IX

The following statement shows a brief comparison of the traffic and the rolling-stock for dealing therewith when the Government resumed control of the railways in 1895 with that at 31st March of the present year: — Use Marcti. 31st March. T Per Cent of 1895. 1912. increase. i noteas9 . Passengers (number) ... 3,905,578 11,891,134 7,985,556 205 Season tickets ~ ... 28,623 236,957 208,334 728 Parcels „ ... 444,981 1,190,907 745,926 168 Horses „ ... 11,185 20,510 9,325 83 Carriages ... 750 2,801 2,051 274 Dogs .. ... 23,517 56,156 32,639 138 Drays „ ... 705 2,904 2,199 312 Cattle „ ... 40,890 207,540 166,656 407 Sheep . 1,519,921 5,454,443 3,934,522 259 Pigs .. ... 13,292 .47,268 103,976 240 Chaff, lime (tons) ... ... 36,972 191,794 154,822 419 Wool ... 103,328 141,607 38,279 37 Firewood ... 85,102 110,436 25,334 30 Timber ... 198,578 718,414 519,836 262 Grain ... 388,556 949,556 561,000 144 Merchandise ... 377,938 811,166 . 433,228 115 Minerals ... 857,917 2,676,783 1,818,866 212 Total tonnage ... ... 2,048,391 5,599,756 3,551,365 173 Total revenue ...£1,150,851 £3,676,509 62,525,658 219 Locomotives (number) ... 269 493 224 83 tractive power (lb.) 1,756,178 5,976,376 4,220,198 240 Passenger-cars (number) ... 498 1,212 714 143 Passenger - cars, seating - accommodation ... ... 17,455 51,286 33,831 194 Brake-vans (number) ... 204 381 177 87 Sheep-wagons „ ... 390 1,353 963 247 Total wagons, all classes (number) ... ... 8,264 18,140 9,876 120 Wagon carrying-capacity (tons) 50,861 148,713 97,852 192 Train-mileage run... ... 3,221,620 8,371,687 5,150,067 160 I confidently anticipate that the prosperity that has existed of late years will continue to manifest itself during the next financial year, and I estimate the revenue for the year ending the 31st March, 191.'5. at £3.745.000. and the expenditure at £2,546,600.

ii—D. 2.