Permanent-way ■ The road is kept in good running trim, the rails are 6 miles of 401b. steel and 12J miles of 531b. steel ; ballast is sandy gravel, plentiful on first part, scanty towards Hawera; sleepers fairly good, as far as we could see. Structures A considerable amount of renewals have been done on all the bridges, and a few are almost entirely renewed. Many, however, have decayed parts in various members, calling for more repairs, which are being done, each district in turn , and the worst of these bridges is safe to wait until the time comes for it to be renewed. Culverts are in good condition, though many are very old. Fencing: The fences are partly posts, at long distances apart, iron standards and droppers, and five wires, in very fair condition , other parts are ordinary post-and-wire fence, all in good condition. Cattle-stops vary very much , many are good and many are considerably decayed. Gates and signboards good, but want paint. Stations Station-buildings, shelter-sheds, platelayers' cottages, goods-sheds, tank-stands and pumps, loading-banks and picket-fences are all in good order; privies and urinals good and clean. At Hawera, station-house and platform very good, privies and urinals good an d clean, picketfences good , two stores in good condition , tank-stand and windmill very good; cattle-pen and two coal-stores in good order, engine-shed good condition, Stationmaster's house and cottage very good and trim. Mile-posts in good order, grade-boards mostly damaged or illegible.

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Hawera to Stratford. Formation is in good condition, but very weedy in places. Permanent-way The line is in very good running trim. The rails are 4J miles 401b. steel and 13f miles 531b. steel. The ballast is very inferior, and scanty in many places. The sleepers—mixed totara and rimu —have over 5 per cent, very poor and half-rotten. Structures The bridges have had considerable repairs and renewals in ironbark, and we only found two in which there are some decayed parts. These are not important defects, and are to be renewed soon. Fencing There is very little fencing on this length, and it is in indifferent condition, many posts being rotten. Some cattle-stops have had new ironbark beams, most have totara or rimu beams, in poor condition many have sills and back planking rotten. Gates are in fair condition, and signboards good. Stations At stations, shelter-shed and station-houses, with their platforms, are in fairly good condition and well kept privies and urinals good and clean. At Stratford, station-house and goods-shed are in good, condition, platform good, privies and urinals good and clean, loadingbank and tank-stand good, fencing round station good. Mile-posts in good condition. Stratford to Waitara. Formation is in good condition, and very weedy Permanent-way The line is in very good running trim. The rails are 2 miles 401b. iron and 4-J- miles 401b. steel. The ballast is volcanic ash or broken trachyte rock. Sleepers are very old but fairly good, and many of the worst have been renewed in totara. Structures Many of the bridges have been entirely renewed in concrete and ironbark, and many repairs effected, but there are eight bridges which are affected with decay in piles, beams, sills, and truss. Some of these are bad enough to require repairs as soon as possible, but they are carefully watched, and are to be repaired shortly There is much masonry in these bridges, as well as in the open culverts, and the latter are in good condition. Fencing All fences are private to Sentry Hill, from there to Waitara they are good. Cattle-stops are in poor condition, though some are pretty good , gates and signboards generally in good condition. Stations The stations at Waiongona are quite new , at Midhurst everything is in good condition, except privies and urinals out of repair, at Manganui the platform is half-rotten, loading-bank decayed, shelter-shed good , at Waipuku, all in good condition , at Tariki, platform front rotten, shelter-shed good at Norfolk Eoad, platform front rotten, shelter-shed good , at Durham Eoad, platform and loading-bank partly rotten, shelter-shed good; at Inglewood, all in good condition, privies and urinals good but dirty at Lepperton, all in good condition , at Sentry Hill, goods-shed, platform, tank-stand, and coal-store good, engine-shed good but roof-iron much gone, store old but good, door damaged at Waitara, station-house and platform very good, privies and urinals very good and clean, cottages and picket fences very good, tank-stand very good, engine-shed very good, but roof a little damaged and very old. Mile-posts in good repair Sentey Hill to New Plymouth and Breakwater. Permanent-way The line is in good running trim , rails 401b. steel, from New Plymouth to breakwater 531b. steel, ballast for first five miles broken trachyte, after that shingle and sand, sleepers in good condition. Breakwater line, excellent ballast and sleepers. Structures Of the bridges, eleven are in very good condition, and three have piles and studs more or less decayed, but there is enough good timber to insure safety until repaired, which they are to be soon. Fencing Fences are mostly in good repair, cattle-stops are old but still good , gates and signboards good. Stations At Henwood Eoad, cattle-pen, shelter-shed, and platform in good condition , at Smart Eoad, shelter-shed, platform, and cattle-peu in good condition , at Elliot Eoad, shelter-shed and platform good , at New Plymouth, station-house, platform, and privies and urinals very good and well kept, loading-banks and goods-shed good, roof of latter a little gone , engine-shed good , tank-stand good coal-store good, but roof gone a little , picket fences in good condition , Morley Street goodsshed very good condition, cattle-pens good. Mile-posts in good repair. Marton Junction to Mangaonoho. Formation in good condition and generally clear of weeds. Permanent-way The line is in excellent running trim , rails 531b. steel, ballast of heavy shingle in abundance, sleepers very good. Structures All the bridges and culverts are new and in excellent condition. Fencing Fences, gates, cattle-stops, and signboards new and good. Stations Station-buildings, platforms, and all station appurtenances in first-rate condition. Mile-posts very good. EoLLING-STOCK. We found the rolling-stock to be in excellent condition. The engines are very carefully looked after and kept in the best running order, repairs, chiefly of boilers, are constantly in hand in Auckland and Wellington, and to some extent in Wanganui and Napier Considering the age of some, and the incessant hard usage of all, the carriages and trucks are kept in very creditable condition. A large proportion of all the underframes are in puriri timber, which is probably unequalled for this purpose.

19

D.-2.

Constant repairs are also carried out, which leaves no opening for any deterioration. We were not able to see the whole of the stock, but we attach a list on which our observations are given of all we succeeded in seeing, which amount to —of locomotives seventy-seven per cent, of the whole, and of carriages and trucks eighty-two per cent, of the whole. Stoees. The stores at Auckland have been noticed above. The principal stores are kept at Wellington, from which centre smaller stores are supplied at Wanganui, Picton, Nelson, Westport, and Greymouth The total value of stores at Wellington amounted to £24,476, which included £630 for coal, shop timber, £1,221, bridge timber £1,007; sleepers, £675, rails, £265, stationery £4,183, the remainder being general stores of every description. The stock of stationery appears large, but Wellington supplies the whole of the railways, north and south. At Wanganui there are stores to the value of £9,530, which includes coal £1,688 shop timber, £64; bridge timber, £1,768, sleepers, £2,456 , the remainder being general stores. The total value of stores issued at Wellington for use on railways for the year was £34,265, and at Wanganui, £23,763. As observed in the case of stores at Auckland, these figures show that much more is used in one year than is kept in stock, consequently the stocks are small, and we consider that this state of things is as it should be, for waste and loss is inevitable if very large stocks are kept in store. We looked over the stores themselves, and the lists of them, and could see nothing that was superfluous. William H. Hales, C. Napiee Bell.

DETAILED REPORT ON CONDITION OF SOUTH ISLAND RAILWAYS. The objects on the railways which come under inspection are classed in the following order: — 1. Formation Includes condition of cuttings, embankments, slopes, drains. 2. Permanent-way Includes rails, ballast-sleepers, with condition and description of them. 3. Structures Include bridges, culverts, tunnels, over and under bridges. 4. Fencing Includes fences, cattle-stops, gates, signboards. 5. Stations Include buildings, platforms, signals, urinals, turntables, cattle-pens, loadingbanks, water-supply 6. Mile-posts and grade-boards. 7. Boiling-stock. 8. Stores Include materials for bridges and permanent-way as well as ordinary stores.

SOUTH ISLAND EAILWAYS. Lyttelton to Cheistchuech (7 Miles) 1. The formation is in excellent condition, neatly kept, and well drained. 2. The rails are a mixed lot, some 531b. steel, some 641b. iron, but the right-hand road is mostly 751b., on chairs. These have been turned, and are generally in very good condition. Some are much worn, but are good for several years yet. Sleepers and ballast are in excellent condition. On the whole Canterbury system, 45,000 sleepers, or 5 per cent, of the total, are renewed every year 3. The bridges are in very good condition, having had some renewals and repairs. The underbridge at Lyttelton water-works has the timber floor considerably decayed, and must be renewed soon. Over-bridges at Christchurch and Lyttelton are in good order, a few decayed parts having been repaired. There is a double bridge over the Heathcote, at Opawa. These stand on ironbark and totara piles, which, though very old, are quite sound. Caps, ironbark and totara, very good. The left-hand bridge is a truss, which has been repaired, and is in good condition. The right-hand bridge is of iron girders. Culverts in good condition. The Lyttelton Tunnel has 25 chains of brick lining out of a total length of 129 chains. At the Christchurch end there are several chains of brick lining, and several chains at the Lyttelton end, and in six or seven other places are pieces of lining from 20ft. to 3or more chains long. At the two ends the bricks are crumbling away in single bricks, some bricks being gone for half their thickness. There is nothing urgent in this decay of the bricks, but a great number must be replaced before long. The interior pieces of lining are in better preservation , but there are rotten bricks here also. The unlined parts consist either of basalt rock or tuffa—that is, hardened volcanic ashes with fragments of stone of all sizes in it, and there are parts where there is a layer of soft white deposit running through the tuffa. It is this layer which has made it necessary to line various detached parts, and wall up the sides at other places where this layer is still exposed it slowly crumbles out, and will cause other parts to require lining sooner or later The profile of the tunnel where unlined is very high and peaked through the tuffa, which is a strong profile for weak ground. The tuffa rock is not liable to much change. It drops down very slowly, and the inspectors go over it every week tapping unsound places with hammers, in this way it will last many years without anything requiring to be done. Where the tunnel passes throught basalt rock the outline of the tunnel is very irregular in some places the roof is low and flat, in others sloping

20

D.—2b.

to one side; but the rock is quite sound. The tunnel is sound and safe, and will give very little trouble to make good wear-and-tear, with the above-mentioned exception of repairs to the brickwork. 4. The fencing consists chiefly of hedges, which are in fair condition , cattle-stops, gates, and signboards all in good condition. 5. Lyttelton Station and the intermediate stations are in good condition, and where the woodwork is old it is kept in repair. Signals and signal-boxes in good order The Lyttelton sheds have been extensively repaired, and are in good condition, the corrugated-iron roofs are getting old, and will require renewal in a few years. The Christchurch Station is in very good condition. In some of the older buildings there is evidence of their being the worse for age. This is chiefly in the iron roofs of some buildings, and the floors of some shops, where the concrete or wood is the worse for wear, but on the whole all buildings are well cared for and in good condition. Sidings are well ballasted and in good order, but they contain the usual large proportion of very old and half-rotten sleepers. The tools in engine-shed are in good condition, the fire brigade appurtenances, with pumps and artesian water supply, are all in good order, privies and urinals are clean and neat, but the woodwork is going at ground level. The station-buildings and offices are kept in first-rate order At the Addington Station everything is in good order except the loading-bank, which shows signs of decay in the woodwork. At the Addington Workshops are the following buildings, all of which are in good condition, good preservation, and well kept—namely, stores buildings, traverser and pit, woodworking shop, upholstering shop, water-tower and room in it, blacksmiths' shop, boiler shop, brassfounders' shop, pattern shop, pattern store, tarpaulin shop, and 'a seasoned-timber shed with racks, and shed for iron with racks. In the shops is a very large assortment of machines of every description for iron and wood working, smith forges, steam hammers, plate furnaces, boilers, and engines, all of which are in excellent condition, and to all appearances not the least the worse for wear The water-supply is from artesian wells. The water is lifted by steam pump to a tank on a high tower, and everything appears in order for fire prevention. The drainage is kept in efficient condition by open ditches, and the urinals and privies connect with the sewerage of Christchurch, and are in good condition. The largest quantity of stores is kept at Addington. The total value in store at the end of 1894 was £37,000, being £25,370 of general stores, £2,967 of seasoned timber, £878 of bridge timber, £6,159 of sleepers, £2,629 of permanent-way materials, and a small quantity of coal. The value of stores issued for one year's use was, for year ending the 31st March, 1894, £44,963, being £30,373 of general stores, £3,539 of seasoned timber, £1,834 of bridge timbers, £7,236 of sleepers, and £1,980 of permanent-way materials. This shows that not one year's supply is kept in stock , this, we think, is good policy in regard to railway stores, as large stocks for several years' use are very apt to be wasted. Three men, a junior clerk, and one cadet look after and keep account of these stores. We looked over the whole of these stores and found everything in good condition, neatly sorted, and well housed. Christchukch to Cclveeden (69 Miles). Christchurch to Bangiora. This is one of the oldest pieces of line in New Zealand, the formation of which is in good condition, clean, and well drained. 2. The rails are double-headed 701b. per yard of iron, they are generally fairly good, but some are much worn and laminated. With present traffic these 701b. rails are good for many years ; and the road is in first-rate condition, well ballasted and good sleepers, most of which are jarrah. Erom Addington to Culverden there are 19 miles 14 chains of 701b. iron rails, 13 chains of 721b. iron, 12 miles 30 chains of 561b. iron, and 36 miles 77 chains of 531b. steel rails. 3. The bridges have all ironbark piles , in many the beams and capsills are ironbark , many of them have iron girders, and some have concrete abutments, there have been a few renewals and several extensions and new flood openings, and all the bridges are in excellent condition, except that in some the back-lining planks are getting rotten, but this is of small importance and easily put right. There are very few culverts, and they are in good condition , those which are open have ironbark beams. 4. The fencing is partly of thorn hedges, which are thin and poor, but most of it is post and wire and top-rail; generally the top-rails are either partly rotten or fallen down, and they are mostly renewed with barbed wire. The fence-posts show signs of age, and many are rotten at the ground. There have been some renewals of these, but a large number more will require to be replaced soon. Cattle-stops have all been renewed with ironbark beams, the old native timber beams not being safe for the heavier engines. Some of these rest on sills, many of which are old but still good , others rest on concrete walis. Gates and signboards are in good condition as far as can be seen, but a recent gale by blowing some down shows that the posts of many of the latter are rotten at ground-level, and it is likely that gate-posts are in the same condition. 5. Some of the station-buildings and appurtenances are getting old, but everything is in good renair The shelter-sheds, station-buildings, platforms, coal stores, tank-stands, cattle-pens, platelayers' cottages, Stationmasters' houses, and goods-sheds are all in good order and preservation, privies and urinals clean and well kept. Officers' and waiting rooms tidy and neat, signals and posts in good condition. Loading-banks generally good, though the woodwork of some is getting very old. 6. Mile-posts are in good condition.

21

D.—2b.

