NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS. Particulars of the Cost of Haulage per Ton-mile (extracted from the Returns of Mr. A. D. Smith, Locomotive Engineer, Christchurch District), for the Nine Months ending 31st March, 1880.

The main line in the Christcliurch District has about 190 miles of straight lines and very flat grades. There are a few grades 1 in 100, but generally the lines are much flatter or level. It also has about 35 miles of line on which the prevailing grade is 1 in 50, and there are some 15-chain curves. The branch lines generally have steeper grades than the main line. There are nine branches with an aggregate length of about 169 miles. The working involves numerous short services. The particulars of the grades run over have not been recorded in each case, such being impracticable, so that no approximate estimate of the work done can be deduced. The engine-mileage includes ballasting and shunting. ' Sufficient data were not available to give the results of running the American engines of the consolidation type in Christcliurch.

E.—s.

The lines on the Auckland Section have numerous grades ranging from 1 in 40, and natter, with sharpest curves 6 chains. The ton-mileage is based on the train-mileage, and thus is shown at a disadvantage compared with the Ghristchurch return, which is based on the engine-mileage.

Particulars of the Cost of Haulage per Ton-mile (extracted from the Returns of Mr. A. V. Macdonald, General Manager, Auckland Section), Four Months' Average.

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Departmental Class. Cylinder. Coupled No. Wheels. Diameter. Truck. Total Total Engine-mileage. Train-mileage. Ton-miles. Tons — per Mile. Cost in Stores. Cost in Pence of Haulage per Ton-mile. Remarks. Wages. Total. i ( 8,509 ] 4,471 ( 10,463 9,744 C 9,382 ] 7,959 ( 7,387 ( 6,220 I 7,518 i 7,229 3,756 8,671 8,652 6,850 5,876 7,008 5,766 6,751 ' 473,738 234,949 572,150 652,732 407,123 350,826 470,703 431,379 467,943 65 62 66 ■087 •060 ■048 English. Do. Do. i F 10| x 18 6 8 - 4 36 36 36 ! None ; Double Fairlie 2-wheeled •087 •099 ■087 •174 •159 •135 B 9 s 16 75 59 60 67 I ! •065 •052 •067 ■047 •072 •137 Do. I 10| x 18 ■114 •128 •091 •166 •195 •138 Do. Do. Do. K 12-i x 16 6 36 Single Fairlie 75 69 •077 •073 •069 •076 •146 •149 Do. Do.

0 go Cylinders. Coupled Wheels. i No. g.g Tract. Mean Tonnage per Mile. Estimate Speed, Miles per Hour. Cost in Pence of Haulage per Ton-mile. Repairs, Stores, and other Expenses. Driver, Stoker, and i Cleaner's I Wages. Total. ~ O o mileage for Average Days in Steam. Kemarks. to U It I0| x 18 6 36 None 57* 20 0-104 0-080 0-184 8 166,349 188 English. Heavy branch and light main line mixed traffic. o 10| x 18 6 36 Kone 58| 20 0115 0-080 0195 3 60,711 191 Do. Heavy branch and light main line mixed traffic. D 9i x 18 4 36 2-wheel 50|17 0-083 0-080 0-163 6 125,314 211 Do. Heavy branch work. G 10J x 18 4 36 4-wheel 55* 18 0114 0060 0-174 4 77,979 177 Do. Heavy branch and light main line mixed traffic. J 14, x 20 6 42 2-wheel 121i 18 0-072 0-030 0-102 10 173,514 173 Do. Heavy mixed and goods traffic. E 12 x 20 4 48 Two 2-wheel ... 58i 27 0-082 0050 0-132 5 139,397 206 American. Light mixed and express traffic. M 13 x 20 6 42 STone 115i 17 0-075 0-050 0-125 3 55,356 2i4 English. Principally heavv goods.