P.—2.

XVIII

This rate of relaying should be maintained at least- till all main lines are in 70 lh. and all important branches in 53 lb. or 56 Ib. Sleepers. —During the year 256.617 -sleepers were put in the track. Resleepering of main lines to present standard is being pushed on. Slips and Floods. In the Auckland and Gisborne districts considerable damage was caused by heavy Hoods. Considerable expense was incurred in the removal of slips and the reinstatement of slipped embankments on the line north of Heleneville. An urgently necessary deviation has been pul in band neai Poolburn on bhe Otago Central Branch. Ballasting. .'566,242 cubic yards of ballast wore used on the track during the year. The crushing plants at Mosgiel and Te Kuiti have been fully employed for railway purposes. ;ind the plant at Mount Egmont mainly for local bodies. Bridges, <6c. —Bridge structures have been maintained in safe condition. The Mangatewainui new steel viaduct (Napier district) is in hand. Contracts have been let for the supply of steel girders for replacing bhe Tongahoe Viaduct (Wanganui district) and two bridges (Nelson Section). Renewals and strengthening bave been in hand. The use of rolled steel joists is being extended. Wharves. Picton : Earthwork For new wharf is nearly completed; construction of wharf in hand. Nelson : Extension of breastwork completed, and extension of main wharf now starting. Pori Chalmers : Removal of central filling has been completed. Buildings. Improvements bave been made ai ETrankton, Taumarunui, Taihape, and many other places. Several station buildings bave been rebuilt, and a aumber of cottages erected. Miscellaneous Works. Additions and improvements were carried out during the pear amounting to £6,093, which was charged to working-expenses. The principal works were : Additions and improvements at Te Papapa, Kirwee, and Levin (part); additions to water-services ai Ormond, Lambton. and Aldington : turntables, New Plymouth and Qreymouth ; erection of cranes at Ohakune. Wai pukurau, and Clinton ; now houses at Pukekohe and Waipahi : verandahs at Mount Eden and Runanga; additions to bouses at Plimmerton and Weka Pass; best-weights for weighbridges, Westport; enlarging goods-shed. Waitoa ; fire-prevention appliances in goods-sheds at Christchurch and Oamaru : removal of buildings, Waihoa Downs; removal of Workshop Foreman's office, Addington; removal of bouses, Ac., from Waiau Ferry bo Hanmer; engine-shed, Rangiora ; stock-yards. Gisborne ; bookstall and ladies' waiting-room, Taumarunui ; electric- lighting, tnvercargill workshops; placing electric wire under I'owen Street Pier. Port Chalmers; oil-store, Gisborne; Bhelter-shed, Beretaunga : exten sion of platform, Runanga ; conveniences for social hall, Pahnerston ; improvement to coaling arrangements, Tiinarii : connecting w.c.s with main sewer, Christchurch; weighbridge, Gisborne: raising parapet. Tunnel No. 8. Midland Railway. Additions to Open Lint*. —The principal works carried out during the year were as follows : Signalling, interlocking, block-working, &c. Additions to station buildings, station-yards, and sidings ; Auckland. Frankton Junction, Taumarunui, Ohakune, Taihape. Marton (completion), Wanganui Wharf, Levin. Paekakariki. Wellington wharves. Riocarton, Pareora. Milton (completion). Edendale. Morton Mains. Miscellaneous : Additions to water-services Mercer (completion), Puketutu, Waiouru (comple tion), Marton (completion), and Palmerston North; engine turntables. Auckland Section (completion) and Clinton ; extension of verandah Auckland ; verandah. Avondale ; planked footway. Ohinemuri Bridge ; strengthening Hamilton Bridge (completion) : fencing line, Auckland district: installation of acetylene gas. Ohakune : overbridge, Taihape ; improving crossing, Vinegar Hill. North Island Main Trunk Railway ; extension of subway, Marton ; governors Eot crushing plant. Mourn , Egmont : removing stockyards, Hastings to Longlands; additional platform accommodation, Thorndon; electric lighting, Thorndon ; laying on gas bo car sidings, Thorndon ; purchase of land, Hastings and Thorndon ; reclamation, Wellington and Bluff; flag-station between Springston and Hllesinere; extension of pattern-shop, Addington; footbridge, Dunedin; janitary conveniences, Hillside workshops; wharfextension. Nelson ; new wharf. Picton : purchase of steam navvy from Public Works Department. The cost of these works, charged bo capital, amounts to £84,195. Doubling and Improvement of Lines. Auckland Penrose : This work is completed. Alterations to Auckland passenger-yard and station necessitated by bhe opening of the double line have been carried out. Hun Road and Railway Improvement : The double line is now in use between Lower Hutt and Kajwarra. Construction of road is well advanced, and it is expected the whole work will be completed during bhe coming financial year. Addington-Rolleston : The second track has been opened for traffic. Dunedin Mosgiel : The Cavershain Tunnel having been completed, bhe new hue between Dunedin and Cattle-yards has been opened tor traffic for single-line working. The work is being pushed on as fast as funds will permit. The Chain Hills Tunnel is being started. Expenditure. The charges for maintenance amounted to £620,008. or £229 per mile. Mileage. —Total mileage open for traffic on 3lsl March was 2.716 miles 62 chains, an increase of 35 miles 23 chains for the year. Private Sidings. -Seventeen new rights were granted. Total number on 31st March. 327. with an aggregate annual rental of £5,907. Leases. Five hundred and twenty-four new leases were registered during the year. The. total number at 31st March was 3,397, with an aggregate annual rental of £23,560. Staff. Maintenance working staff. 4,005 men ; office staff, 124 : total, 4,129.