22

Rangiora to Amberley 1. The formation is in good order and clear of weeds. 2. Bails, 561b. iron, some are worn, but most are very good. Ballast and sleepers good sleepers have had extensive renewals very lately, and the road is in excellent condition. 3. The Ashley Bridge has ironbark piles in good condition , caps are totara, but many have been renewed in ironbark. The trusses are totara. and have had several pieces taken out and renewed in ironbark, so that what remains is good. The floor-beams are renewed in ironbark to carry heavier engines. This bridge is in good condition now but it will require extensive repairs in six or eight years, as the totara in the trusses gives way to the weather Two other truss-bridges have had extensive renewals in ironbark, and are in good condition. Most of the bridges have ironbark piles, caps, and beams. A few totara piles and caps are very good and altogether the bridges are in good condition. Two or three are entirely new in ironbark, and many have had concrete abutments built in place of the old timber back-lining. There are few culverts, and all are in good order 4. Fences, post and wire, are generally good, though old, and there are some miles of private fences. Cattle-stops have all ironbark beams, and most of them rest on sills. Many of these sills, as well as the frames of the cattle-stops, are getting very old, and will require repairing sooner or later A few have concrete walls. Signboards and gate-posts are generally good, and kept well painted. 5. Intermediate stations are all in good order and preservation especially so are the buildings. Posts of cattle-pens and piles of loading-banks are going at ground in some places, but mostly are fairly good. Cattle-pens, many renewed in iron rails and some platforms have stone fronts, which most likely have replaced old timber fronts. Amberley Station is in excellent condition, all the buildings being well preserved and neatly kept. Fine platform, with stone front. Tank-stand, with air-engine, in good condition. Cattle-pen posts going at ground, but otherwise good. All privies and urinals on this section clean and good. 6. Mile-posts good and well painted. Amberley to Waikari. 1. The formation is in excellent trim—neat, clean, and well drained. 2. The rails are 531b. steel, comparatively new, and very good, The line is so well ballasted that very little can be seen of the sleepers. We are told that they are mostly very good, though in one or two places we saw a few with ends dozed or partly rotten. The line is in very fine running trim. 3. The bridge over the Waipara has thirty-one spans of 40ft. trusses. The trusses are kauri, and have been extensively renewed in ironbark. The floor-beams are kauri, but the rail-beams have been mostly replaced by ironbark. The kauri looks old and dry though still good , but in a few years more of it will be renewed in ironbark until the whole of the kauri is taken out. The piles are ironbark, and the bridge is in good condition. Bridge 149 is a high viaduct in kauri, standing on concrete bases with totara sills. Many pieces have been taken out and renewed in ironbark, and the bridge is in good condition. Smaller bridges ! have totara piles and caps and ironbark beams, all very good. Under the heavy banks throagh Weka Pass are stone arched culverts , and many open culverts are stone and concrete abutments and ironbark beams, all in good condition. All ironbark beams and other pieces are renewals put in to repair decay or strengthen bridges for heavier engines. 4. Fences are in fair preservation, though in some places the posts are getting rotten. Cattlestops are rapidly getting rotten as far as frames and sills are concerned. Some have birch beams, which are propped to carry heavier weights, and must be renewed but most of them have new ironbark beams. Gates and signboards are in very good order 5. The stations buildings, platforms, goods-sheds, loading-banks, cattle-pens, engine-shed, and cottages are all in good condition. Only in a few places are front posts of platforms and loadingbanks and posts of cattle-yards showing signs of decay 6. Mile-posts are good. Waikari to Culverden. 1. Formation is in good order, well kept and well drained. 2. Bails are 531b. steel. The road is well ballasted, and the sleepers good, but a few half rotten are seen here and there. On the whole, 5 per cent, of the total sleepers are yearly renewed. 3. The Hurunui Bridge has land spans on ironbark piles with kauri caps. The centre spans are on cylinders. The superstructure is kauri, and has been extensively renewed in ironbark. There are many bad pieces still in. Some have been fished with ironbark, and otherwise strengthened. It is in fair condition now, but it will not be long before the kauri in it must be entirely renewed. It is only ten years old. Some of the bolts are too small for the heavy engines, and will be replaced with stronger Of the smaller bridges, many are entirely renewed and others extensively repaired in ironbark, and all are safe and good. Bridges 161 and 162 are getting old, and will soon require renewals. The culverts on this section are very satisfactory, almost all of them being in masonry or concrete and ironbark. 4. Fencing is in fair repair, and much of it consists of iron standards and wire , the wooden posts are getting done, and will before long require more repairs than they receive at present. Cattle-stops are getting very old and shaky, but the important part of them, the beams, are mostly renewed in ironbark. Some of birch and totara remain, which are getting old, but they are safely propped in the middle. Gates and signboards are good. 5. The stations are in very good condition, platforms have stone fronts, and everything is neat and proper Privies and urinals clean and good. At Culverden Station, house, goods-shed, engineshed, coal store, two cottages, windmill, tank-stand, turntable, cattle-pen, loading-bank, privies, and urinals all in good order and neatly kept. 6. Mile-posts good and well painted.

r>.—2b.

Bangiora to Oxfobd (21 Miles) 1. The formation runs mostly along the public road. The drainage has been very troublesome from overflows of the Oust, and the side-ditches have been faced with planks and stones in places, and in other places with dry walls of stone. 2. The rails are 301b. iron, with the most objectionable Ibbotson joints. The rails are in very fair condition, and with the light traffic they carry will last for years, but it is only fair to them that they should be jointed with proper fish-plates as the Ibbotson joints injure the ends. The points and crossings are 401b. steel, and nearly all the curves are the same. The line is very well ballasted, and has a good running top. 3. There are only three bridges, which have been entirely renewed in ironbark, and two have concrete piers and abutments. Several open culverts are concrete and ironbark, consequently they are entirely good. 4. There is a small length of fencing near Eangiora, and some more near Oxford, all in fair condition, though some repairs to posts are wanted. Cattle-stops have ironbark beams, but the sills and frames are mostly far gone in decay Gates and signboards are good. 5. Intermediate stations are in good condition , most of the platforms have new concrete fronts , all buildings are in very good repair. Loading-banks and cattle-pens good, with a touch of decay now and then. Privies and urinals good and clean, though in some the timber-posts are going at ground-level. At West Oxford, platform, with concrete front, very good, station-building very good and well kept, picket-fences neat and good, goods-shed very good , crane in good order, coal store getting old, tank-stand and small store in good condition. Engine-shed, loading-bank, very good. Privies and urinals good and clean. West Oxford to Sheffield (12 Miles) 1. Formation in good order, line weedy in places. 2. The rails are 401b. steel, in good condition. The ballast is scanty in places , in other places well ballasted. There are a number of bad sleepers, but on the whole the sleepers are pretty good. The line is kept in good running order. 3. The Waimakariri Gorge Bridge is in very good condition, except the planking of the roadway, which is getting somewhat rotten at the ends. Most of the smaller bridges are entirely renewed in ironbark, and are in excellent condition. Bridge 168 has been extensively renewed in ironbark, but more renewals will be necessary before long, as the original native timber is fast decaying in many places , the bridge is safe for the light engines that pass over it, but scarcely so for heavier engines. There is an unusually large number of open culverts, most of which have been rebuilt in concrete and ironbark, and are now very good many of these culverts are new, in addition to those originally built. The necessity for them arose from a heavy flood washing away parts of the line several years ago. One over-bridge has a few decayed parts of little consequence. 4. The fencing is mostly gorse hedges, which are very good, but about nine miles of the line have either private fences or are unfenced. There are very few cattle-stops, and these have been renewed with ironbark beams, the frames of one or two are getting rotten, the rest are old but good yet. Signboards and gates are getting old, but are in good repair 5. The small flag-stations are all in good order , the timber-work of platforms and loadingbanks has had many repairs, and it will be some time before it requires more. At Sheffield, platform, coal store, and station-building have had some small repairs, and are in good condition and well kept. Privies and urinals good and clean. Cattle-pen renewed in iron rail, tank-stand and water, &c, are in good condition. Bennet's Junction to Kaiapoi (21 Miles). 1. Formation in good order and clear of weeds. 2. Fifteen miles of rails are 301b. iron. The metal of these rails is very good, and they have lasted remarkably well, though somewhat worn, very few are scaled or laminated. They are fastened with Ibbotson joints , but with light traffic and engines these rails will last many years yet. The curves are laid with 401b. steel. Five miles of the road are laid with 40lb. iron rails, and they are in very good condition. The road is well ballasted, and kept in excellent running condition. We had no chance of seeing the sleepers except in one place where new 401b. steel rails were being laid round a curve, and there were a few half-rotten among those exposed. 3. The bridges are small, and in very good condition , most of them are concrete and ironbark, the others have ironbark or totara piles, with ironbark tops and beams. In only one did we detect a little decay in the sap of one or two piles. Open culverts are concrete and ironbark, in excellent condition. 4. There are no fences, as the line runs along the roadside, the hedge and fences on each of which are private. Cattle-stops have all been provided with ironbark beams, the sills and frames are old looking, but still in fair preservation. Signboards and gates old but good. 5. Station-buildings, shelter-sheds, goods-shed, platelayers' and Stationmaster's cottages are in good condition, and well-kept, platforms, timber fronts old but good, except in few places, where a little decay is going on. The tank-stand and windmill at Swannanoa are in good condition. There are no privies and urinals, which is embarrassing. 6. Mile-posts are made out of rail-ends. Hoenby Junction to Southbbidge (25 Miles). 1. Formation in good order. 2. There are eight miles of 531b. steel rails, four miles of 401b. steel, two miles of 451b. steel, and eleven miles of 401b. iron. The steel rails are in good condition; the iron rails are very fair, only a few showing signs of wear The line is well ballasted, the sleepers are in good ordinary condition —that is to say, with not more than the usual proportion of dozed , or half-rotten sleepers, The line is in good running order and well kept*

23

D— 2b.

3. There are a large number of small bridges on this line , some are entirely new, many are all renewed in ironbark, and we found the repairing-gang at work on them. All are provided with new ironbark beams , but a number still stand on the old totara and matai piles, which are fast decaying. Some are very much decayed, and are to be renewed as soon as the gang can get at them . others are touched with decay, but are good for a few more years. Open culverts are mostly renewed in concrete and ironbark , but there are four or five with piles and other timber, which is getting done, though all have ironbark beams. 4. fencing is partly gorse hedges and thorn hedges, the latter thin and poor post and wire fences are fairly good, though the posts are very old, and in a few places they are rotten at ground. All cattle-stops have the beams renewed in ironbark ; a few have concrete walls, also renewed. The most of them have the original sills and frames which, though old, are still good, though a few are very old and must be renewed soon. Signboards and gates are apparently in good condition, and well painted , no doubt many are gone underground, and in such cases they are not renewed until they begin to fall. 5. Most of the platforms have concrete fronts. Shelter-sheds and station-buildings are all good. Goods-shed very good. Stationmaster's and platelayers' cottages all in good repair, and neatly kept. Some of the loading-banks have concrete fronts, and those that are in timber are in good condition. At Lincoln, cattle-pen is renewed with iron rails, but posts are getting done underground. Tank-stand and windmill very good. Loading-bank is in concrete, crane in good workingorder, privies and urinals good and clean. At Bllesmere, tank-stand and windmill in good order, and other articles as described above. At Southbridge, engine-shed, coal store, windmill, and tank stand in good condition. Loading-bank in concrete , goods-shed very good. Platform, concrete front. Station-building very good and well kept. Cattle-pen, brick front and sides, posts of yards, a few gone at ground , crane in good order Little Eivbe to Lincoln Junction (22 Miles) 1. The formation is good and clean , the slopes of banks are heavily pitched with stone along Lakes Ellesmere and Forsyth, and are all in good condition. 2. There are 4 miles of 451b. steel, 1-J- miles of 401b. iron, and 17i miles of 401b. steel rails, all in good condition, except along Lake Ellesmere, where the rails are badly rusted with the salt spray The line is well ballasted with shingle, generally the sleepers are in fair condition, though many are half rotten. We found a very large number of rotten sleepers thrown out and replaced by new. 3. This line is comparatively new from Little River to Birdling's Flat, being nine years old. There are ten small bridges with totara and matai piles and caps in good condition, the top-work of all being renewed in ironbark. Bridge 217 has new ironbark top-chord, and many new ironbark floor-beams and new ironbark caps. The trusses are matai, in fair condition, and the piles totara, and good. Several timber box-culverts are in good condition , there are some timber and some concrete open culverts with ironbark beams, all in good condition. The sleepers on bridges are jarrah. 4. Five miles at Lincoln end and two miles at Little River are fenced with post and wire, all in fair condition, though in some places posts are rotten , the rest is unfenced, or the fences are private. Cattle-stops have mostly ironbark beams some are totara, which are propped to carry heavier engines, and all are in fair condition. There are a few gates and signboards mounted on iron-rail uprights, all in good condition. 5. The station at Little River is in first-rate condition, being nearly new The three intermediate flag-stations are all in good condition and repair, except a few posts of loading-banks and platform a little touched at ground-level. 6. Mile-posts are made of rail-ends. Rolleston to Spkingfield (30 Miles). 1. Being all tussock plains, the formation is in good order and kept clear of weeds. 2. The rails are 301b. iron, with Ibbotson joints, the larger part of the rails are fairly good, but there are a great number in very poor condition—worn, crushed, and scaled. The road is only fit for light engines, and slow speed., but if the bad rails were picked out and good fish-plates put in this permanent-way would last for eight or ten years. This road is well ballasted, and the sleepers generally good, and the road is kept in good running condition—that is, it is straight with a good level top. From Sheffield to Springfield the rails are 401b. iron, with Ibbotson joints, these are in better condition than the 301b., but some few are worn and scaled. 3. There are few bridges or culverts, these are all concrete and ironbark in first-rate condition. 4. Fences are private ; there are no cattle-stops. 5. At the intermediate stations, station-buildings, shelter-sheds, goods-sheds, cattle-pens, load-ing-banks, platelayers' and Stationmasters' cottages are all in good condition. Loading-banks and platforms , some have concrete fronts and some timber. At Springfield the station-building is in good condition and well kept; platform-timber getting old, but still good, Stationmaster's cottage good; goods-sheds very good. Coal-shed repaired and good. Engine-shed good, but floor and roof old and worn. Loading-bank posts and timber the worse for age. Privies and urinals good and clean ; tank-stand and water, none very good, 6. Mile-posts are rail-ends. Siding to Coal-pits. Rails, 401b. iron* in good condition, ballast, thin and dirty, sleepers; good. All in very fair condition, though not much used now

24

D.—2b.

