D.—2

12

The additional wagons provided on the Hurunui-Bluff Section have enabled the heavy demands made upon the Department every year for conveyance of grain to be met in a more satisfactory manner. The wagon-supply is now equal to the conveyance of grain to the seaboard with more expedition than it can be taken delivery of by consignees. Any further improvement in the despatch from stations can only be secured by the provision of increased facilities for taking delivery by consignees at destination, so as to keep pace with the more rapid conveyance of the traffic.

In pursuance of the proposal to gradually improve the train services, a large number of alterations in and additions to the train services have been made throughout the year, which improvements are much appreciated by the public. The following are particulars of the more important alterations :— Whangarei Section. On the 4th May, 1901, a Saturday-night train was put on from Whangarei to Hukerenui and back. On the Ist November, 1901, the whole time-table was amended in order to better meet the requirements of the district. The increased mileage for the year was 2,648 miles. Auckland Section. Extra trains for steamers were put on between Auckland and Onehunga. Increased mileage : Permanent mixed trains, 1,828; permanent goods trains, 5,020 : total, 6,848. Wellington-Napier-New Plymouth Section. From the Ist November, 1901, the mail trains between Wanganui and New Plymouth were run daily, instead of four days a week, thus (when there was boat-connection) giving a daily service between Auckland and Wellington. These trains were also accelerated, the journey-time between New Plymouth and Wellington being reduced by an hour. The running of the Wellington-Napier mail trains was also improved, the time being reduced by half an hour. New daily services have been provided between Upper Hutt and Woodville, Waipukurau and Woodville, Dannevirke and Woodville, and on Wednesdays and Saturdays between Napier and Hastings. The services generally throughout the district have been improved by putting on additional 'goods trains and curtailing the work of mixed trains, thus enabling better time being kept. Increased mileage : Permanent mixed trains, 49,608 ; permanent goods trains, 50,869 : total, 100,477. Westport Section. Small adjustments to better suit requirements. Increased mileage : Mixed trains, 84. Westland Section. Eearrangement of time-table to better suit requirements, the principal alterations being additional trains between Greymouth and Ngahere, and Greymouth and Eeefton. Increased mileage : Mixed trains, 1,328. Hurunui-Bluff Section. Various amendments have been made, the most important being-— Extra passenger train Christchurch to Templeton on Saturday nights. Acceleration of trains Southbridge Branch by separation of goods from passenger traffic. Extra mixed trains Little River Branch, giving a five-days-a-week service instead of three days a week. Catlin's Eiver service improved, giving a daily instead of only on five days a week. Alterations to Dunback Branch service to give better connection north and south. Otago Central line extended, Wedderburn to Ida Valley. Eiverton-Orepuki mixed trains run daily instead of three days a week, the journey-time of the morning train to Invercargill being reduced by forty minutes, the afternoon train to InvercargiJl by fifteen minutes, and the evening train, Invercargill to Orepuki, by thirty-five minutes. New mixed train Seaward Bush Branch on Wednesdays. New fast passenger train Invercargill to Kingston and back on two days per week during tourist season, the journey-time being reduced by one hour and fifteen minutes. Increased mileage : Permanent mixed trains, 12,366 ; permanent goods trains, 37,328 : total, 49,694. Grand total of extra mileage for permanent trains : Mixed, 67,862 ; goods, 93,217 : total, 161,079. The acceleration of mixed and mail services in the Wellington-Napier-New Plymouth and Invercargill Districts, and the general increase of gcods traffic, accounts for the large increase in mileage for the permanent goods trains.