3

D.—2a.

Taken over from Westport Harbour Board : 1 Class F locomotive. Taken over with Kaihu Eailway : 1 Class A locomotive, 1 Class F locomotive, 1 Class D carriage, 1 Class F brake-van, and 16 Class M wagons. Attached please find copies of reports from the various officers : District Managers, Kawakawa, Whangarei, Nelson, Picton, Westport, and Greymouth. Locomotive Engineer, Auckland; together with report of Locomotive Foreman, Boiling-Stock Inspector, and Foreman Fitter. Locomotive Engineer, Napier-Taranaki and Wellington Sections ; together with reports of Workshop Foremen, Napier and Eastown; Locomotive Foremen, Wanganui and Wellington; Boiling-Stock Inspector and Foreman Fitter, Petone. Locomotive Engineer, Hurunui-Bluff; together with reports of Workshop Managers, Addington and Hillside; Locomotive Foremen, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill; and Boiling-Stock Inspectors, Christchurch and Dunedin Districts. T. F. Bothesam, Locomotive Superintendent.

Memorandum for the Eailway Commissioners, Wellington. No. 2147/77. Chief Engineer's Office, Working Eailways Department, Wellington, 29th December, 1893. Beport on Condition of Neio Zealand Bailways. I have the honour to report that the mileage of lines in my charge amounts to 1,948 miles 52 chains. This includes an addition of 172 miles of new railways opened during the past five years. The way and works generally have been maintained in good order. Becent flood damages will shortly be fully repaired. The lines have been very considerably improved during the past five years. Belaying has been done as under : — M. eh. 531b. steel rails in place of 401b. iron and 301b. iron ... ... 110 20 '531b. steel rails in place of 401b. steel ... ... ... ... 1 40 531b. steel rails in place of 521b. iron ... ... ... ... 22 40 Making a total of ... ... 134 20 of railway of improved weight of material. The standard number of sleepers per rail length has during the last fifteen months been increased, involving the use of about 30,000 extra sleepers, giving additional stability to about 70 miles of main line. . . . Sleepers put in in the ordinary course amount to about 651,000 in five years; these were Bin. by sin. sleepers, replacing a large percentage of 7in. by sin. Considerable improvements have been carried out as under during the last five years: Improvements in grades and curves of "the railway; extensions of sidings; river and foreshore protective works; a number of bridges and culverts originally constructed of soft woods have been more permanently reconstructed in masonry, iron, and hardwood timbers; foot-bridges and roadapproaches : level crossings and cattle-stops; improvements to water services; additional stationbuildings and dwelling-houses; additions to station-buildings and dwellings; replacing timber platforms with solid ones having concrete fronts and asphalt surface; cattle-yards; additions to workshops; overhead travelling cranes in goods-sheds and workshops; grain-lifting appliances; wharf extensions ; purchase of additional land for stations and ballasting purposes ; miscellaneous. These have all been done out.of working expenses to the aggregate value of about £74,000. I append hereto the certificates of the district officers. I have, &c, J. Henry Lowe, Chief Engineer.

Memorandum for the Bailway Commissioners. Stores Manager's Office, Wellington, sth January, 1894. In re Stock of Stores on 9th December, 1893. I have the honour to report that the value of stores on hand on 9th December 1893, at the various depots, amounted to £104,373 lis. 9d., as against £96,595 Is. 7d. on the 31st March, 1889. The stock is in good order, and sufficient for our requirements. It has been carefully and systematically inspected every year. E. Carrow, Stores Manager.

ACCOUNT No. 1. Working Eailways, Vote No. 58, 1893-94.—£734,821. Expenditure, Ist April to 31st December, 1893, as per Treasury books : — £ s . a. Final charges ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 481,612 1 7 Outstanding advances ... ... ... ... ... ... 81,966 6 10 Balance ... ... ... ... ... 171,242 11 7 £734,821 0 0