Dakfield to White Cliffs (12 Miles) 1. Formation is in good condition. 2. The rails are 301b. iron, with Ibbotson joints, they are in fair condition, though a few are worn and scaled. The sleepers are mostly good , the line is well ballasted and kept in good running order. Towards Glentunnel there are many curves, and it is intended to lay heavier rails on them. 3. The bridges are all renewed in ironbark except a few of the original totara piles. Bridge 234 has several piles considerably decayed at ground, but they are good for some years yet, and all the rest are new in ironbark. There is a large number of open culverts renewed in concrete and ironbark, and also several new ones put in for flood relief. 4. There is a small extent of fencing at far end in good condition. There are no cattle-stops. 5. Station-buildings, cottages, goods-shed, and shelter-sheds in very good condition, all privies and urinals good and clean. Loading-banks same, with concrete fronts, some timber, all good. Platform, some concrete some timber fronts, the latter a little decayed here and there. At White Cliffs, coal stores, engine-shed, goods-shed, all in very good condition , tank-stand posts gone a bit at ground, but sills good. 6. Mile-posts of timber, and good. Main South Like, Addington to Selwyn (23 Miles) 1. Formation all right and clear of weeds. 2. The rails were originally 561b. and 641b. iron, which are being replaced when necessary with 531b. steel. The iron rails are in very good condition, the sleepers are good, the line is well ballasted, and kept in excellent running trim. Sidings are laid with 401b. iron rails. From Lyttelton to Eakaia there are three miles and a quarter of 561b. iron rails, four miles of 641b. iron, and thirtyone miles and a quarter of 531b. steel rails. 3. There is one small bridge of concrete and ironbark in good condition. The Selwyn Bridge has been almost entirely rebuilt in ironbark, although some of the original stone piers and iron girders are still in use, the rest of these having been washed away. The piles are all ironbark, and very good , they are secured with iron-rail braces. The beams are ironbark, and the bridge is very good. 4. There are long stretches of hedges which are thin and poor , the post and wire fences are very old, some repairs have been done, but many posts are on their last legs. There are a few cattle-stops on concrete, but the greater number are on sills in a few the sills and frames are very old and partly decayed, and most of them are good for several years yet. All cattle-stops have been renewed with ironbark beams , signboards and mile-posts good. 5. The station-buildings are the oldest in New Zealand, but they are in very good condition, and with a few repairs are good for many years. Many of the loading-banks and platform-fronts are in concrete or brick. Others in timber have the front piles partly rotten at ground, and this is the case with some of the posts of cattle-pens. With the exception of these insignificant items everything is in good preservation. Some of the buildings want painting. Privies and urinals all good and clean, though some of the posts forming the shelters are going underground. All signalposts and signal-boxes in good order The station rooms and offices neat and well kept. Tankstand and windmills in good order 6. Mile-posts good. Selwyn to Eakaia (13 Miles) 1. Formation is in good order and clear of weeds. 2. There are about two miles of 521b. iron rails in good condition, the rest ares3lb. steel, and very good though now sixteen years old. The line is in excellent condition, well ballasted, and good sleepers. 3. Three small bridges are renewed in ironbark, and all that is now wrong with them is that the back-lining is old and. partly rotten. At the ends of the Eakaia Bridge are high tanks for fire prevention, with pipes running along hand-rail of bridge , these are in good order, as is the bridge-keeper's hut. This bridge has had considerable repairs in ironbark. The main part of the bridge is twenty-two years old, but 1,500 ft. at the far end (south) is only twelve years old. The bridge is 6,000 ft. long. The whole of the piles are ironbark, some of which are new, and although the sap is mostly gone the heart is perfectly sound. A few of the pier braces and wales are rotten, but as the bridge is very low this is of little consequence , a great number of the piers have iron-rail braces. In the deeper channels where the piers are high some bracing is required, although these piers have had raking piles added, which steady them. In the old part all the upper work was kauri, a good deal of which has been renewed in ironbark, and what remains is good for many years. In the new part there is more ironbark in important weight-carrying parts, such as the beams under the rails, all of which have been renewed in ironbark. The road-beams are renewed as they require it, and are in fairly good condition. Eighty spans have been replanked, and material is now on hand to replank eighty more, the old planking is very much worn, some of it nearly worn through, hand-rails pretty good, but parts of it are shaky and must soon be renewed. Altogether this bridge is in very good condition. One or two open culverts were renewed in ironbark seven years ago, and are now in good condition. 4. Fences are partly thorn hedges in poor and thin condition, post and wire fences are fairly good, though many parts are burnt. Many are hewed or old sleepers. Parts of this length are not fenced. A few cattle-stops are renewed in concrete, and all have had ironbark beams in place of original native timber, other parts, such as sills and frames, old but still serviceable. 5. Dunsandel Station has new concrete front to platform and loading-banks, and the buildings and other appurtenances are in good condition. 4—D 2b.

25

T>.— 2b

26

Eakaia Station has brick fronts to loading-bank, the timber front of platform is showing a little decay Some repairs have been done on cattle-pens and tank-stands. All the buildings are good and well kept. Privies and urinals clean and good. All items such as cranes,, turn-table, hot air engine, tank-stands, and windmills are in good condition. 6. Mile-posts very good. Eakaia to Methven Beanch (22J Miles) 1. Line is on level plains, and formation is dry and good. 2. The rails are 521b. steel, in very good condition. This line was originally laid with bluegum sleepers, which have lasted very well about 20 per cent, are renewed, and this line only takes 1,400 sleepers for yearly renewals. The ballast, generally sufficient, is scanty in many places. The road is in fine running trim. 3. Five small bridges have had some repairs, two being renewed in concrete piers, and all have upper works in ironbark, in two of these the piles are touched with decay and must have renewals soon, but otherwise they are good for some years yet, one or two box culverts are good. 4. The fencing is in patches, and fairly good. Signboards, good. 5. Intermediate stations are all in good condition, with the exception that in many of the platforms and loading-banks the front timber is gone at ground in many places. Many also have had repairs. Everything else is in good condition. At Methven, tank-stand, platform, station buildings, coal and engine-shed, all good and well kept. Loading-bank patched and old, posts much decayed , goods-shed very good. Several pens are renewed with iron rails, but timber posts of yards are getting done. All privies and urinals clean and good. 6. Mile-posts good. Eakaia to Ashburton, Main South Line (17 Miles). 1. Level plains. Formation dry and cleanly kept. 2. Eails, 531b. steel. The road is well ballasted, has good sleepers, and is in very good condition. 3. The bridges are all renewed in concrete and ironbark, except one in ironbark piles, and are in very good condition. Many timber box-culverts have been replaced by concrete pipes, and the few that remain are good. 4. There are no fences except private. 5. At Chertsey and Dromore the buildings are all in good condition, platforms have been provided with concrete fronts, privies and urinals good and clean cottages in good repair and well kept. At Ashburton, engine-shed with concrete pits, building getting old, but good, steam pump and boiler good , two wells 40ft. deep good , cleaner and firemen's huts good , outside pits, good, highlevel tank, very good blacksmiths' shop fairly good order three low tank-stands, good coal-store good condition, but platform of it half rotten, turn-table and weigh-bridge very good, five-ton crane, good, small store, good, new loading-bank with concrete front, goods-shed very good, but roof getting old , platform of concrete and asphalt, with new verandah. Station-building shifted and thoroughly repaired. Privies and urinals very good , timber supports gone at ground. Eooms and office of station neat and well-kept. Ashburton to Eangitata (22 Miles) 1. Formation good and clean, much heavy rock has been placed at bridge ends and other places to protect road from encroachment of river 2. Eails are 531b. steel, in good condition. The sleepers and ballast are good, and the road is in excellent condition. 3. The Ashburton Bridge was nearly washed out some years ago, about half of the piers are new, and all of ironbark piles in good condition. The trusses have had some renewals in ironbark, and what remains of the native timber is good. All the rail-beams are renewed in ironbark, and, in view of heavier engines now running, all the floor-beams are about to be strengthened with iron tierods. The Hinds Bridge, No. 27, stands on good ironbark piles, it has had new cap and railbeams of ironbark, and a number of renewals in the same excellent timber, extra bolts, new iron rail braces or ratchet braces made of old rails. Of the native timber still in the bridge, many wales and braces are rotten, but they are not of much consequence, as at these places the piers are low; many of the diagonals in trusses are going at the ends, and all the native timber must come out in a few years. However, the bridge is in good condition, and with a few yearly renewals will last many years. The main Eangitata Bridge, No. 33, has had more than half its piles renewed in round ironbark, and the remainder are square ironbark, all in good condition. The trusses have had extensive renewals in ironbark all the caps and most of the rail-beams are new, in ironbark. As in the case of Hinds, with a few yearly renewals the bridge is good for years to come. The bridge over the south branch of the Eangitata, No. 34, has had many new round ironbark piles, and all are in good condition. In many places the old original piles were only driven 3ft. or 4ft., and they are unsafe if the stream of the river should come through them there is no sign of its doing so at present, and the bridge is well watched, and new piles will be driven if the river shows signs of coming that way The trusses have been strengthened with new bolts and iron-rail diagonals many new pieces are put in of ironbark. The native timber will require annual renewals, and so the life of the bridge is prolonged indefinitely The other bridges in this length are small, in some the piles are just showing signs of decay, but. in most the piles have been taken out and replaced in concrete. In all of them the top wood is renewed in ironbark.

27

D.— 2b

4. There are no fences except private ones. 5. All the platforms, except one, have new concrete fronts. All the buildings are in good condition and well looked after, tank-stands and windmills good , privies and urinals clean , posts and other timber of loading-banks and cattle-pens in many cases going at ground, cattle-pens renewed in iron rails, sidings are all 401b. rails, well ballasted, but sleepers not equal to the main line, cottages very good and neatly kept. 6. Mile-posts good. Eangitata to Timaeu (25 Miles) 1. The formation is good, many of the banks have been widened. 2. Bails are 531b. steel, very good, ballast and sleepers are very good, and the line is in excellent running trim. 3. Twelve open culverts of 10ft. span or over have been rebuilt in concrete and ironbark, others of this kind are renewed with ironbark piles and beams and caps. Of the larger bridges, many have the piles more or less decayed, and caps and some beams of matai are judged better to be removed these are to be rebuilt in their turn before long. A few in the original totara timber are still sound. The Orari Bridge has had extensive renewals in ironbark , the same is the case with the Temuka and Opihi Bridges, which are in good condition, although more renewals will have to be done from time to time. Two bridges near Washdyke, of the original timber, are in good condition, and two overbridges are also good. 4. There is not much fencing , what there is is in fair condition, a few of the posts being halfrotten and all pretty old. Cattle-stops are generally in good condition, most of them are renewed in ironbark beams, two or three have concrete walls, the rest have sills, more or less old, but in fair condition. Signboards and gates are good. 5. Orari Station is in good condition, platform concrete and asphalt, and all buildings and cottages in good repair Winchester has good tank-stand , goods-shed in good condition, though some of the floor-piles are gone a bit, good platform of timber and asphalt. Cattle-pen had some posts gone at ground, it is repaired with iron rails , tank-stand good, but posts gone a little, rain-water service in good order Temuka has new concrete platform, and everything in good repair Seatown has loading bank in concrete, and all buildings in good repair, platform, timber, front very good. At Timaru a large number of various kinds of buildings —viz., station-building, goods-shed, engine-shed, blacksmiths' shop and forges, stores, carpenters' shop, with tools and benches, fitting shop, plumbers' shop, paint shop, office of Inspector of Permanent Way, coal-store, permanent-way store, locomotive foreman's house, are all in very good condition, although one or two are getting very old. Weigh-bridge, signal-box, signals, turntable, water stand-pipes, traverser pit, outside pits, all good and well kept. All privies and urinals on this section good and clean. Several platelayers and stationmasters' cottages neat and good. Tinwald-Mount Somees Bkanch (28 Miles) 1. Formation in good condition. 2. There are twenty-three and a quarter miles of 401b. steel rails, and four miles and a quarter of 401b. iron , the steel rails are in very good condition, the iron rails have good fish-plates, and are in good condition. The first eight miles the sleepers have a large number half-rotten or dosed, after that they are better, and best towards the end. Ballast is good, but there are many places where the road wants more of it, and a few parts of the line are weedy The line is kept in fine running trim —that is, the rails are straight and joints level, one ballast siding is in good condition. 3. The bridge over the Ashburton left branch is entirely of kauri, and in excellent preservation. Bridge 244 is all ironbark, and very good, and 244 ais concrete and ironbark, also very good. A large number of small bridges are in concrete, with mostly ironbark beams, though a few have still the original totara beams , one open culvert is burnt, and being rebuilt in concrete. 4. There are only eight miles of fencing, mostly iron standards and wire, in good condition. A few cattle-stops have concrete walls, and all but two have been renewed with ironbark beams , sills and frames are old but good. There are a few gates in good condition. 5. All buildings, cottages, station-houses, goods-sheds, are in very good preservation. A few platforms have concrete fronts, others have them in timber, and good loading-banks. Posts of cattle-pens, with the posts of one tank-stand, show in places signs of decay, some of the loadingbanks have been repaired in concrete, one or two must be repaired very soon. Cattle-pens are repaired with iron rails and in good order. At Springburn the termination platform has a concrete front. Shelter-shed and goods-shed very good. Loading-bank of concrete. Engine-shed, coal-store, high tank-stand, rain-water supply, all in good condition. All privies and urinals very good and clean. Washdyke to Faielie Bbanch (35 Miles) 1 Formation in good order. 2. The rails are 26 miles 55 chains of 401b. iron, with good fish-plates, and nine miles and a-half of 401b. steel. The iron rails are fairly good, though some are worn, scaled, or bashed at ends. The line is clean and kept in good running trim The ballast is rough and coarse in places, and somewhat scanty There are a good few rotten sleepers, but on the whole the sleepers are pretty good. Heavy engines are not run on this line on account of the light rails. 3. Bridge 261 has totara piles, kauri caps and trusses, several top chords and diagonals are new

D.—2b

28

in ironbark but several piles, one or two lower chords, and many pieces in trusses must be attended to very shortly Bridge 262 has two piles going at ground. Bridge 263 has had few renewals, and few are wanted, as the bridge is in good preservation. Bridge 264 has several pieces partly decayed ,it has had some renewals, and with a few more it will be in a good sound condition. Of the smaller bridges, and open culverts over 10ft. span, several are rebuilt with ironbark piles, fortytwo of them are in masonry, and all except fourteen have ironbark beams the fourteen have matai and totara beams in good condition. Bridges 265, 267, 268, 269, and 271 have had sundry renewals in ironbark, and are sound and good. 4. There are about nine miles of fencing in fair condition, posts are getting old, but as they are repaired as required with old sleepers the fencing will last any time. Cattle-stops are very few, they are provided with ironbark beams, and sills and frames fairly good. 5. There are three loading-banks and three platform fronts renewed in concrete, and the rest are to be renewed as they decay Of those with timber fronts many are getting rotten under ground; one or two are still good. Buildings are all in good preservation. Tank-stands, windmills, cottages, cattle-pens, engine-pits, turn-table, coal-store are all in good condition. All privies and urinals clean and good. Timabu to Studholme Junotion, Main Sodth Linb (24 Miles) 1. Formation is well kept, and trim and clean. 2. There are seventeen miles of 531b. steel rails very good, and seven miles of 401b. iron with Ibbotson joints, these latter are selected out of the best of their kind, and are in good condition. The line is well ballasted. Sleepers are good, though there is a certain percentage of dosed halfrotten sleepers in the road. The line is kept in good running order The ballast siding is in good order 3. There are thirty-eight bridges, large and small, on this length. These have been so extensively repaired at different times, and were originally built of such various timbers, that it is difficult to say what is new and what is old. Most of them have piles of ironbark and jarrah. Some have totara and matai piles, a few of which are touched with decay, and many have been stumped -with ironbark—that is, the rotten pile cut off below ground, where it is sound, and spliced with ironbark. Large numbers of caps, beams, and rail-beams are new, in ironbark, the trusses of trussed bridges are extensively renewed in ironbark, and generally what remains of matai timber is good for some years yet, nevertheless there are a good many repairs still wanted, but there is nothing very urgent in the state of any of the bridges. A considerable number of open culverts of 10ft. span or over have been rebuilt in concrete and ironbark. Others have been renewed in ironbark piles and beams, leaving only the back lining in the original timber Bridge 64, over the Pareora Eiver, has very faulty floor-beams, which are trussed with rods, and are to be properly renewed. As the wales and braces of piers decay, they are replaced with iron rails, and a very large number of bridge piers are so provided. 4. Not all the length is fenced. Of the fences, some are miserable sickly thorn hedges , post-and-wire fences are getting old, some parts want renewing, but many are renewed with old sleepers. Many fencing posts are burnt, and many are rotten in different places. A considerable number of cattle-stops are renewed with concrete walls, and all have ironbark beams generally sills and frames are in fair condition, two or three are half-rotten, gates and signboards good. 5. All but two of the platforms, and some of the loading-banks, have been renewed in concrete fronts. All buildings and cottages are in good condition, neatly kept, and clean there is some decay, but not much in timber fronts of cattle-pens and loading-banks and posts of cattle-yards. Tank-stands and windmills in good condition. Overbridge at Studholme Junction in good order All privies and urinals good and clean. 6. Mile-posts and signals good. Studholme Junction to Oamaru (28 Miles). 1. Formation in good condition. 2. There are 21 miles 17 chains of 401b. iron rails, with good fish-plates, and 6f miles of 531b. steel rails. The 401b. iron rails are in good condition, all that are damaged being removed to sidings. As far as Waitaki Bridge, about one-third of the old original sleepers are still in the road, most of which are blue-gum and very good. Among the remaining two-thirds a few are dosed, but generally the sleepers are very good, the ballast is excellent, and the road is kept in fine running order. Ballast siding in good order. 3. At the Waitaki Bridge, two bridgekeepers' lodges in good condition, two sets of high tanks, with windmills, and water-pipe taps every 40ft., all in good order The bridge is 3,734 ft. long, on cylinders and iron girders, with beams and planked roadway The ironwork is in good condition, and painted in 1893 , beams very good, planking in good repair, hand-rail in fair condition. The Waihao Bridge, 1,060 ft. long, has ironbark piles, except seven of totara, all good. The renewals are new ironbark caps, half the top of trusses new, in ironbark, many new diagonals. The trusses are totara and matai, in which many pieces are marked for renewal, and when this is done the trusses will be good for several more years, floor-beams, rail-beams, and lower chords of trusses are ironbark. Of the smaller bridges, most of them have jarrah or ironbark piles, but almost the whole of them have ironbark caps and beams, put in in 1880. Some have the original totara piles or trestles, mostly in good condition, but a few are a little decayed, and are to be taken out soon, five are renewed in concrete or masonry and one or two are entirely new All these bridges are in good condition, or will be when a few contemplated repairs are done. South of the Waitaki, fourteen small bridges are renewed in concrete and ironbark, except two with kauri beams, and three others which are renewed in ironbark piles and beams, and all in good condition.

