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business of the Dominion. The names of those who answered the Empire's call and those who have given up their lives or been wounded in the cause of the Empire are included in the roll-of-honour list which is appended hereto. Relief Funds. Iho members of the service have enthusiastically and most generously supported various funds having for their object the relief of the Belgians or the sick and wounded New Zealand soldiers. Entertainments have been promoted at various centres with good results, while in some districts members of the Railway service are regularly subscribing a fixed sum monthly for the alleviation of the distress arising out of the war.

m MAINTENANCE. Mr. J. Burnett, Chief Engineer, reports as follows: — Permanent-way. —The track has been maintained in good condition. Relaying as follows has been done during the financial year : — Miles. Main and branch lines, 53-56 lb. relaid with 701b. material ... . . 70 1 Branch lines, 40 Ib. relaid with new 55 Ib. steel material ... ... 14 Branch lines, 40 lb. relaid with second-hand 53 lb. and 56 lb. steel material removed from main lines ... ... ... ... ... 114 Total relaying for the year ... ... ... ... 951 This is the smallest mileage relaid since 1904-5. It is most desirable that the rate of relaying be kept up to at least 100 miles per annum. All labour and material in connection with relaying is charged to working-expenses. Sleepers. —22B,644 sleepers were put into the track during the year. Good supplies of sleepers are available. Respacing to strengthen the track has been continued. Slips and Floods. —On the Gisborne Section floods caused interruption of traffic for some days and considerable damage to the line. Floods in the Westland District caused a large washout on the Blackball line, and necessitated the provision of protective works in several places. Considerable quantities of stone have been quarried and placed in river protective works on the Midland line. A large amount of work in lightening slopes and strengthening banks has been carried out on the Otago Central Railway. Ballasting. —37l,B3s cubic yards of ballast has been used on the track during the year. At Te Kuiti quarry a second stone-crusher, with necessary siding and other works, has been installed. At Mount Egmont pit, where labour has been difficult to obtain, a mechanical ballast-loader has been erected, and is giving satisfaction. The Quertier excavator has also been used. Additional plant is being obtained to enable ballasting to be kept up to date. About 10,000 cubic yards of spoil and sand has been deposited and track lifted on the Rukuhia Swamp. Bridges, (fee.—Bridge structures have been maintained in a safe condition. Renewal of timber superstructures in steel has been continued. Painting iron and steel bridges has been attended to. The strengthening of main-line bridges to enable the heaviest engines to run is now in hand. It will be necessary in the near future to rebuild several long timber bridges. The use of steel instead of timber is being continually increased. Water-services. —Additional water-storage and other improvements to water-services have been provided. Wharves. —Port Chalmers : Extensive repairs to Export Wharf in hand. Queenstown : Slipway nearly completed. Westport : Staiths being demolished. Picton : Old wharf taken down. Buildings. —Newmarket : Considerable improvements and additions to workshops have been carried out. Linwood : Engine-depot well advanced. An electric traverser for moving engines is being installed. Invercargill: New goods-shed, with overhead electric cranes, and yardextension finished; new maintenance workshops completed, and machinery now being erected. Goods-sheds provided and station accommodation enlarged at several stations. A number of houses for employees have been built, and the work of enlarging and improving house accommodation has been continued. Additions to Open Lines. —.£2l7,oo6 was spent on these works and charged to Capital Account, the principal items being the following : Signalling, interlocking, block-working, &c.; additions to station buildings, yards, and sidings at Hamilton (completion), Hastings (completion), Newmarket, Otahuhu (completion), Avondale (part), Picton (completion), Invercargill, Penrose (com-