JD.—2

XI

Telegraph and Telephone Facilities. Two hundred and forty-seven miles of wire and 59 miles of poles have been erected and brought into use, also various alterations and additions have been made to improve existing lines. Several local circuits have been converted to metallic-circuit installations. Eighty-two telephone connections to railway-wires and eight connections and ten extensions to public-telephone exchanges have been made. Twenty-three electric bells have been installed as extension or call bells. Totals now in use: Morse sets, 276; telephones, 1,535; electric bells, 253; miles of wire, 6,964; miles of poles, 2,588. Electric Lighting and Power. During the year electric lighting has been installed at five additional stations, viz. : Frankton Junction, Taihape, Linwood, Mussel Bay, and Reefton. Ten railway dwellings have been fitted with electric light at the following stations, viz. : Locomotive Foreman's and Depot Chargeman's houses at Frankton, Statioiimaster's house at Te Kuiti, Nos. 60 and 61 at Khandallah, Stationmaster's and No. 269 at Addington, Stationmasters' houses at Burke's and Wingatui, and Locomotive Foreman's house at Linwood. Eleotric light has also been installed in the following buildings, &c. : Auckland, drill-yard; Parnell, signal-box and tunnel; Hawera, social hall; new paint-shop, Petone; new Morse telegraph gallery, Wellington; locomotive stores, offices, and engine-depot at Linwood; and the engine-depot at Timaru. Additional electric lighting has been provided in goods-yards, at Auckland, Lambton, and Dunedin; goods-shed at Dunedin; New Zealand Railway Engineers' Battalion store at Wellington; and railway workshops at Hillside. Special meters were installed at Lambton and Thorndon, and three electric fans were provided in the goods-offices at Auckland. An electric engine-traverser was installed in the new engine-depot at Linwood, and the electrical work in connection with electric motors was carried out. The electrification of 20-ton overhead crane in the boiler-shop at Petone was also carried out during the year. The installation of electric motors and transformers for Newmarket Workshops is in hand. Level-crossing Automatic Warning-bells. Automatic warning-bells have been installed at six level crossings, and the work for fifty further crossings is in hand. Expenditure. Particulars of expenditure on electric block working, telegraph and telephone facilities, and electric lighting for the year are as follows :— New work — £ Hs. d. Electric tablet-working ... ... ... ... 3,759 2 4 Telephone and telegraph lines... ... ... .... 4,928 19 10 Electric light ... ... ... ... ... 4,925 6 9 ,» Electric motors, crane* ivc. ... ... ... ... 772 2 11 Level-crossing alarms ... ... ... ... 376 8 4 £14,762 0 2 Maintenance— £ s . <j. Electric block working and telegraph and telephone lines ... 11,052 16 7 Lines, &c, maintained by Post and Telegraph Department 2,967 15 0 Electric light ... ... ... ... ... 1,836 14 10 £15,857 6 5

TRAFFIC. Mr. H. Buxton, Chief Traffic Manager, reports as follows :— Whangarei Section. Revenue, £51,150; increase, £1,917. Passengers increased 10,072, caused by the growth of population and the attendance at various patriotic functions. Live-stock increased 7,564, and continues to increase steadily. Goods tonnage decreased 14,000 tons, the principal item of decrease being coal, owing to the flooding of the mine. Timber and firewood also decreased 3,000 tons, but chaff, grain, and merchandise show a slight improvement. Kaihu Section. Revenue, £5,884; increase, £309. Timber traffic decreased 2,000 tons, but other classes show small increases.