1).—2

III

The following table shows the average late arrival of the trains in each of the separate groups for each period : —■

In all records have been kept of 167 trains. The late running shown includes delays from all causes, including engine-failures, floods, &c, and gives a general average late arrival at destination of l - 48 minutes for the nine months during which records have been kept. Taking all circumstances into consideration, it must be admitted that the trains have kept excellent time. The work of equipping the rolling-stock with the Westinghouse brake is being proceeded with as rapidly as possible, and it is anticipated that vehicles so fitted will shortly be running on the mail trains to New Plymouth and Napier. Two hundred and three second-class cars have been fitted with cushions during the year. Foot-warmers have also been obtained, and supplied to the express trains running in the South Island. The arrangements indicated have added considerably to the comfort of passengers, by whom they are much appreciated, and it is intended to extend them until all- cars are similarly equipped. The Pintsch system of lighting oar carriages continues to give satisfaction, and has been applied to sixty-three cars and vans during the year, making the total number of vehicles now equipped with gas 502. Nearly two million cubic feet of the gas was used for lighting cars during the year, and, notwithstanding the fact that gas-making is divided among five separate works in various parts of the colony, the cost of production of the gas was 6jd. per 100 cubic feet less than for the previous year. On the 24th June, 1900, large reductions were made in ordinary and suburban passenger-fares, season-ticket rates, and workers' weekly tickets on suburban lines ; tourist excursion tickets were made issuable daily throughout the year ; concession of free carriage on return journey was granted to racehorses, hunters, poloponies, and to returned empty fish-packages; while the freight on goods from centres to ports, and also for salt for dairy use, was reduced. Particulars of other concessions made during the year will be found in Eeturn No. 32. It is estimated that the value of the concessions enumerated was equivalent to a rebate of £75,000, based on the existing traffic and charges for the previous year. The result of these reductions, which were forecast in my last year's Statement, has been very satisfactory, and exceeded the most sanguine expectations ; the increase in the passenger traffic—viz., 775,309 passengers and 19,586 season tickets —being a record one, the increased revenue from these sources being £29,957. Of the ordinary passengers the increased number from officered stations on suburban lines was 324,565 —Auckland, 72,771 ; Wellington, 70,866 ; Christchurch, 90,737 ; Dunedin, 72,040 ; Invercargill, 18,151. The increased number of season tickets is made up of 81 sectional annual tickets, 231 school tickets, 49 twenty-trip commutation tickets, 18,606 workers' 2s. weekly tickets (suburban lines), and 1,331 ordinary season tickets of other descriptions. The actual number of workers' weekly 2s. tickets issued from the 24th June, 1900, to the 31st March, 1901, was 29,258, but there was a decrease of 10,652 ordinary twelve-trip weekly tickets issued during the same period. There were also decreases of five reporter's season tickets, 111 tourist season tickets, and 535 fifty-trip commutation tickets.

Period en ling Train Group. 18th 15th 13th Aug. Sept. Oct. 10th j 8th Nov. : Deo. 5fch 2nd 2nd Jan. Feb. Mar. Average for Nine Months. 31st Mar. Passenger Suburban Country ... 1-97 1-16 0-85 1-27 0-76 0-67 2-04 1-88 1-42 1-36 1-58 0-84 0-91 1-43 1-5 4-23 1-31 2-03 1-03 0-78 1-15 2-79 1-70 2-34 0-82 0-75 2-08 1-70 0-90 190 General averai ;e for all t: rains dealt with 1-48.