D—2

10

The accumulated balance to the credit of the Government Railways Superannuation Fund at the 31st March amounted to £264,455, an increase of £30,998 on the previous year. The total income for the year was £102,951, and the amount outgoing was £71,953. Of the latter the sum of £61,783 represented the charge involved in payments to 1,261 beneficiaries, comprising 807 members of the service who have either voluntarily resigned or who have been retired on account of being medically unfit, 179 widows and 275 children dependents of- deceased members of the service who had not retired on superannuation at the time of their death. As indicated in His Excellency the Governor's speech, Mr. E. H. Hiley was selected out of 104 applicants to fill the post of General Manager. Mr. Hiley will shortly arrive in the Dominion and will take up his duties. The thanks of the Dominion are due to the retiring General Manager for his long and faithful services. As promised in last year's Statement a long and exhaustive investigation has been made into the question of shunting. Some valuable information has been received, which is now being gone into by the General Manager and the principal departmental officers. I hope shortly to lay a report on the subject before honourable members and to be able to take such steps as will minimize the danger to which shunters are subject. The visit of the Battleship " New Zealand," though not falling altogether into last year's operations, caused great activity on the railways, and I think that the way in which the vast crowds travelling by rail were handled without a hitch reflects the greatest credit on the railway staff, both officers and men, and the thanks of the Dominion are due to them. I have personally to thank all the staff for their efforts on this occasion and also for their efforts on the occasion of the floods in the South Island. 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:— 31st March, 31st March, T Per Cent of 1895. 1913. increase. Inoreaße _ Passengers (number) ... 3,905,578 13,123,879 9,218,301 236 Season tickets „ ... 28,623 265,259 236,636 826 Parcels „ ... 444,981 1,320,873 875,892 197 Horses „ ... 11,185 21,971 10,786 96 Carriages „ ... 750 2,904 2,154 287 Dogs „ ... 23,517 57,388 33,871 144 Drays „ ... 705 3,189 2,484 352 Cattle „ ... 40,890 221,595 180,705 442 Sheep „ ... 1,519,921 5,388,805 3,868,884 255 Pigs „ ... 43,292 136,130 92,838 214 Chaff, lime (tons) ... ... 36,972 213,322 176,350 497 Wool „ ... ... 103,328 147,735 44,407 43 Firewood „ ... ... 85,102 112,072 26,970 32 Timber „ ... ... 198,578 695,060 496,482 250 Grain ... 388,556 1,181,899 793,343 204 Merchandise ... 377,938 845,934 467,996 124 Minerals „ ..'. ... 857,917 2,760,983 1,903,066 222 Total tonnage ... ... 2,048,391 5,957,005 3,908,614 191 Total revenue .. „ ...£1,150,851 £3,971,002 £2,820,151 245 Locomotives (number) ... 269 513 244 91 tractive power (lb.) 1,756,178 6,317,810. 4,561,632' 259 Passenger-cars (number) ... 498 1,282 784 158 Passenger - cars, seating - accommodation ... ... 17,455 53,819 36,364 208 Brake-vans (number) ... 204 385 181 88 Sheep-wagons „ ... 390 1,443 1,053 270 Total wagons, all classes (number) ... ... 8,264 19,130 10,866 131 Wagon carrying-capacity (tons) 50,861 158,447 107,586 212 Train-mileage run... ... 3,221,620 9,016,224 5,794,604 180 Having given careful consideration to the general circumstances of the Dominion as reflected by the railway traffic, I feel confident of continued prosperity during the next financial year, and estimate the revenue for the year ending 31st March, 1914, at £4,200,000, and the expenditure at £2,931,250.