VII

D.—2

In December last dining-cars were placed on the Auckland-Rotorua express trains, the catering being undertaken by the Railway Department. The result has been highly satisfactory, the accommodation and catering provided and entirely worked by the Department being much appreciated by the public. I have therefore decided that, on the expiration of the existing lease of the right to cater on the Palmerston North-New Plymouth and Christchurch-Dunedin express trains, the Department shall itself undertake the catering on those and any other lines on which dining-cars are run, and that it shall also run the railway refreshment-rooms, which will not be licensed, and the advertising at railway-stations. On pages ii and iii I have indicated the increase in the rolling-stock from 31st March, 1900, to 31st March, 1904. The table following furnishes an interesting study of the growth of business and increase of rolling-stock from Ist April, 1895, to 31st March, 1904. On the basis of carrying-capacity of trucks in 1895, 13,132 trucks in use on 31st March, 1904, were equivalent to 15,422 six-ton trucks of the class in use in 1895. Comparison of the railway traffic and rolling-stock accommodation in 1895 and 1904 :— 31st Marcb, 1895. 31sfc March, 1904. Increase. P T er oent ' o£ ' Increase. Passengers (number) ... 3,905,578 8,306,383 4,400,805 113 Season tickets (number) ... 28,623 129,919 101,296 354 Parcels „ ... 444,981 798,800 353,819 80 Horses „ ... 11,185 14,629 3,444 31 Carriages „ ... 750 . 2,056 1,306 174 Dogs „ ... 23,517 36,816 13,299 57 Drays „ ... 705 2,340 1,635 232 Cattle „ ... 40,890 107,435 66,545 163 Sheep „ ... 1,519,921 3,756,378 2,236,457 147 Pigs „ ... 43,292 70,268 26,976 62 Chaff, lime (tons) ... ... 36,972 132,562 95,590 259 Wool „ ... ... 103,328 101,316 2,012 Dec. 2 Dec. Firewood „ ... ... 85,102 106,066 20,964 25 Timber „ ... ... 198,578 509,712 311,134 157 Grain „ ... ... 388,556 820,453 431,897 111 Merchandise „ ... ... 377,938 658,144 280,206 74 Minerals „ ... ~. 857,917 1,744,323 886,406 103 Total tonnage ... .. 2,048,391 4,072,576 2,024,185 99 Total revenue ... ... £1,150,851 £2,180,641 £1,029,790 89 Locomotives (number) ... 269 377 108 40 tractive power (lb.) 1,756,178 3,572,346 1,816,168 103 Passenger cars (number) ... 498 809 311 62 Passenger cars, seating accommodation ... ... 17,455 31,858 14,403 83 Brake-vans (number) ... 204 301 97 48 Sheep-trucks „ ... 390 820. 430 110 Total trucks, all classes (number) ... ... 8,264 13,132 4,868 59 Truck-carrying capacity (tons) 50,861 92,533 41,672 82 Train mileage run ... ... 3,221,620 5,685,399 2,463,779 76 I contemplate arranging at an early date an alteration in the issue of single tickets throughout the whole system of our railways. After a careful investigation I see no reason why the holders of long-distance single tickets when travelling upon the railways should not be given a reasonable time within which to complete their journeys so that they may, if desired, break it at intermediate stations and afterwards continue on to destination. I do not propose to make any alteration on the suburban lines, but purpose giving the holders of single tickets for stations beyond the suburban area one month within which to complete their journey. The alteration, which means a great reform, will be brought into operation in November next, and the convenience it will afford to the travelling public will be a very great one, and will, I am sure, be generally appreciated. If the shipping companies conducting business between Auckland and Onehunga and between Lyttelton and Wellington will conform to the requirements of the Railway Department, I also hope to have established a system for the through booking of passengers' luggage from, say, any hotel in Auckland to any hotel in any part of the colony to which the passenger may be travelling. I confidently anticipate that the commercial prosperity which has existed of late years will continue during the next financial year, and though I estimate the gross revenue at £2,200,000, I think, to be on the safe side, it is better to keep to the actual amount of last year's receipts, which in round numbers I put at £2,180,000. The usual reports and returns are attached hereto,