D.—2b.

4. There are about eight miles of fencing out of Studholme, mostly post-and-wire, in poor condition in many places , other pa.rts are gorse hedges, or iron standards and wire. At the Oamaru end there are eight miles of fencing, some of which consists of hedges, some iron standards, some post-and-wire, the posts getting very old. North of Waitaki, cattle-stops are mostly ironbark beams on sills, in fair condition. A few have concrete walls. South of Waitaki, cattle-stops have mostly matai or totara beams, which are propped in the middle to carry heavier engines , all are in fair condition. Gates and signboards in good condition. 5. All station buildings are in good preservation, and well kept. The usual amount of decay is found in timber fronts of cattle-pens and loading-banks and platforms. Cottages good and neat, goods-shed very good, tank-stand and windmill good. At Oamaru, turn-table and tank-stands in good condition, locomotive foreman's stone store building good, foreman's sitting-room and office very good , engine-shed, with four brick pits, very good, floor a little damaged, sidings good, and well ballasted , coal-store good ; small coal-store old, but good, signals and signal-box in good condition , old engine-shed, of stone, in good order, guard s room, good, double platform, timber front, and part planked top, old, but good , station building, very good, and neatly kept, all privies and urinals good and clean on this section carriage-shed old, but good, loading-bank, timber front damaged a little , goods office very good, goods-shed old, but good, half of roof much the worse for age, other half good ; weigh-bridge and office, good, cattle-pen repaired in iron rails. The line to Breakwater is in fair condition, with good sleepers, but little ballast. Studholme to Waimate and Waihao Downs Beanch (13 Miles). 1. Formation all right, weedy in places. 2. As far as Waimate, four miles and a half, the rails are 401b. iron, with Ibbotson joints in fairly good condition. From Waimate they are 521b. iron with good fish-plates, and in good condition. Ballast to Waimate is poor earthy gravel, a little scant. From Waimate the ballast is mostly broken slate, and not over plentiful. There are plenty of dosed half-rotten sleepers in this road, but the greater part are good. The road is kept in good running trim. 3. This line has had very extensive renewals in the bridges, altogether more than half are renewed in ironbark. A good deal of matai and totara still remain in piles, studs, caps, beams, and trusses, which must be removed soon. Bridge 273 has two of the studs touched with decay, 279 has several pieces which should be taken out as soon as may be, 280 has had many renewals, and it stands on short ironbark piles, on which are lofty piers of matai trestles. The trusses have had many renewals, but the bulk remains in matai, and the whole will not last over five years more. One of the piers wants bracing, as it is flimsy for its great height. There are also a number of small open culverts renewed in concrete and ironbark, and very good. With a few more renewals, all the bridges are good for some years yet, saving the ironbark, which may last for fifty years or so. 4. As far as Waimate the fencing is part hedge, and part post-and-wire, the latter very old, and m want of repair Beyond Waimate, through the Gorge, the fencing is fairly good. Cattle-stops have all ironbark beams, and two or three have concrete walls, the rest are on sills, which, with the frames, are getting old. There are a few gates and signboards in good repair 5. Waimate has concrete and asphalt platform, and loading-bank with concrete front. Station building, goods-shed, coal-store, and engine-shed, all in good condition , tank-stand good, privies and urinals, good and clean. At Arno, platform, shelter-shed, and loading-bank all in good condition. At Maclean, loading-bank, platform, shelter-shed, good. At Waihoa Forks, tank-stand and pump, good , goods-shed, shelter-shed, picket-fence, and platform, all in good condition. Loading-bank and cattle-pen in timber, good. At Waihao Downs, shelter-shed, and goods-shed, very good, privies and urinals, good and clean. Loading-bank, timber posts, some gone at ground. Oamaeu to Hakatbbamba Branch (37-J- Miles). 1. Formation in good condition, line weedy in many places. 2. The rails are 16 miles 57 chains, of 531b. steel, 4 miles 55 chains of 521b. iron, and 16 miles 8 chains of 401b. iron. The 531b. steel and 521b. iron rails are very good, the 401b. iron are in fair condition, though a few are worn and scaled. The ballast is thin in a great many places, in other places there is sufficient of it; it is coarse, heavy gravel for the greater part. Sleepers are good for the first twenty miles or so, after that there is a considerable proportion of half-rotten among them , at the same time there has been a large number of silver-pine sleepers lately put in the road. Much of the line towards the end wants straightening and lifting. 3. The bridges on this line were almost all rebuilt about 1880, in fact, except the bridge over the Waitaki, there is little of the original timber left in any of the bridges, and what remains is very good. The bridge over the Waitaki was partly washed away and renewed seven years ago, all is in very good condition. Bridge 158 was also washed away, and rebuilt in ironbark. Bridge 167 was a little decayed in kauri rail-beams, but on the whole the bridges on this line are in very good condition. A number of timber box-culverts have been replaced by concrete pipes. 4. The road is fenced in parts only, other parts are private fences, and some are unfenced. There is a good deal of iron standard fence, but most is post-and-wire; the posts are thin and light, and many are pretty rotten and want repairs. Gates have been extensively renewed with bent iron-rail posts. Signboards are good. About thirty cattle-stops are rebuilt with concrete walls and ironbark beams , one or two have the old matai beams propped to carry heavier weights, and four are ironbark, on old sills, sills and frame still fairly good 5. At Pukeuri Junction the platform is rotten, and the shelter-shed, and loading-bank, have many posts rotten at the ground , privies and urinals clean and good tank-stand and windmill, in good condition, platforms, loading-banks, and cattle-pens have some of their posts decayed at ground, but otherwise in good order 6. Mile-posts in good condition.

29

D.—2b.

Oamaeu, Tokaeaki, and Ngapaea (27 Miles) 1. The formation is very good, clean, and well drained. 2. There are 2J miles of 401b. steel rails, and 24-| miles of 401b. iron, all in very fair condition. Ballast is good and sufficient , sleepers mostly good, a few are half-gone in places —the sleepers are worse than elsewhere, and extensive renewals are going on, the line is kept in good running trim. 3. The bridges are in good condition, most of them are concrete, or masonry, and ironbark two on the Livingston Branch have ironbark piles, and top work in matai and kauri • but these native timbers are all sound. There have been a good many renewals on the bridges, and some have recently been rebuilt. There are many masonry arched culverts. The tunnel is in first-rate condition. 4. Fences are fairly good, though the posts are small and thin, and here and there some are rotten under ground there are also stone walls and hedges , gates have generally been rebuilt with iron-rail posts. Nineteen cattle-stops are rebuilt with ironbark beams and concrete walls , there are ironbark beams on sills, and seven have matai beams on sills , all are in good condition. Signboards in good order 5. All station buildings are in good repair cattle-pens, loading-banks, good, but a few posts rotten at ground , tank-stands and pump in good condition , platform, old but good. All privies and urinals good and clean , goods-sheds very good. 6. Mile-posts of timber, in good condition. Oamaeu to Palmeeston, Main South Line (37 Miles) 1. Formation is very good and clean, cuttings trim and well drained. 2. There are 30 miles 16 chains of 531b. steel rails, and 7J miles of 521b. iron. The steel rails are very good, and the iron ones in fair condition, though some are scaly and worn. The road is in good order, with good running top. The ballast is very good, and so are the sleepers, with not more than the usual amount of rotten ones, say 5 or 6 per cent. 3. There are a very large number of masonry open culverts, all with ironbark beams, also many masonry arched culverts , one of concrete, 15ft. wide, has subsided and cracked, but it is safe, and will probably settle no more. The bridges are made of a mixture of ironbark, gum, totara, matai, and birch heavy renewals have been done on most of them, and all are in good condition, and with some more yearly renewals are good for years. Bridge 22, at 166-|- miles, is getting done, and will want a lot of renewals shortly Bridge 24 has piles touched with decay, and is to be soon renewed. Bridge 30 wants attending to as soon as may be. 4. Fences are pretty good and about as usual—that is, the posts are getting old, some are rotten, and many have been renewed with sleepers. There are stretches of poor, thin hedges of hawthorn, behind which are post-and-wire fences, mostly rotten. Signboards are in good condition. Thirty-nine cattlestops have been renewed in concrete and ironbark beams , twenty are renewed with ironbark beams only, on old sills and frames , and four are matai beams, propped in the middle. The sills and frames of the original timber are generally good, only two or three were noticed very far gone. Gates have been much renewed with iron-rail posts, and all are in fair condition. 5. At Waireka Junction platform good stationmaster's house, signals, and overbridges, all in good condition. At Deborah planked platform much decayed and patched shelter-shed old, but good cattle-pen, some decayed posts, crane in good order. Totara front of platform decayed a bit, shelter-shed getting very old, with some decay Teschemaker's platform and shelter-shed, good. Maheno privies and urinals very good, platform good station-house and goods-shed, very good; loading-bank and two tank-stands, good., stationmaster's house under repair, cattle-pen, many posts decayed. Waimatu all in good condition. Herbert cattle-pen, posts rotten to some extent , goods-shed, very good, loading-bank, posts much decayed shelter-shed very good. Waianakaroa goods-shed, very good, loading-bank, good platform, concrete front, shelter-shed, good. Hampden : cattle-pen, repaired and good, goods-shed, very good , loading-bank, a few posts rotten, tank-stand and platform, good, station-house, very good, picket fences, and privies and urinals, good, latter clean. Hillgrove goods-shed, very good, but roof-iron much gone , privies and urinals good, but old, and in foul condition , platform, concrete front, picket fence, and station-house, good. Kartigi cattle-pen, platform, shelter-shed, loadingbank, and privies and urinals, all in good condition. Shag Point Junction platform, good , stationmaster's house and station building, good privies and urinals very old, and somewhat gone. Bushby platform and shelter-shed, good , privies and urinals very old, but still good. Palmerston signals, in good order, tank-stands, good , privies and urinals, very good and clean , picket fence, good , station building, very good, and neatly kept brick turn-tables, very good, second tankstand, sill and uprights touched with decay , outside engine-pit, brick coal-store, very good , high tank-stand sills good, one upright decayed engine-shed, building and roof good, but floor of old sleepers very rotten benches, in good order, weighbridge and goods-shed, very good, loading-bank, good , stationmaster's house, good, with neat garden , cattle-pen, timber old, and some decayed. 6. Mile-posts good, no grade boards. Shao Point Beanch Line (2 Miles 10 chains) 2. Bails are 2 miles 10 chains of 401b. steel, 7 chains of 401b. iron, and 27 chains of 521b. iron, all in good condition. Ballast, thin. Sleepers, very fair condition. Eoad in good running trim. Palmbeston-Dunback Beanch Line (8 Miles 65 chains). 1. Formation all right, but weedy in places. 2. Bails are If miles 521b. iron, in good condition, and 7 miles of 401b. steel in very good condition. Sleepers are pretty good at near end, but there are a good number half-rotten, towards far

30

31

D.—2b

end , ballast, good at near end, rough and earthy at far end, and somewhat scant in most parts. Line is in good running trim. Ballast siding in good condition. 3. The bridges have had renewals in ironbark, and the original timber of matai and kauri is generally very good , piles are ironbark and matai, in which Bridges 184 and 187 have one or two a little decayed, but nothing serious yet a while. Bridges 183 and 192 have some beams and railbeams which must be taken out soon. On the whole the bridges, with a few more repairs, will be very good. There are five open culverts of masonry in good condition, except one in which the beams want renewal. 4. Fences of post and wire are getting very old, but in tolerable repair yet. Many posts are burnt. Fifteen cattle-stops have ironbark beams, nine have matai beams, propped for heavy weights , sills and frames, some very old and far gone, some good. Many gates have been renewed with iron-rail posts, others with wooden posts are in good condition. 5. At Glenpark, platform and shelter-shed are in good condition. Loading-bank posts much gone pickets good and well painted. Platelayers' cottages very good at Dunback, platform, pickets, privies and urinals very good. Station building, goods-shed, and three cottages very good. Loading-bank, some posts rotten. Engine-shed good, floor rough and damaged, windmill and. tankstand good. Coal-store good. 6. Mile-posts are made of rail-ends. Palmeeston to Wareington, Main South Line (21 Miles) 1. Formation good, clear of weeds, and well drained. At Seacliff there is an extensive slip, which carries the formation with it at the rate of about a foot a year The road has to be periodically pulled back, culvert lengthened, and platform shifted. Further on is another slip, which has had a number of deep rubble drains laid in it, and it has not given trouble lately The slip at Seacliff cannot be stopped. 2. The rails are mixed all over this length, there being 2 miles 48 chains of 521b. iron and 18 miles 54 chains of 531b. steel. The iron rails are in fair condition, a few being scaly, and the steel ones very good. The ballast is very good, but rather earthy near the far (south) end. The sleepers are usually good, but there are patches with more than the usual number half-rotten. A part of the line is a little out of order, wants lifting and straightening. Other parts are in good order 3. The bridges have had extensive repairs in ironbark, and two are entirely rebuilt in ironbark, what remains in kauri, totara, or matai is good. Bridges 40 and 47 have some pieces decayed which must be taken out soon the latter will want considerable renewals before long. Seven masonry open culverts with ironbark beams, and two with matai beams, are in good condition. Small tunnel in good condition. 4. Fences are in various conditions in places they are somewhat out of repair, in places the posts are rotten, there are stretches of iron fence, and many of the posts are broadleaf and good. Eighteen cattle-stops are renewed in concrete, forty-seven are renewed with ironbark beams, and one has old matai beams propped the sills and frames are very old, some far gone in decay Most of the gates are renewed in iron-rail posts , signboards in good condition. 5. Three platforms are repaired in concrete, other platforms are fairly good , one is out of repair (at Beach Street). Station buildings all in good condition, goods-sheds very good , privies and urinals old but clean, posts of some decayed. Cottages very good. Cattle-pen repaired and good. Tank-stands, loading-banks, some repaired, some have posts going at ground-level. Signalposts very good. Waebington to Sawyeb's Bay (13 Miles) 1. The formation is subject to a few slips which are kept back by timber struts, fast getting rotten, general formation is very good, clean, and well drained. 2. There are 54 chains of 521b. iron rails, mixed among 12 miles 25 chains of 531b. steel, all in good condition. The road is kept in good running order On the first part of the road there are some poor sleepers and scanty ballast, but the part over the Purakanui Bluffs and down to Port Chalmers is in first-rate condition, with good sleepers, and broken stone ballast. The block system extends from Dunedin to Purakanui. 3. Bridge 49 has had many renewals in ironbark, and in about five years will require many more, all the rest are very good condition , most of them have masonry abutments, others have ironbark, matai, and kowhai piles, and ironbark beams and caps. The smaller tunnels are lined and in good order. Deborah Bay Tunnel is 66 chains long, of which 54 chains are lined with stone side-walls and brick arch the brickwork is very coarse and irregular with wide joints, in which, at the crown, most of the mortar is blown out by steam. A considerable number of bricks are scaled off, in a few, over half the thickness of the bricks is scaled away, but the arch is quite sound, and the defects in bricks and joints can be made good at a moderate cost. About half of the unlined part is solid basalt, a part is basalt boulders bedded in clay, and part is pure volcanic clay , the unlined part appears quite safe and solid, though the Inspectors have picked numerous loose pieces down, and are always doing so. There is not a drop of water in the tunnel. There is a long crack in the north side-wall, near the floor, but it seems of no consequence. The side-wall at one place has bulged in once or twice, and was taken out and rebuilt, and it stands now all right. Retaining walls at Parakanui Bluff in good condition. 4. Fences are very old but fairly good, some are iron standards, eleven cattle-stops are renewed in concrete, and. are on sills, sills and frame very old, but all are renewed with ironbark beams , gates are renewed with iron-rail posts , signboards are good. 5. Evansdale has a poor little platform, with plank front, shelter-shed good, but gone a little at ground-level.

