D.—2

VII

APPENDICES.

APPENDIX A. ANNUAL REPORT OP THE GENERAL MANAGER OF NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT RAILWAYS. N.Z. Government Eailways, Head Office, S IKj _ Wellington, 21st August, 1897. I have the honour to report upon the working of the open railways for the financial year ending 31st March, 1897. At the end of the year there were 2,018 miles of line open, against 2,014 last year. The capital cost of opened lines has been increased from £15,4-25,532 to £15,577,392, an increase of £151,860. The revenue has been £1,286,158, against £1,183,041 last year, an increase of £103,117. The net revenue has been £497,104, against £431,673 last year, an increase of £65,431. The expenditure has been £789,054, against £751,368 last year, an increase of £37,686. The expenditure per cent, of revenue, 61-35, as compared with 63-51 last year. The revenue per train-mile, 7s. 6fd., and the cost per train-mile, 4s. as against 7s. lfd. and 4s. 6Jd. respectively last year. The following extensions have been opened during the year :— M. oh. Waro-Whakapara ... ... ... ... ... ... 3 16 Kaihu Extension ... ... ... ... ... ... 0 48 Tahora-Owaka (Catlin's River) ... ... ... ... ... 1 11 Total ... ... ... ... ... ... 4 75 Following are the comparisons of the traffic, revenue, and expenses for the past seventeen years:—

And also of the traffic in local products for the past twelve years:—

Year. 9, i g > o> 3 8 0 s i M lie 111 s d o si • n 8\ cog 0 £ B a Q I fl 1880-81 1881-82 1882-83 1883-84 1884-85 1835-86 1886-87 1887-88 1888-89 1889-90 1890-91 1891-92 1892--93 1893-94 1894-95 1895-96 1896-97 1,277 1,3191 1,338 1,3% 1,477 1,013 1,727 1,758 1,777 1,809 1,842 1,869 1,880 1,948 1,993 2,014 2,O18 ! 836,454 892,020 953,347 961,304 1,045,712 1,047,419 998,768 994,843 997,615 1,095,570 1,121,701 1,115,432 1,181,522 1,172,793 1,150,851 1,183,041 1,286,158 £ 521,957 523,099 592,821 655,990 690,026 690,340 699,072 687,328 647,045 682,787 700,703 706,517 732,142 735,359 732,160 751,368 789,054 02-40 58 -64 62-18 68-24 65-99 65-91 69-99 6909 64-86 62-32 62-47 63-34 61-97 62-70 63-62 63-51 61-35 1,377,783 1,437,714 1,564,793 1,700,010 1,749,856 1,823,767 1,747,754 1,735,762 1,920,431 2,073,955 2,080,011 2,006,791 2,193,330 2,060,645 2,048,391 2,087,798 2,368,927 No. 286,865 316,611 341,186 359,896 347,425 349,428 372,397 399,109 399,056 405,838 413,074 430,210 460,383 486,787 479,083 489,177 524,063 No. 300,704 343,751 477,075 686,287 729,528 858,662 942,017 940,209 919,392 1,068,575 1,348,364 1,153,501 1,393,457 1,433,679 1,604,103 1,932,709 2,052,346 No. 2,849,561 2,911,477 3,283,378 3,272,644 3,232,886 3,362,266 3,420,403 3,451,850 3,132,803 3,376,459 3,433,029 3,555,764 3,759,044 3,972,701 3,905,578 4,162,426 4,439,387 No. 6,499 7,207 8,621 9,036 8,999 10,717 11,821 11,518 11,817 12,311 13,881 16,341 16,504 17,226 28,623 36,233 43,069

Year. Wool. Timber. Grain. Minerals. Horse* and Gatble. Sheep and Pigs. .885-86 .886-87 .887-88 .888-89 .889-90 .890-91 .891-92 .892-93 .893-94 .894-95 .895-96 .896-97 Tons. 74,778 82,963 84,147 78,203 91,214 87,701 85,888 96,842 101,340 103,328 99,363 98,958 Tons. 202,572 175,581 158,024 160,399 172,814 153,078 170,521 168,910 183,192 198,578 213,132 257,825 Tons. 413,847 345,254 358,021 447-, 027 498,199 528,683 442,277 523,637 411,191 388,556 374,699 423,888 Tons. 669,081 719,579 700,140 786,690 797,117 828,079 873,899 884,031 864,538 857,917 878,659 1,032,252 No. 46,152 46,600 42,067 37,804 41,058 44,999 47,618 46,590 51,573 52,075 50,766 47,256 No. 822,02! 904,58! 907,44; 889,96i 1,036,87; 1,313,15, 1,117,25; 1,359,861 l,394,45i 1,563,21; 1,893,05: 2,016,43'