D.—2

APPENDICES.

APPENDIX A. ANNUAL REPORT OP THE GENERAL MANAGER OP NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT RAILWAYS. New Zealand Government Bailways, Head Office, Sm,— Wellington, 15th July,*l9ol. I have the honour to report upon the working of the open railways for the financial year ended 31st March, 1901. The capital cost has increased from £16,703,887 to £17,207,328. The revenue has been £1,727,236, against £1,623,891 last year, an increase of £103,345. The net revenue has been £599,389, against £571,533 last year, an increase of £27,856. The expenditure has been £1,127,848, against £1,052,358, an increase of £75,490. The expenditure per cent, of revenue was £65-30, as compared with £64-80 last year. The rate of interest earned on capital was £3 9s. Bd., as compared with £3 Bs. sd. last year. The revenue per train-mile was 7s. sfd.,and the cost per train-mile, 4s. lid., as against 7s. 9d. and ss. respectively last year. Extensions were opened as follows : — M. cb. Waiotu to Hukerenui ... ... ... ... ... 1 24 Makarau to Tahekeroa ... ... ... ... ... 3 6 Banfurly to Wedderburn ... ... ... ... ... 834 Invercargill to Seaward Bush Junction ... ... ... ... 073 Jackson to Otira ... ... ... ... ... ... 11 23 Total ... ... ... ... .... 25 0 In addition to the foregoing, the mileage was further increased by the incorporation on the 23rd July, 1900, of the following New Zealand Midland Eailway Company's lines with the Government system, viz.:— M. oh. Springfield to Otaratna ... ... ... ... ... 4 57 Stillwater to Beefton... ... ... ... ... ... 37 13 Brunner to Jackson ... .., ... ... ... ... 31 34 Belgrove to Motupiko ... ... ... ... ... 9 44 Total ... ... ... ... ... 82 68 The total mileage added to the system during the year under review was thus 107 miles 68 chains, making the mileage of railways open for traffic on 31st March 2,212 miles, against 2,104 miles at the close of the previous year. 6,243,593. ordinary passengers, yielding a revenue of £503,051, and 82,921 season-ticket holders, yielding a revenue of £41,925, were carried during the year, being an increase of 775,309 ordinary passengers and £28,259 revenue, and 19,585 season-ticket holders and £1,698 revenue over the traffic under these headings in the previous year. These increases in passenger traffic are exceedingly gratifying in view of the large reductions made in passenger rates in June, 1900. 79,016 school excursionists travelled during the year, the revenue derived therefrom being £5,234, an increase of 4,397 passengers and £482 revenue over the preceding year, while 629,168 passengers were booked at holiday-excursion fares for a revenue of £102,932, being an increase of 46,464 passengers and £6,778 revenue compared with previous year. The coaching and goods traffic has been well maintained during the year, and there has been a very considerable expansion of business under these heads, as will be seen from the following figures, which show the results of the transactions for the year : — Increases. Coaching.— Parcels, 9,655 ; dogs, 3,592. Eevenue, £4,224. Goods. —Cattle, 7,805; pigs, 15,010; chaff, lime, &c, 1,552 tons; firewood, 704 tons; timber, 46,126 tons; grain, 8,538 tons ; merchandise, 15,451 tons ; minerals, 147,544 tons. Bevenue, £69,166. Total increased goods tonnage, 211,813 tons. Decreases. Coaching. —Horses, 53 head. Goods. —Sheep, 111,596 head; wool, 8,101 tons. The visits of contingents of Imperial and Indian troops to the colopy resulted in a very heavy passenger traffic from all parts of the country to the various centres visited by the troops, severely taxing the capacity of our passenger accommodation, and rendering it necessary to utilise all classes of vehicles that could be made capable of carrying passengers. I am, however, pleased to report that