n.—2b.

Waitati has good cattle-pen, stationmaster's house very good and neat, left platform front much decayed. Station platform concrete front good, picket fence good , station-house very good , privies and urinals good and clean , signal-posts good. Purakanui has a good platform, with timber front, stationmaster's office and shelter-shed good, privies and urinals good and clean, but timber going at ground. Platelayers' cottages, good condition , signal-posts good. Upper Port Chalmers platform decayed somewhat at ground, shelter-shed good guard's cottage very good, signal-posts in good order Sawyer's Bay : platform timber a little damaged , station-building very good, left platform, planked top in good condition privies and urinals nice and clean , small store good, picket-fence and signal-posts good , cattle-pen good, with new iron rails. 6. Mile-posts good. Sawyee's Bat to Dunedin (7 Miles) 1. Formation all right, stone pitching along the bay in good condition. 2. Bails are 531b. steel, they are much worn and have been turned. The ballast is chiefly broken stone, sleepers very good, and the line in excellent running trim. The block system extends from Dunedin to Port Chalmers. 3. The bridges are very good, having been almost entirely renewed in ironbark; two or three have the old original piles getting done at ground-level, and are to be repaired soon, four masonry culverts have good ironbark beams. 4. Some little fencing consists of iron posts-and-wire, and two pair of cattle-stops, ironbark beams, are in good condition. 5. St. Leonard's platform, timber front good condition , shelter-shed good. Bourke sheltershed and platform good, left-hand platform, plank top good, office good condition, privies and urinals clean , signal-posts very good. Pelichet Bay station-houses and platform very good, picket-fence and signal-posts good, platelayer's cottage good. Dunedin platforms of stone and asphalt and timber are excellent, as are the station buildings, verandah, and appurtenances , two signal-posts very good; privies and urinals very good and clean ; loading-bank, timber front, all right, cattle-pen in good order , car and waggon inspector's office, good condition, carriage-shed, wood and iron roof, all right, blacksmith's shop, three forges and tools in good order, but building, iron, very rusty; tinsmith's shop, building old, tools, &c, in good order, foreman of works' office in good condition , fitting-shop very good, a few tools in good order , carpenters' shop, benches and tools good order, building very old, paint shop good store for glass and tools, building old but fit, permanent-way inspector's store good ditto office, in very good order, stationmaster's and station clerk's house, very good, traffic manager's office, stone building. At the goods yard loading-bank, timber very old, travelling and fixed cranes, good condition , traffic inspector's office very good, waggon-lifting shop, very good; two truck turn-tables in good order Goods-shed, west-side, two brick fireproof divisions, very good condition, shed, brick and stone, iron and slate roof, goods-shed, east side, with fire-proof divisions, all in good condition. Boiling-stock store and officers' building very good , three air-locks and appliances, in good condition , three small store-sheds in good condition, permanent-way store building good , engine-shed, with timber pits, in fair condition, floor old and half gone , building good, roof-iron much rusted, benches and racks good order, verandah in fair order , offices good , engine-shed store building good , blacksmiths' shop and forges in good order, coal-store with masonry foundations all in good condition , concrete platform and crane for loading very good water stand-pipes and drying-house, engine-drivers' room, tank-stand, all in good order , 12-ton weighbridge, good. Hillside Shops. Machine-shop Building very good, all machines and tools in excellent condition, fittingbenches, offices, &c, in good condition , engine very neat and clean, boilers very good. Blacksmiths' shop Forges and steam-hammer all good building also good. Boiler-shop Two travelling-cranes, portable forges, benches, and all tools in very good condition , boiler and engine beautifully kept. Paint-shop Building very good, concrete floor and pits. Trimming-shop Sawn-timber racks well covered. Carriage- and waggon-shop Building good., wheel lathe and wood-working tools are well kept and in good condition, circular saws and benches first-rate , engine and boiler in first-rate order , iron and timber racks well housed and locked. Stores Building and office very good, and neatly kept above and below , oil-stone very good. The stores are managed and looked after by chief storekeeper, one cadet, and two storemen. We inspected all the stores, and found everything in good order, neatly arranged, and well housed. Certain stores are kept out of doors, which are —three air-locks and appliances, small stock of tee, channel, and bar irons, stocks of sliding and bed plates for permanent-way, four cases of point and crossing materials, eight stacks 531b. steel rails, quantities of bridge cylinder rings, bridge thrustblocks, eighty-seven cases fish- and fang-bolts and nuts (these should be put under cover as they are injured by rain), seven barrels of tar 500 jarrah sleepers for bridges, several thousand silverpine sleepers, large stock of concrete pipes 2ft. 6in. and 3ft. in diameter, a quantity of ironbark beams, and several hundred ironbark piles. The stores in stock in February 1895, were Sleepers, 25,000, value £4,000, ironbark bridge timber, 307,000 superficial feet, tot'ara, 35,000 ft. , ironbark piles, 14,000 superficial feet seasoned workshop timber (New Zealand), 117,200 superficial feet, Australian and teak, 1,700 superficial feet. Value of total, £4,701 also permanent-way materials and rails, value £5,100. There was also in store £2,304 of small general stores total, £16,184. The stores issued for use for the year ended 31st March, 1894, were valued at £33,753, being, as seen above, about twice the quantity kept in stock.

32

D.—2b.

Stores. We may state that the total stock in all stores on the New Zealand Railways was, in November, 1894— General stores £54,920 Coal and coke ~ .. ... .. 4,253 Sawn timber 6,165 Hewn timber .. 7,285 Sleepers .. . 19,497 Permanent-way materials .. 7,598 Stationery ... 4,183 Total .. £103,901 The total stores used for the year ended 31st March, 1894, were— General stores £84,690 Coal and coke . .. 42,131 Sawn timber 12,986 Hewn timber . 13,313 Sleepers 25,254 Permanent-way materials 24,658 Stationery 6,588 209,620 Less transfers to other stores 19,513 Total used on railways £190,107 Most of these stores are supplied by contractors in the colony, some are supplied through the Agent-General by contractors in England, and a few are especially ordered. We have mentioned above that there is no excess of any kind of stores kept in hand, and one inspection of these showed that all were fit and useful articles, there being none useless or obsolete. A very strict inspection is kept on the issue and consumption of stores, and we saw no evidence of any waste. Sixty thousand sleepers are yearly required on the Dunedin lines, or between ninety and a hundred per mile. Sawyer's Bay to Port Chalmers. This part of the Port Chalmers line is in good condition, 531b. rails considerably worn , good sleepers, broken stone ballast, tunnel in good condition. Port Chalmers Station, buildings and everything in good condition. Port Chalmers wharves George Street Wharf, lower wales and lower ends of braces entirely eaten away, piles of ironbark seem to be in good condition, beams and planking good. Bowen Pier Ironbark walls, piles, and braces are in good condition, beams and planking very good, entirely renewed lately. Export Wharf, outer half Piles, wales, and braces in good condition, inner part Some of piles considerably eaten away, and must have many renewals soon, but wales and braces are good, beams, planks, wales, braces, and land-ties are good , a few wales and braces are eaten a little at ends, but they are serviceable for a long time; the top part of planking is much worn, but good for a while yet. A stock of piles is ready here for renewals on this wharf. Dunedin to Mosgiel (10 Miles) 1. Formation in good order 2. Bails are 531b. steel, in good condition, ballast, part gravel part broken stone ; sleepers good. Line is kept in very good running trim. 3. The bridges are ironbark, and mostly on masonry, are very good; overhead bridges in good condition. Caversham and Chain Hill Tunnels very good. The block system is in good order as far as Mosgiel. 4. Fences, some of which are iron standards, are all in good order; one or two cattle-stops are in concrete ; all have ironbark beams and sills and frames, old but in fair condition. Gates, signboards, very good. 5. All station-buildings and cottages are in good condition and well cared for, tank-stands and pumps good; platforms in good condition. Loading-banks, a little decay of the usual sort; turntable good; signal-posts very good. Walton Park Beanch (2 \ Miles). 1. Formation in good order 2. Eails are 401b. iron, with Ibbotson joints, these are somewhat worn, and a few are scaled; part of the length has a lot of bad sleepers, now being replaced , the rest of line sleepers are good; ballast is good also. 3. The bridges are in very good condition, having had many renewals in ironbark. 4. Fences are in fair condition. Four cattle-stops are in concrete, five on sills, and all have ironbark beams. Gates are mostly renewed in rail-posts. 5. Walton Park Station has only platform and shelter-shed, which are in fair condition. Mosgiel to Outkam Beanch (9 Miles). 1. Formation in good order. 2. Eails are all mixed, with 7 miles 32 chains of 401b. iron, 1 mile 22 chains 401b. steel, and 26 chains of 531b. steel. The iron rails are fairly good, a few are scaled and worn, but with present traffic they are good for many years. In places the line wants straightening and lifting, in othej, , s—l) 2b.

33

13.—2b.

parts it is in good running order. Baliast is shingle and broken stone, and is scanty in places. Sleepers good. Light engines and moderate speed. This is a good line. 3. The bridges have all been entirely rebuilt in ironbark, and are in excellent condition. 4. Fences are mixed hedges, iron standards, and post and wire, all in fair condition. Gates extensively renewed with old-rail posts. Signboards good. Three cattle-stops are renewed in concrete, eleven stand on sills, the frames and sills are very old, and must be renewed soon , all but one have ironbark beams. 5. Two platforms have concrete fronts, the rest have timber, old but still good. Stationbuildings, shelter-sheds, Stationmaster's house, goods-sheds, platelayer's cottage, coal store, all in good condition, tank-stands and engine-shed good, loading-bank good. Otago Central Bbanch (56 Miles). Wingatui to Barewood. 1. The formation is in good condition, except for falls of stones which are impending in one or two places. Men are engaged throwing down loose rocks from a great height, and a great deal of this work must be done before the road is quite safe from falling stones. In one or two places also slips are likely to occur with heavy rains. There are some fine retaining-walls and pitched slopes in good condition. 2. The rails are 531b. steel, in excellent condition. The first part of the road has many dosed sleepers, and a large number have been renewed. After nine miles the sleepers are better The ballast is slate fragments, soft and inferior The line is in fine running order 3. Some bridges and culverts on the first part have been rebuilt in ironbark. All the rest of the bridges are masonry and iron girders. Large open culverts have masonry and roatai beams in excellent condition. There are three tunnels in good condition. 4. On the first part the fences and hedges are pretty good, but a good deal has lately been burnt. Cattle-stops are in very good condition. 5. Platforms have stone fronts, and all buildings and cottages are in excellent condition. 6. Mile-posts are of rail-ends. Barewood to Hyde. 1. Formation very good, clean, well drained. 2. Bails 531b. steel, ballast and shingle very poor in places, sleepers good. Line is in fine running order, except in a few places where it wants a little straightening. 3. The bridges are all masonry and iron , open culverts masonry or iron-bark piles and matai beams, all new and good. 4. Fences are iron standards and wire in very good condition, cattle-stops new and good, gates and signboards very good 5. All station-buildings and cottages are in first-rate condition, cattle-pens, loading-banks platforms, coal stores, turntable, tank-stands, engine-shed, all in first-rate condition, privies and urinals, all good and clean. Mosgiel to Milton, Main South Line (26 Miles). 1. Formation good; some cuttings have been cut down to improve gradients , stone-pitching at lake in good condition. 2. Bails are 531b. steel, in good condition, ballast is chiefly gravel, with patches of brokenstone ballast put on to prevent high floods from scouring away the ballast. Sleepers are very good, except near Milton, where there are rather more than the usual number half-rotten. The line is kept in excellent running condition. 3. The bridges have been so extensively renewed or rebuilt that there is scarcely anything left of the originals, and all renewals are iron-bark , most of these renewals were done in 1887, and a few one or two years ago. The Taieri Bridge, with many renewals, is in good condition, but there are some pieces of original totara which must come out soon , the iron of lower chords wants paint. The bridge at 258 miles 50 chains has some piles and beams far gone in decay, and must be renewed as soon as possible The Waihola Bridge has had many renewals in ironbark in top-cords, diagonals, and. floor beams, it requires a good many more, and should be taken in hand as soon as possible. It has had new bolts and floor-beams. 4. Fences are about half iron standard and half post and wire, the latter are burnt and otherwise out of repair in a good many places. All cattle-stops have been renewed with ironbark beams; twenty are renewed with concrete sills , thirteen being on old sills, which are fairly good, Nearly all gates are renewed with iron-rail posts. Signboards in good condition. 5. Intermediate stations have four platforms renewed in concrete, and repairs done to timberwork in others. All buildings are very good, also cottages good and neat. Loading-banks, cattlepens, repaired and good, signal-posts in good order, all privies and urinals good and clean. At Mil' ton, tank-stands and hot-air engine in good order; office and store of Inspector of Permanent Way very good; platform, concrete and asphalt; cottage and station-house very good, neat, and clean; privies and urinals clean, goods-shed, engine-shed, and coal store all in good condition, Stationmaster's house very good, windmill and well good , water-supply from mill-race in good order. Milton to Balclutha (27 Miles). 1. Line clean and trim. 2. The rails are 531b. steel, with one mile of 521b. iron near Balclutha; all in good condition. This piece of road is very good, with good ballast, good sleepers, and in excellent running condition. Near the Milton end there are a good few dosed sleepers. 8. Some of the bridges and all open culverts are concrete and ironbark, others have been renewed in ironbark. Bridge at 273 miles 44 chains has had new ironbark piles and caps; the

