D.—l.

During the financial year a total length of 125 miles 49 chains of railway was opened for general traffic, as shown in the following table: —

Appended hereto is a coloured diagram showing the lengths of railway opened each year since the commencement of the public-works policy. The great length opened this year is due to the completion of the North Island Main Trunk Railway, on which 84 miles 58 chains, the closing length from Taumarunui to Mataroa, partly completed previously, was finished and finally opened right through for traffic. Opua-Grahamtown (58 miles). Kawakawa Southwards Section (7 m. 16 eh. to 19 m. from Opua Wharf). —The line to 15 m. is completed, but has not yet been taken over by the Railway Department. The section has been maintained by the Public Works Department, and trains run as required for the carriage of stores, &c. Felling and clearing has been completed right through the rest of the section, and the formation generally is in a fairly complete condition. Some of the banks require widening. All creekdiversions have been finished and ditching completed. Bridges are all completed up to the bridge at 17 m. 60 eh., with the exception of a small amount of work to be done to the piers of the first three bridges. Timber 'and materials are on the ground and on order for completing the three bridges at 17 m. 60 eh., 18 m. 19 eh., and 18 m. 66 eh., and arrangements made for erecting them. Fencing is complete as far as 15 m. 20 eh. Platelaying has been recommenced, and rails are laid to 17 m. 38 eh., and line trimmed to 17 m. 59 eh. The branch line to the ballast-pit at Scoria Flat and the ballast-pit itself have been put in working-order, and ballasting operations resumed. Eam.arama Section (19 m. to 27 m. 61/. eh.). —This closing section which connects the Kawakawa and Whangarei Railways has been put in hand during the past year, and at the present date work on all cuttings is in hand, and a long embankment through the swamps is in an advanced state. Formation-work is being pressed on at all points. A relocation of the line has been carried out from 19 m. to 22 m. in order to avoid the swampy places as much as possible. A short length of line at 27 m. 45 eh. has also been relocated in order to reduce embankment. Generally the formation-work on this section is nearly completed, except between 19 m. and 22 m., where there is still some light formation to do, and in the heavy cuttings and banks between 26 m. and 27 m. 62 eh., which is the end of the section. The Ramarama Station yard at 20 m. 20 eh. is three parts finished. Contracts have been let for the supply of timber and ironwork for bridges on this section, and are well in hand. The erection of the bridges will be gone on with as soon as the rails reach each site, and enable the material to be brought forward by rail, as the roads are not suitable for heavy traffic. Towai Section (16 m. to 21m. 1 eh. (chainage from Kamo) ). —The line is formed throughout, including the Towai Station yard, except the length of 50 chains between this station and the end of the section, which is in hand. Platelaying, which was commenced in October, 1908, from Hukerenui, is now finished, including the wayside station at Akerama and the station-yard at Towai. The deep cutting at Hukerenui has been battered off and made fairly safe from immediate damage by slips, although it may probably slip further at some future time, Formation-level has

62

Railway. Section. Length. Date of Completion. North Auckland Gisborne-Rotorua .. Stratfqrd-Ongarue Mount Egmont Branch Martoh - Te Awamutu Tauhoa-Wayby .. Puha - Waikohu Bridge ..Oruru-Huiroa Manganui Section Taumarunui Whakapapa Owhango Makaretu Waimarino (part of) Waimarino (part of) Raetihi Murimutuj Waioum Turangarere Tadmor-Kiwi Reefton-Cronadun Waikaka M. ch. 3 40 3 29 4 50 . 6 0 6 48 10 0 8 0 7 20 3 77 8 13 8 60 13 70 7 40 10 50 5 9 5 38 12 65 May 13, 1908. „ 28, „ April 1, 1908. „ 1, „ Nov. 9, 1908. ' Feb. 13, 1909. j June 30, 1908. Midland Dec. 18, 1908. Aug. 7, „ Nov. 26, ' „| Gore-Waikaka 125 49