D.—l

III

EAILWAYS. As we are now in the last session of a Parliament, it would not be out of place to review what has been accomplished in the matter of railway-construc-tion during the term of office of the Liberal Administration—namely, since the 24th January, 1891. During this period 461 miles 75 chains of railway, constructed by the Public Works Department, has been opened for public traffic, while a length of 105 miles 61 chains has been acquired from private owners and added to the Government railway system; the total increase in the mileage of the Government railways during the period being 567 miles 56 chains. The different sections are as under : —

In addition to the above total of 567 miles 56 chains, we have 41 miles '21 chains upon which goods traffic is already being carried, and which will be available for passenger and other traffic in a few weeks. I will now refer to the different lines of railway that have been in hand during the last year, and state the proposals of the Government with regard to each for the current year. Kawakawa-Grahamtown . Construction-work has recently been resumed at the northern end of this line on a section about four miles in length, and fair progress is being made. The distance between the completed formation at the Kawakawa end and the terminus of the open railway at the southern end is rather under eighteen miles. The

'Ml I way. id: ;ion. leage. Kawakawa-Grahamtown Kaihu Valley Helensville Northwards Waikato-Thames Thames Valley - Rotorua Gisborne-Rotorua North Island Main Trunk Kamo-Hukerenui Opanake-Booms... Kanohi- Woodcock's Te Aroha-Thames Putaruru-Eotorua Gisborne-Karaka Mokau-Taumarunui Hunterville-Taihape Woodville-Palmerston Bketahuna-Woodville Te Aro Extension Stratford-Oruru ... Jackson , s-Otira . . Ngakawau-Mokihinui Greymouth - Coal Creek ... Greymouth-Hokitika Blenheim-Seddon Waipara-Scargill Inch Valley - Limekilns ... Romahapa-0 waka Heriot-Edievale ... Mokotua-Waimahaka Owaka-Gatlin's ... Hindon-Omakau Winton-Hedgehope Orepuki-Waihoaka M. oh. M. ch. 16 0 0 55 13 40 32 3 31 56 18 15 J 66 12 Woodville - Palmerston North... Wellington-Napier ... 17 21 ' 27 69 ) Stratford-Ongarue Midland Westport-Ngakawau Extension State Colliery line Greymouth-Hokitika Blenheim-Waipara ... 11 18 10 12 7 12 5 1 24 37 j- 30 25 ir " ' • ' ' Inch Valley... Catlin's River Waipahi-Heriot Extension ... Seaward Bush Catlin's-Waimahaka... Otago Central Forest Hill ... Orepuki-Waiau 2 29 11 38 6 20 13 34 3 38 96 20 12 40 4 40 . Total 461 75 Privi ■te Lines acquired. Dargaville-Opanake Mokihinui Colliery line Fernhill Colliery line Still water-Reefton Brunner-Jackson's Springfi eld-01 ar am a Belgrove-Motupiko Kaihu Valley Westport-Mokihinui... Fernhill Branch 16 46 3 69 1 60 37 9 32 15 4 58 9 44 Midland I Total 105 61 Grand total ... 567 56