34

D.—2b.

beams are kauri, some of them are much decayed, and should be renewed soon. Bridge at 279 miles 75 chains has a few pieces in the truss a little gone at ends, but nothing of consequence. The bridge over Molyneux Eiver is now being overhauled and put in good repair. The long floodopenings, 287 miles 57 chains, has many new piers and caps in ironbark. The old totara piles are considerably decayed at ground-level, but have sound timber enough to be quite safe. When a good many renewals to piles and a few to caps are done this bridge will be good for many years yet. 4. Fences are chiefly iron. The post and wire is old, but usually good, though damaged in a few places. All cattle-stops are renewed with ironbark beams, and six of them are in concrete; six are on the old sills, but sills and frames fairly good. Some gates are renewed in iron-rail posts, the rest have timber posts, which look well, but may be gone underground. Signboards good. 5. Intermediate stations are all in good condition, except a few front posts of loading-banks and cattle-pens a little gone at ground. Signal-posts in good order. At Balclutha, windmills and tank-stands good, cottage very good; goods-shed and loading-bank in good order, platform, concrete and ashphalt, station-building good and neatly kept, privies and urinals good and clean, but timber getting done at ground, tnrntable good; coal-shed and platform very old ; engine-sheds and brick-pits very good, signal-posts very good. Clakksvillb to Lawrence Bkanch (22 Miles). 1. Formation all right. 2. The rails are 401b. iron up to 16J miles, with 401b. steel on the outer rail of curves. From 161 m ii es to 20J miles they are 521b. iron, with 531b. steel on the curves, and from 20f miles to 22 miles 401b. iron, with a few 401b. steel among them. The iron rails are frayed and scaled in a few, but on the whole they are good, and will last many years with present traffic. Sleepers are fairly good throughout, ballast is scanty in most places. The line is kept in good running trim. 3. Bridges are mostly in masonry and ironbark or matai beams, and very good. Bridge at 3 miles 41 chains has had many renewals, but there are still many doubtful pieces in lower chord and diagonals which should be taken out as soon as may be. The bridge is quite safe now, but it will not be so very much longer The over-bridge at Lawrence has some rotten uprights. Tunnels in good condition. 4. Fences are iron and post and wire mixed, the latter fairly good, but posts rotten in places. All cattle-stops but four are renewed with ironbark beams, and four have concrete sills, those on original sills have sills and frames getting very old, some of the frames are very rotten. Gates are largely renewed with iron-rail posts, and all are in fair condition. 5. Glenore and Mount Stuart, Bound Hill and Lawrence have platforms of brick and concrete, the rest have platforms of heavy timber fronts. Station-buildings, goods-sheds, cottages, cattle-pens, tank-stands, loading-banks, all in good order and preservation. Lawrence has a platform of concrete and asphalt, Stationmaster's house very good. Station-buildings in very good order, privies and urinals clean. The station-building is just beginning to show some decay at ground-level. Goods-shed very good, crane in good order Loading-bank, some posts gone. Cattle-pen posts much decayed. Tank-stand very good. Engine-shed old but good. Gatlin's Eivee Branch (14 Miles). 1. Formation good, trim, and clear of weeds. 2. There are 1 mile 9 chains of 521b. iron rails the worse for wear, and 13 miles 7 chains of very good 531b. steel rails. The sleepers are jarrah as far as the seventh mile, the rest of the line have creosoted rimu and matai sleepers, these do not last well, and many have been renewed, so that on the whole the sleepers are good. Ballast is gravel, and good. The line is kept in good running trim. 3. On the first part of the line, which is eight or ten years old, the matai bridges have been largely renewed in ironbark, and many piles and other parts must be taken out and renewed very soon , this is the case with the bridges at 1 mile 32 chains, 3 miles, 5 miles 50 chains, and 6 miles 16 chains. Further along the line the matai bridges are in better preservation, and all of them have been provided with ironbark beams, though the piles and caps are matai. From eight miles to the end the bridges are all masonry and iron girders, in excellent condition , open culverts at far end; all masonry and ironbark timber box-culverts at near end in good condition. Tunnel in excellent condition. 4. Fences, post and wire, are fairly good at near end, with some posts burnt, and very good at far end. Gates and signboards all good at the near and older end. Three cattle-stops have been renewed with ironbark beams, twenty-six have the original matai beams, and all are in good condition , but, if heavier engines are sent over this line, the matai beams will have to be propped in the centre as soon as they get old and dry 5. Stations and appurtenances—comprising platforms, shelter-sheds, goods-sheds, cattle-pens, loading-banks, and cottages—are all in very good condition. Privies and urinals good and clean. 6. Mile-posts are made of rail-ends. Balclutha to Waipahi (31 Miles). 1. Formation clean and in good condition. Many of the banks have been widened. 2. The rails are 531b. steel, in good condition, with 35 chains of 521b. iron mixed among them. This road was originally 401b. iron rails, which have now all been taken out. The sleepers are in fairly good condition, over ten miles were relaid and resleepered last year. The ballast is very good, and the road in excellent running order 3. These bridges have been most extensively renewed in ironbark quite recently, and some entirely rebuilt. Most of them have new ironbark beams; many have new piles or entire piers in ironbark or masonry The old piles are matai or totara, many of which are more or less decayed at ground-level, and among these those at 303 miles 4 chains and 303 miles 44 chains

35

r>.—2b.

should have new piles as soon as may be, the rest are good for a few more years. The superstructures are generally good, as what is not ironbark is good for several years. Some open culverts have back-lining rotten; but, on the whole, a few more renewals will put these bridges in a condition to stand for several years more. Box-culverts are very old, but still serviceable. 4. Fences are in all sorts of conditions. There are patches burnt and otherwise damaged, patches very old, a good deal repaired with old sleepers, and some iron standards. Twenty-seven cattle-stops are renewed with ironbark beams in old sills, fifteen have the original matai beams on .old sills, and three are new in concrete and ironbark. Some of the sills and frames are far gone in decay, although most of them are good for a while yet. Gates want paint, and posts may be gone at ground-level, but we could not verify this. Signboards usually good. 5. At Waitapeka, platform, with timber front, good, shelter-shed old but still good , privies and urinals much gone at ground, goods-shed good, but a little decay at corner of no consequence. Tairo Platform and shelter-shed good , privies and urinals going at ground-level cottage old, but good, and wants paint. Warepa Platform, timber damaged , station-house good, privies and urinal old but good , goods-shed, loading-bank, and cattle-pen good. Kaihiku Platform and sheltershed good, privies and urinals old and half rotten at ground , loading-bank, timber very old, but good and fit. Waiwera Platform, timber very old , shelter-shed good , privies and urinals patched and going at ground, loading-bank, timber getting very old, goods-shed good, cattle-pen, posts going , cottage good, many rotten sleepers in sidings. Clinton . Cottage good , signal-posts good , turntable, coal store, tank stands good , engine shed very fair condition, floor of rough sleepers decayed ; cattle-pen old but good , loading-bank, timber of front very old, platform, concrete and asphalt very good, station-houses very good, and well kept, lamp-room old, store guards' room very good, and neatly painted, privies and urinal very good and clean , signal-posts good. Wairuna , Platform, with timber front, good, goods shed and loading-bank good. Waipahi Signal-posts good , tank-stands good , platform, with heavy timber front, very good , privies and urinals good, station-house very good , cottage neat and good, tank-stand very good , cattle-pen renewed with iron rails , loading-bank and goods-shed good. Waipahi to Heeiot Beanch (20 Miles). 1. The lower part of the line is sixteen years old. Formation in good order 2. There are 5 miles 12 chains of 401b. steel rails, and 15 miles of 401b. iron. The iron rails are in fair condition , a good few are worn and scaled, but good for the existing traffic for many years. The sleepers are in fair ordinary condition , a few are seen to be rotten at ends. Ballast is good. The line is kept in good running condition. 3. The bridges have had plenty of renewals in ironbark, and several have recently been entirely rebuilt. The top works are usually good, though much of the original matai remains in caps, beams, and trusses. The piles are not so good, though there is nothing urgent, there are some, however, which should not wait long for new piles, such as the bridges at 0 miles 8 chains, 0 miles 23 chains, 4 miles 55 chains, 13 miles 66 chains, 15 miles 20 chains, 15 miles 58 chains. Towards the upper part everything is in better preservation than on the near end. There are a number of open culverts, some in timber some in masonry, most with matai beams, but some with new ironbark, and all are in good condition. Tunnel lined at the ends is in good condition. 4. Fences are part hedges, part iron standard, part post and wire. The latter is somewhat damaged in places, and some posts burnt, but towards upper part very good. Six cattle-stops have new ironbark beams, fifteen have matai beams, and all are in fairly good condition. A few gates are renewed with iron-rail posts , the rest, with wooden posts, are in good condition. Signboards good. 5. Platforms, shelter-sheds, station-buildings, and good-sheds are all in good preservation. Cattle-pens and loading-banks good, privies and urinals good and clean, but that at Conical Hill somewhat decayed. At Heriot, three cottages, goods-shed, platform, and shelter-shed very good , privies and urinals very good, loading-bank good, cattle-pen repaired with iron rails, coal store good; tank-stand, one sill rotten, otherwise good , engine-shed very good. With the exception of some bridges and some of the rails, this is a very good line. Waipahi to Gobe (16 Miles). 1. Many of these banks have been widened, and the line is diverted in places to ease the curves. 2. There are 10 miles 35 chains of 531b. steel and 5 miles 28 chains of 401b. iron rails, all mixed together The iron rails have long fish-plates, and are in fair condition, though many are scaled and battered at ends. It looks as if about 8 per cent, of the sleepers were dosed. The ballast is very good, and the line kept in excellent running trim. Thirty thousand sleepers are renewed yearly on the whole of the Invercargill Section of 295 miles, or about a hundred per mile. 3. All bridges on this length have masonry or concrete piers and abutments except two. That at 323 miles has matai piles, some badly gone, and fished with pieces bolted on. This will do for a year or two, but new piles must be put in soon. Some of the beams also are about done, and should be renewed. The bridge at 326 miles 60 chains has piles of matai and totara, which are all right, and only the back lining is getting rotten, which is a small affair. The Mataura Bridge stands on masonry piers. The trusses were entirely renewed in ironbark ten years ago, and it was at the same time that the whole of the bridges on this length were rebuilt in ironbark. 4. There is very little fencing that is not private, and only two or three cattle-stops in concrete and ironbark. 5. Intermediate stations have loading-bank timbers, platform front, and privies and urinals getting done at ground-level in some places; but shelter-sheds, goods-sheds, station-buildings, cattle-pen, all in very fair condition. At Gore, signal-posts, steam-pump, and tank, good condition.

36

D.—2b.

Engine-shed and brick-pits all in good order Coal-shed, outside pit, cranes, and turntables all good. Platform, timber front, asphalt top, good, but timber going at ground. Station-building very good and new ; privies and urinals first-rate. Goods-shed very good , cattle-pen old but good; tank-stand good. Stationmaster's house good and neat. Gore to Edendale (16 Miles). 1. Formation good, trim, and clean, banks widened, and curves eased. 2. Bails are 12 miles 14 chains of 401b. iron and 3 miles 66 chains of 531b. steel, all mixed; the reason of which is that old worn iron rails are continually being taken out and replaced with 531b. steel. The iron rails in the road are in the usual fair to middling condition, many scaled and battered ends being found here and there. Parts of this length are now being relaid with new rails, new sleepers, and extra ballast. There are, however, a considerable number of half-rotten sleepers. The ballast is generally very good, and the road is kept in excellent running order.' 3. These bridges have undergone much renewals in ironbark, chiefly in the top work. Piles are totara, matai, and kowhai, in fair condition, and good for many years. Two, however, have some of the piles getting rotten at ground-level, but nothing of much consequence. All the original beams and many caps have been renewed in ironbark. A number of box-culverts are getting done, and are replaced as they go with concrete pipes. 4. Fences are part hedges part post and wire. These are generally pretty good, but many posts are burnt. Gates are in good condition, but want paint. Signboards good. Four cattlestops have new beams, of which three are in concrete, and three have old matai beams propped in the middle. The sills and frames are very old, but still serviceable. 5. Intermediate stations all in good condition. Edendale platform, picket-fence, stationbuildings, and privies and urinals all very good. Coal store, tank-stand, signal-posts very good. Goods-shed very good. Loading-bank under repair Three cottages in very good condition. Edendalb to Glenham Bbanch (10 Miles). 1. Formation in good condition. 2. Bails are 531b. steel. Ballast and sleepers very good, only on the first or Edendale part of the line there are a good many dosed sleepers, which are being now taken out. The line is in fine running trim. 3. Towards the far end the bridges are good and nearly new The bridge over the Mataura has had many renewals in ironbark, the piles are round ironbark, which are new, and old totara, which are in good condition , trusses of matai, with many renewals in ironbark, piers braced with iron rails. With a few more renewals from time to time the bridge is good for years. Two of the other bridges have the piles touched with decay, but nothing of consequence. All the bridges have sustained renewals, in ironbark, and what is left of native timber is very good. Tunnel is in excellent condition. 4. Fences are new and good at far end, old and much repaired with sleepers at near end, but all in fair condition. A few cattle-stops are in concrete, and have ironbark beams, most of them have the original rnatai beams propped in the middle, but all are in good condition. Gates and signboards very good. 5. The station-buildings and all are in very good condition. Edendale to Inveecabgill (23 Miles). 2. Bails are 531b. steel. Sleepers are better than the last length, Gore to Edendale, but there are a few dosed ones in the road yet. Ballast of quartz-gravel is excellent, and the road is kept in first-rate running trim, with the exception of a small stretch where lifting and straightening is wanted. 3. All the bridges are in good condition, except that at 368 miles 75 chains, which has one piece badly decayed. All have had the original beams replaced by ironbark. 4. A large part of the fencing is gorse hedges, the post and wire fence is old and much repaired with old sleepers, and many posts are burnt. Ten cattle-stops have ironbark beams, six of which have also concrete walls and sills. Six have the original matai beams propped in the middle. The sills and frames are very old, and some pretty rotten. Gates are all right, but want paint. 5. In intermediate stations, station-buildings, shelter-sheds, loading-banks, platforms, cattlepens, windmill, tank-stands, goods-shed, are all in good condition. Privies and urinals good and clean. A few posts of cattle-pen and loading-banks are getting decayed. At Ellis Road, platform and shelter-shed slightly touched with decay at ground. At Invercargill, signal-posts and box very good. Carriage-shed with timber-pit, benches, and vices, all in good condition. Fifty-feet turn-table very good. Circular engine-shed Slate roof, floors of wood-blocks somewhat damaged, but building very good. Bepairing-shop Tools and engine very good. Smith's shop and forges good. Bunning-shed, wood-block floor, good condition. Tank-stand, coal-store, coal-cranes, and two water-stand pipes, all in good order Steam-pump good, boiler wants a few repairs. Brick tower for tank new and good. Leased goods-shed very good. Platform, concrete and asphalt very good. Station-building in first-class order. Lamp-room and privies and urinals very good and clean. Store (Inspector of Permanent Way) very good. Wood-working shop, benches, tools, and building very good. Loading-bank posts getting rotten. Cattle-pen very small, but good. Goodsshed as good as new Fixed crane in good condition. Steam-crane very good. 6. Mile-posts in good order. 8. In store is a small stock of seasoned timber, and some sets of bridge-bolts ; a few general stores of every kind. In the yard is a stock of square ironbark timber, about 120 ironbark piles, 1,500 silver-pine sleepers, and a stock of truss-braces in ironbark.

37

D,—2b,

38

Invercaegill to Bluff (17 Miles) 1. Formation in good order. 2. There are 16 miles 30 chains of 701b. double-headed iron rails, and 30 chains of 531b. sbeel. The iron rails are somewhat worn and laminated, but good for many years yet. About thirteen miles of the road has had extra sleepers respaoed, and the remainder is being done, greatly improving the road thereby The ballast of quartz-gravel is very good. 3. The two principal bridges have been ahnost entirely renewed; two others are masonry, all have new ironbark beams, and are in excellent condition. 4. There are no fences. 5. Platforms have concrete or masonry fronts, and all buildings are in good preservation. Privies and urinals good and clean. At the Bluff, station-building very good and neatly kept. Guard's room good. Goods-shed very good. Coal store, outside pit, and tank-stand good. Engineshed good and new. Sidings all in good order Invekcargill to Makaeewa Junction (8 Miles). 1. Formation in good order 2. Bails are 701b. double-headed iron, in very fair condition. They have been turned, and are good for twenty years more. Sleepers mostly matai and totara. Many of the origina ones are in the road, and are twenty-five years old. They are generally very good, but there are some dosed sleepers in the line. Ballast is sandy, dirty gravel, and poor stuff. 3. Bridges are almost entirely renewed. Three have iron girders, the rest have ironbark beams. Some of the old original piles remain. Those on the bridges at 3 miles 24 chains have some decayed piles, but enough sound timber remains to be safe, all the others are very good. Sign-posts very good, and well painted. 4. Fences are private only 5. All station-buildings and station appurtenances are in good condition and repair At Makarewa, tank-stand and windmill very good. Double platform, with timber front, good. Stationbuilding very good and well kept. Privies and urinals good and clean. Loading-bank good. Stationmaster's house very good. Makaeewa Junction to Biveeton (18 Miles). 1. Formation good, trim, clean, and well drained. Banks all widened to 14ft. 2. Bails are twelve miles 531b. steel and six miles 401b. steel, in very good condition. Ballast and sleepers are in fair condition, but the road is in excellent running trim. 3. The bridges were extensively overhauled about 1884, and consequently are in good condition. Most of the original timber remaining is good for six or eight years; some pieces will require renewal from time to time, but there is nothing urgently needed to any of these bridges. The bridge at 8 miles 50 chains has some decayed piles, which should not be left in too long. The Apanma Bridge has round piles of miro and totara, very old and badly cut into by the carpenters, but they are good for some years yet. Upper works, matai and totara, very old, but good. Beams under the rails are ironbark, resting on double caps of totara. Half the bridge has new planking. The planking of other half is much worn, and somewhat rotten at ends. The bridge is good for some few years yet. 4. Fences are fairly good, though some posts are burnt. Thirteen cattle-stops are renewed in ironbark beams, six of which have new concrete frames seven have old matai beams, and frames and sills are in frail condition. Gates and sign-boards are good. 5. At Branxholm, platform, shelter-shed, and loading-bank are in good condition. At Oporo, shelter-shed, platform, and privies and urinals in good condition. At Waianiwa, shelter-shed and platform in good order Wright's Bush Shelter-shed, platform, privies and urinals in good condition , cattle-pen repaired, new, and good. Waimatuku Shelter-shed good, loading-bank repaired and good , privies and urinals old and dilapidated. Thornbury Station Building, platform, privies and urinals very good ; small cottage, cattle-pen and goods-shed in good condition , Stationmaster's cottage very good; loading-bank, timbers somewhat decayed at ground, tank-stand in good order. Otaitai Platform of heavy beams, and shelter-shed very good. Biverton Station Building in good condition and neatly kept, platform, picket-fence, privies and urinals very good ; coal store and engine-shed in good preservation, goods-shed, turntable, and tank-stand all in good preservation. Biveeton to Oeepuki (17 Miles). 1. Formation in good condition, except in one or two places where cuttings are slipping. 2. Bails are 401b. steel, in good condition. The ballast is a little scanty, the sleepers good, and the line kept in very good running trim. : 3. These bridges are twelve years and less old, but already most of them have had repairs in ironbark. For instance, the bridge at 27 miles 13 chains has new ironbark beams , at 27 miles 24 chains, new upper and lower chord, new cap, and old piles cut off and stumped in totara; at 27 miles 32 chains, new ironbark caps , at 27 miles, fifty-two beams new in ironbark, at 31 miles 3 chains, new ironbark beams , at 31 miles, 46 chains new ironbark beams , at 32 miles 32 chains, one new ironbark beam, at 34 miles, twenty-six new ironbark rail-beams, one pile stumped. But with all these renewals these bridges are in very good condition. 4. There is very little fencing, and eleven cattle-stops, with matai and totara beams, are in good condition. 5. Platforms, shelter-sheds, platelayers' cottages, loading-banks, cattle-pen, goods-sheds, tankstands, and privies and urinals all in good preservation. At Orepuki, platform of heavy beams. Station-house and four cottages, all good. Coal store, windmill, tank-stand, engine-shed, all in good order. Goods-shed, loading-bank, and cattle-pen, all very good. All these stations are comparatively new 6. There are no mile-posts yet fixed.

P-—2b.

Thoenbuby to Nightcaps Beanch (25 Miles) 1. Formation is all right. The line is twelve years old. 2. Bails are 401b. iron for three miles, then 401b. steel to end. The iron rails are somewhat worn, and some are scaled and battered at ends , the steel rails are very good. Sleepers are as usual mostly good, with 5 per cent, or so half rotten , a number of new sleepers are just laid , ballast is scanty in places, but generally sufficient. The line is kept in very good running order 3. The bridges are so much renewed in ironbark that not much remains of the original matai and totara structures. Beams are all new in ironbark, many caps and piles are new in ironbark. Of larger bridges, that at 2 miles 17 chains, half the piles are new , the original totara piles have the sap so rotten that the piles are dressed down many of them till only 10in. in diameter of good heart remains. About one-third of trusses are renewed in ironbark, and what remains in kauri is good, though there are some more pieces which must soon be taken out. Bridges at 9 miles 71 chains and 11 miles 52 chains are being rebuilt in ironbark. Bridge at 11 miles 57 chains has some new piers, and about one-half of the trusses are new in ironbark , some new caps. The old totara piles are still good for years. Bridge at 14 miles 6 chains, more than half is new in ironbark, and what remains of native timber is good for many years. 4. Fencing is old and somewhat damaged on first part, but better on far end. Many posts burnt, some blown down, and much renewals of posts by old sleepers. Gates and signboards are good. Thirty cattle-stops have the original matai beams, most of them propped, and are in good order. Eleven have new ironbark beams, and two are built in concrete. 5. All station-buildings and cottages, together with goods-sheds, cattle-pens, platforms, loadingbanks, tank-stands, Stationmaster's house, engine-shed, are in good order and preservation. Privies and urinals good and clean. We observed a few items decayed, but they are all quite unimportant. Makaebwa Junction to Kingston (79 Miles). To Winton (11 Miles). 1. Formation in good order 2. Bails are 701b double-headed iron, in very good condition, and with present traffic they are probably good for twenty-five years more. This is doubtless the finest piece of road in New Zealand, and the most economical in maintenance expenses. Sleepers are very good, and it is well ballasted. 3. In these bridges all but one have new ironbark beams. Some caps are also new What remains of kowhai and matai piles and matai and totara caps and beams is very good. In the bridge at 18 miles one matai beam must be taken out before long. 4. Fences are private. Seven cattle-stops are renewed with ironbark beams, six are built in concrete, and two have the old matai beams propped in middle. Signboards in good order. 5. All station-buildings are in good preservation, and well-kept, platform, some concrete some timber, and good. Cattle-pens and loading-banks repaired and good. Privies and urinals good and clean. Tank-stands, good condition. Winton to Lumsden (31 Miles). 1. Formation, very good order and clear of weeds. 2. Bails are, at first, three-quarters of a mile of 521b. iron, then thirty miles and a quarter of 401b. iron, with good fish-plates. These iron rails are twenty years old, and are in very fair condition, and probably good with present traffic for ten years more if the few scaled and worn are removed from time to time. In many places the curves are laid in 401b. steel. The road is kept in good running trim —that is, it is straight or well curved, and joints level. Ballast is thin in places, and plentiful in others. Sleepers are pretty much as usual. 3. All the bridges are renewed with ironbark beams, of which eleven have masonry abutments. Two are entirely rebuilt in ironbark, and most of them have ironbark caps. What remains of the original structures is chiefly the piles, which are all good. 4. Fences are mostly private. At the far end there are thirteen miles of fencing; these have thin light posts, and are damaged in many places. There are very few cattle-stops, eight are provided with ironbark beams, and three have the old matai beams propped, and all are good. 5. Many of the platforms are rebuilt in concrete or heavy bridge-timbers , all are good. Shel-ter-sheds very good. Loading-banks good, except one partly rotten and being now rebuilt. Cattlepens, goods-sheds, tank-stands, all in good order At Lumsden, cattle-pen posts gone at ground. Coal store, platform, &c, in good order New engine-shed very good. Old engine-shed very old and patched. Windmill and tank-stand and hot-air engines very good, Cottage and Stationmaster's house very good. Platform, concrete and asphalt, first-rate. Station-building good, and well kept. Goods-shed very good. 6. Mile-posts in timber in good order. Lumsden to Mossbubn Beanch (11 Miles). 1. Level plains, formation good but weedy 2. Bails are 401b. steel, and very good. Sleepers are getting done, and it is estimated that 10,000 new ones will be required in the next three years. Ballast is generally scanty. The line is maintained in fine running order, and ballast-siding is all right. 3. The bridge over the Oreti Biver has several piles much decayed, and three fished for support. It is safe, but these piles must be replaced very soon. Several piers have extra ironbark piles and caps; land-spans and trusses all matai; eleven years old and good. There is only one other bridge, which is new in ironbark. 4. Fences are in good condition, and so are six cattle-stops with matai beams. 5. All station-buildings and appurtenances are in good order and preservation.

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Lumsdbn to Athol (19 Miles). 2 Bails are 401b. iron, with good fish-plates. They are in very fair condition, and with present traffic good for many years. Ballast is very good, though the line looks untidy from the number of sheep walking over and scattering the ballast. Sleepers are fairly good, and. the line is kept in first-rate running order. 3. Six of these bridges are rebuilt and new All have been provided with new ironbark beams. The matai piles and caps are what remain of the original structure, and of these the bridge at 67 miles 26 chains has a few piles going, but good for some years yet. All the rest are very good. A few open culverts have back-lining a bit gone. There are some box-culverts fairly good, and some have been replaced by concrete pipes. 4. There is no fencing, except a patch or two, and four cattle-stops are good. 5. At the Lowther, cattle-pen, platform, and shelter-shed, all very good. At Five Rivers, platform a little decayed, shelter-shed good, but floor old and worn. At Porawa, loading-bank, front piles decayed, as are front piles of platform , shelter-shed good. At Athol, goods-shed very good platform, shelter-shed, and privies and urinals in good order , platelayers' cottage good and neat. 6. Mile-posts of wood, in good order Athol to Kingston (18 Miles) 1. Formation is clean and well drained; cuttings trim and neat. 2. Rails are 401b. iron, with good fish-plates for the most part, but with the objectionable Ibbotson joints in places. These rails are fairly good, most of the bad ones having been picked out. In a few places they have not been picked out, and there many scaled a,nd battered rails are seen in the road. The sleepers have been renewed in several places. It other parts there is a considerable proportion of dosed half-rotten sleepers. On the whole they are not bad. The ballast is good, and the line is in fine running condition. 3. The bridges have all been provided with new ironbark beams and rail-beams. Three are entirely rebuilt in ironbark, the originals having been washed away Three are in masonry and ironbark. One has entirely new piles. Two have the original piles and caps in good condition. 4. There is no fencing, and only two cattle-stops, in good condition. 5. At Nokomai, platform and shelter-shed good , loading-bank under construction new siding being put in. At Garston, ballast-siding in good order, loading-bank, platform, shelter-shed, goodsshed, all in good order At Fairlight, loading-bank, platform, and shelter-shed very good. At Kingston, platform, concrete front, station-building and Stationmaster's house good and well kept, privies and urinals good and clean, tank-stand, coal store, and engine-shed very good, turntable out of repair, and decayed a little in the sleepers, loading-bank good, cattle-pen, with new iron rails, good, wharf piles, beams, and bracing and wales in good preservation, planking under repair. 6. Mile-posts of timber, in good condition. Waimba Plains.—Lumsdbn to Goeb (37 Miles) 1. Formation good. All banks widened, line clean, level plain. 2. Rails are 521b iron, in very good condition, very few being seen which are worn or scaled. The line-repairers have been recently at work, and great numbers of rotten sleepers are thrown out of the road and replaced by new, so that generally the sleepers are very good. The ballast also is good, and the line in excellent running condition. 3. Three of the bridges are entirely new in ironbark. Nearly all have ironbark beams, put in in 1891 and 1893. Bridge at 10 miles 27 chains has one or two matai beams going, but good for a year or two yet, at 11 miles 40 chains three or four matai piles are much decayed, and must be taken out as soon as possible, at 14 miles 34 chains two piles are getting done, at 16 miles 12 chains some piles are dosed, but good for some years yet, at 26 miles four or five matai piles are much decayed, and should be taken out very soon. All the rest are sound, and good for many years yet. Piles are at Gore for the repair of defective bridges. 4. There|are no fences except such as are private, and only six cattle-stops, which are all right. 5. Balfour Station has platform, of concrete, station-house, goods-shed, and loading-bank, all good. Kingston Crossing, good platform and good shelter-shed. Waimea goods-shed and loadingbank all right. Riversdale tank-stand and windmill all right. Cattle-pen being rebuilt. Loading-bank and goods-shed very good, platform, front a bit decayed. Station-house and Stationmaster's house very good. Pyramid, platform and shelter-shed good. Loading-bank repaired and good. Ballastsiding in good order Mandeville shelter-shed, platform, goods-shed, and cattle-pen, all in good order. Otamita, platform in concrete, and shelter-shed very good. Goods-shed good. 6. Mile-posts of timber, very good. Picton to Blenheim and Extension (21 Miles) 1. The formation is fairly good. Banks have been widened, grades cut down, and deviations made to straighten curves. Line is weedy in many places. The extension is not used, and is buried in tall weeds, and impassable. 2. The rails are fifteen miles of 401b. iron, with Ibbotson joints, three miles of 401b. steel, and, extension, two miles and three quarters of 531b. steel. They are in poor condition, and fit neither for fast running nor heavier engines. The permanent-way needs a good deal of overhauling. A large number of worn rails might be taken out with advantage, and if that were done the rails would be good for many years yet. The line also in many parts wants lifting, straightening, and

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more ballast. Bail-ends are skewed in many places, and the joints want respacing. Some of the curves are laid with 401b. steel, and it is intended to lay all of them in this way Sleepers are pretty good, though there are many poor sleepers in the road. Over three thousand sleepers are yearly relaid on the road. This is at the rate of 10 per cent., and is a very large allowance. 3. Thirteen bridges are entirely rebuilt in ironbark, and all the rest have had more or less renewals. Some are in very poor condition, chiefly owing to rotten piles, such as bridges at 1 mile 10 chains, 2 miles 76 chains, 4 miles 20 chains, 6 miles 8 chains, 6 miles 30 chains, 8 miles 50 chains, 11 miles 12 chains, 14 miles 50 chains, 14 miles 77 chains, 15 miles 41 chains, 15 miles 50 chains, 16 miles 36 chains, 16 miles, 42 chains. These bridges are safe, but they must be attended to pretty soon. The viaduct at Picton has been extensively repaired in ironbark, and what remains of original birch is good. Some piles, however, are getting done, and it is intended to replace them by concrete bases. There are a good few pieces which must be taken out before long in raking posts and other parts, and when this is done the bridge will be good for another period of years. The Tuamarina Bridge has had repairs, the old 60ft. trusses being taken down and replaced by short spans in ironbark, but the 30ft. spans are in poor condition, and want rebuilding badly The Wairau Bridge has had so many repairs that not much of the original remains. The repairers are at work on it now, and when they are done the bridge will be very good. The Opawa Bridge, fourteen years old, has many piles considerably gone, though enough heartwood remains for safety The matai trusses have had some repairs in ironbark, and what remains is good. When the bad piles are attended to, a few pieces taken out, and the iron plates and bolts painted, the bridge will again be in good condition. The bridges on the extension are new and good. 4. Fences are mostly private, and in poor condition. Near Blenheim are many hedges. Fourteen cattle-stops have been renewed with ironbark beams, and three have the original birch beams and sills and frames getting very old, but still good. 5. At Picton, station-house very good and well kept. Platform and privies and urinals very good. Weighbridge and house good. Goods-shed, front posts of platform and of studs and sills getting decayed, otherwise very good. Two small houses and stable in good order Sidings in good condition, but weedy Carriage-shed repaired and almost new Engine-shed very good. Blacksmith's shop, forge, and tools very good. Coal-shed and tank-stand very good. Elevation, sheltershed, all right. Mount Pleasant, shelter-shed good. Platform, front rotten. Koromiko, Stationmaster's house very old, but good. Shelter-shed all right. Wind-mill, tank-stand, and brick well new. Platform repaired and good. Pora, platform old, but good. Shelter-shed good, being renewed with new floor. Tuamarina, platform, front posts rotten. Shelter-shed good. Goods-shed very good. Spring Creek, goods-shed good. Shelter-shed very good. Platform repaired and good. Cottage very good. Tank-stand and loading-bank, ruinous condition. Grovetown, platform repaired and good. Shelter-shed very good. Platelayer's cottage ruinous and not used. Blenheim, platform good. Loading-bank and cattle-pen combined, good. Goodsshed very good. Crane all right. Carriage-shed, tank-stand, windmill, good. Coal-shed good. Privies and urinals, concrete floor, very good. Station-house, good and well kept. Engine in good order Picton Wharf Sea-wall of timber, planked, is in good condition. Piles of totara and birch could not be seen, owing to its being high water, but are said to be in fair condition. They are much eaten with sea-worms, and a large number of new piles will be required before long. The outer 100 ft. is very good, and new The planking is good. The other two low wharves have been renewed, and are in good order 6. Mile-posts have been renewed in rail-ends. About 2,000 birch and 700 ironbark sleepers are in stock for renewals , also some machinery, lathe engine, &c, which, originally imported, was never erected. Nelson to Belgbove (22 Miles). 1. Formation is all right, though very weedy in many places. Many banks have been widened. Bails are 1 mile 62 chains of 531b. steel, 3 miles 26 chains of 401b. steel, and 18 miles of 401b. iron. The first eight miles and the last three miles have good fish-plates, the rest being Ibbotson joints. The rails are fair, though there are a large number scaled and worn. A great deal of the line wants lifting, straightening, and more ballast. The line-repairers are busy at it, and many lengths have been resleepered and. reballasted. Three thousand sleepers are required yearly for renewals, equal to nearly 7 per cent. 3. The bridges have been almost entirely rebuilt in ironbark, except the piles of totara, which are standing very well. One or two are still in want of repairs, as at 5 miles 8 chains, which has had some bad beams propped for the present until it is repaired. At 14 miles 47 chains, two or three piles a little gone, and beams of birch getting old. It is to be rebuilt. At 20 miles 31 chains concrete bases undermined by flood, and going to be rebuilt. At 22 miles 44 chains, under repair. On the whole the bridges are very good. Culverts are masonry, with mostly new ironbark beams on them. 4. Fences are very old. They are repaired in places, damaged and burnt in others. Twelve cattle-stops have new ironbark beams, and thirty-one have birch beams, frames, and sills, old but still good, gates are pretty good, and signboards are being renewed in iron rails. 5. Nelson Station has been thoroughly restored, repainted, and made tidy, and is in first-rate order , a deep ditch cleared out and pitched with stone insures good drainage. All buildings are in good condition, and neatly kept. Machine-shop thoroughly repaired, well-painted, and slate roof. Upright boiler and engine very good. Machines all in excellent order Forges and tools very good. Bishopdale, platform and shelter-shed good condition. Stone-station , building and platform good, loading-bank in ruins. Platelayers' cottages repaired and very good. Bichmond: Tank-stands, posts a little decayed. Goods-shed very good. Loading-bank in ruins. Platform and privies and 6—D 2b.

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urinal very good. Station-house very good. Appleby, new station under construction. Hope, platform and picket-fences good, shelter-shed very good. Brightwater Platform, timber front decayed, goods-shed good, a little decay at ground. Station-house very good. Privies and urinals good and clean , tank-stand a little decayed at ground. Springrove, platforms, pickets, fence, and shelter-shed good. Wakefleld Platform, front decayed at ground. Station-house, pickets, and privies and urinals very good , good-shed first rate. Loading-bank in ruins. Cottage very good. Wai-iti, platform, station-house, pickets, very good. Foxhill, platform a little decayed. Stationhouse very good. Belgrove, tank-stand good ; outside pit damaged. Coal-store good, engine-shed, pit and roof damaged, building old but good , goods-shed good. Station-house, platform, privies, and urinals good, upper tank-stand good, posts decayed. Three cottages very good, and neat carriageshed new and good. 6. Miles-posts very good. 8. A small quantity of stores of various kinds, including a rack of iron and some seasoned timber, is in good condition and well housed. At Port, station-yard improved and dressed up. "Wharf office repaired. Weighbridge good. Bond-store and warehouses in good condition. Derrick and winch in good order Nelson Whaevbs. Prom A to B, on sketch attached, a few new piles, pretty good, but over three-quarters of them are old and badly eaten with worms. A few are entirely eaten through, and unsafe. Topwork is all sound. This requires an entire new set of piles as soon as possible. C to D All piers new braced with rails, and the piles fairly good. About a quarter of them are very small, and will not last long requires some more braces. Beams and flooring good. Dto E This has not had many renewals, but is fairly good for some years yet. Wales and braces are badly eaten at ends, many completely done. Some of the piles are so eaten as to be very thin and weak. Beams and top-planking good. About forty new piles are wanted from Dto E, and sixty from C oD. Ato B ■ Piles are mostly all eaten away All beams and planking good. Greymouth to Hokitika (24 Miles) 1. Formation very good, clean, and well drained. Banks are mostly 12ft. wide, which is narrow compared to those of the older lines near Greymouth. Banks have been widened to 14ft. 2. Rails are 531b. steel, and very good. Sleepers are mostly silver-pine, and new, ballast good, and line in excellent running trim. Ballast-sidings in good order 3. The bridges were all rebuilt two years ago, and are in excellent condition. From about 16 miles to the Arahura the bridges have planked road-way, but as there is no road they cannot be used for ordinary traffic. Besides thirty-four bridges, there is a great number of open and arched culverts, all in excellent condition. 4. There is very little fencing; and a few cattle-stops are in good condition. Signboards very good. 5. The stations are quite new and in first-rate condition. There are about 7,600 silver-pine sleepers stacked along the line. Gebymouth to Beunneeton (8 Miles). 1. Formation very good. Betaining-walls in good order Near Greymouth there is a slip which has given trouble from the beginning, the road having continually to be pulled over and lowered, but it is of no consequence. 2. Bails are 531b steel, in good condition , sleepers are all silver-pine. The line was taken up, relaid, and reballasted three or four years ago, and is in very good condition. The ballast is a mixture of coal-slack and gravel, but is being replaced by gravel only 3. Some of the bridges which were very bad have been rebuilt in ironbark since 1892, two have the piles a little gone, but they are good for some years yet —nevertheless they are about to be rebuilt; There are a number of log culverts with new ironbark beams over them. Some have the logs pretty rotten, but are good for a while yet. The suspension-bridge at Brunnerton is in very good condition the cables are cemented and tarred, but the parts from towers to anchorage are bare, and should be tarred inside, the tunnels have been examined and found good. Truss of kauri and silver-pine is very good, and all the hanging-beams are renewed in ironbark. The bridge is carefully inspected and repaired when required. 4. There is very little fencing, and two or three cattle-stops are in good condition. Signboards mounted on rails are good. 5. Greymouth Station is quite new and very good. Omutu Platform partly rotten , sheltershed good. Kaiatta Platform and shelter-shed in good order Dobson All very good. Walls and platform timber much decayed shelter-shed all right. Brunner The station and platform were shifted and rebuilt a few years ago, and are very good , privies and urinals gcod and clean , stable very old but serviceable, old goods-shed decayed at ground, but fairly good. Greymouth Wharf Sheds and weighbridge very good. Wharf planking, part of which was renewed two years and part six months ago, is all good. Coal store rebuilt, and very good. Two hydraulic cranes, engines, boilers, building, and tanks in first-rate order The lower part of the wharf, from the first crane downward, is pretty new and very good, built about 1889. Above first crane, piles are good, but some beams and braces require to be taken out soon , the back-lining is good. Piles are square ironbark, and in fresh water will last for a great many years. Caps are birch, and beams are birch and ironbark. Upper end new round ironbark piles, with most of the

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beams ironbark, back-lining very good, this part was thoroughly overhauled five or six years ago. The centre and upper part have round birch piles driven between the bays, and reaching to highwater level, which was done to keep the stones at the back of the back-lining from rolling into the channel. On the whole the wharf is in very good condition. 6. Mile-posts of timber, good. Westpobt to Waimangakoa (10 Miles) 1. Formation good , banks widened, line clean, grades cut down. 2. Bails are 531b. steel, in good condition. Sleepers are mostly new, in silver-pine, but there are many dosed and half-rotten birch sleepers in the line. Ballast is very good, and the line in good running order 3. The bridges have all been renewed in the top work, and many piles also, and what remains of old piles are good for a few years more. There are a large number of open culverts, in many of which the back lining is more or less rotten, and these will have to be attended to before long, there are good beams over them, so that they are not unsafe. A number of timber box-culverts are getting very bad. Some have been renewed with pipes, and all will have to be so renewed very soon. There are also six open culverts of masonry, with ironbark beams. 4. There is no fencing, and only one or two cattle-stops. Signboards are all good. 5. Westport Station Station-house good and well-kept, platform good. Privies and urinals, concrete floor, good and clean , posts getting a little decayed. Workshops, boiler, and engine all very good. Machines in very good condition. Smiths' shop, building, forges, steam-hammer, very good. Water-tank good. Engine-shed, with brick pits, very good. Store good and new Truck fitting store very old, but kept up, roof old and damaged. Stationmaster's cottage very good. Goodsshed very good. Goods-shed and stores on wharf, good condition. Manager's house very good. Sergeant's Hill Station, platform good, goods-shed getting a little decayed at ground, but good. Fairdown, platform getting decayed. Shelter-shed good. Waimangaroa, platform good. Sheltershed getting old, but still good. Privies and urinals good and clean. Posts decayed at ground. Picket-fences tumbling down. Waimangaroa to Incline, maintained only, three miles. This branch is in good running condition, and fair repair Bails good, a few only scaled. Needs a thousand or more sleepers in the road. Ballast packed and sodden, chiefly through traffic of people and horses. Bails are mixed, 401b. iron, 521b. iron, and 531b. steel. Waimangaboa to Mokihinui (16 Miles). 2. Bails, 401b. iron, with Ibbotson joints, very many of which are sealed and otherwise damaged. The line wants lifting, straightening, and more ballast in many places, and though all is done for it that can be it is not a good road. It wants long fish-plates, and all the bad rails taking out. From eighteen and a half miles to twenty-six miles the rails are 531b. steel, and the road new and in fine condition. Ballast-siding in very good order. 3. As far as Ngakawau the bridges are old, and are extensively repaired, and some rebuilt. Some, however, are still in want of repairs, chiefly in the piles. The Waimangaroa Bridge has some bad piles and timber, and piles are on the ground for repairs. Others which have bad piles are not urgent. There are a large number of open culverts, in which the frames and back-lining are rotten, and they are being slowly repaired, each in its turn, and stone is on the ground for the repair of three of them. A still larger number of open culverts are in masonry, with good beams of birch, ironbark, or iron rails. There are forty-seven open culverts in this sixteen miles, besides nineteen bridges. From Ngakawau to Mokihinui bridges and culverts are all new and in good condition. 4. There are no fences or cattle-stops. 5. Station-buildings and platforms are all new and good. 6. Mile-posts all right. Mokihinui to Mokihinui Coal-mine (3 J Miles). This line was recently purchased from the Mokihinui Coal Company, and was reported on at the time. Bails are 531b. steel. It wants many more sleepers, lifting, straightening, and new ballast. Bridges to be strengthened, formation drained, and several slips removed. All this is being done, and by this time the line is probably in good condition. Westport Wharves. Staiths 360 feet is new, in ironbark and birch planking, and very good. The older part is all kauri, and in very tolerable condition, A few pieces are renewed. A large number of new fenderpiles of ironbark are driven in front. Altogether, with a few more pieces renewed, this structure is good yet for many years. Where the staiths run into the earth embankment is the worst, and will not be long before many repairs are wanted, there is, however, only 130 ft. of this. Top planking is thoroughly repaired, and kept in good condition. Iron of shoots much worn, and needs new in many places. The wharf is very old, and many beams, braces, and wales are decayed, piles are very good, and so is the back-lining. With some unimportant renewals, this wharf is good for many years. Top planking has had repairs, but much of it is bad enough below, though there is a top sheathing over the old rotten lower planking. On the land there is a stack of about 150 ironbark piles, and a quantity of square timber, waiting for repairs when they may be wanted, though we could not see that anything like the quantity was necessary for repairs to wharves or staiths.

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BOLLING-STOCK. We inspected as much as we could of the rolling-stock, as it was impossible to see all of it, but what is inspected is a fair sample of all we succeeded in examining—77 per cent, of the locomotives, 81 per cent, of the carriages, and 74 per cent, of the wagons. The observations made on the condition of the stock of the North Island applies precisely to that of the South. By constant resort to the repairing-shop the whole of the stock is kept in excellent running condition , no parts, either of timber, iron, or wheels, is allowed more than a certain life before it is sent to the shops and renewed, and in this way the stock cannot deteriorate to any serious extent. All the engines we saw were in excellent running order and thorough repair The boilers and wheels suffer most from use, and these are constantly inspected and repaired. We found the upholstery of carriages in very good condition, and carriages are all kept clean and neat. The stores which we inspected are described at the stations where they are kept. William H. Hales. 7th June, 1895. C. Napieb Bell. Approximate Cost of Paper, —Preparation, not given; printing (1,550 copies), £28145.

By Authority: Samuel Costalli, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB9s. Price Is.]

44