D.—2

XIII

North Island Main Line and Branches. Revenue, £2,683,080; increase, £179,863. The principal items of traffic were— Number. Number. Passengers ... ... ... ... ... 8,436,175; increase, 115,735 Season tickets ... ... ... ... 223,044; ~ 18,739 Parcels revenue ... ... ... ... £140,664; ~ £6,558 Live-stock ... ... ... ... ... 3,529,382; decrease, 272,512 Tons. Tons. Goods ... ... ... ... ... 1,928,619; increase, 2,166 The revenue per mile of railway increased from £2,269 Bs. sd. to £2,421 lis., and per train-mile from 9s. 4£d. to 10s. 3d. The variations of traffic in the individual districts were approximately as under :— Auckland. —Revenue, £934,451; increase, £77,169. Passengers decreased 93,161. The traffic was affected by bad weather conditions causing floods and slips. There was also some reduction in the northern suburban area on account of tramway competition. In the southern portion of the district the business improved. Season tickets increased 6,643. Parcels revenue increased £3,147. Cattle and calves increased 19,365; but sheep and pigs decreased 6,800. Timber decreased 9,257 tons. General goods increased 27,890 tons, and minerals 9,465 tons. Ohakune. —Revenue, £321,649; increase, £5,738. Passengers increased 7,065, and season tickets 393. Parcels revenue increased £165. Cattle and calves increased 12,359, and sheep 14,222, but pigs decreased 748. Timber decreased 14,030 tons. General goods increased 3,396 tons, and minerals (road-metal) 395 tons. Wanganui. —Revenue, £474,231; increase, £3,558. Passengers decreased 102,044, chiefly due to the military camp at Rangiotu causing unusual traffic during the previous year. Season tickets increased 534. Cattle and calves increased 5,472, but sheep decreased 192,032, due largely to the establishment of freezing-works at Feilding and Wanganui. Timber decreased 3,670 tons, and general goods 2,349 tons. Minerals increased 11,092 tons. Wellington.— Revenue, £952,749; increase, £93,398. Passengers increased 303,875, caused chiefly by traffic in connection with the military camps at Trentham and Featherston. Season tickets increased 11,962. Parcels revenue increased £2,961, also largely due to the military camps. Cattle anil calves decreased 8,855, sheep 110,853, and pigs 621. Timber decreased 4,270 tons, general goods 3,181 tons, and minerals 14,122 tons. The decrease in general goods is due to the shortage of shipping for frozen meat, and in minerals to the reduced traffic in road-metal for local bodies, bricks for building, and sea-borne coal. Picton Section. Revenue, £29,844; increase, £1,620. There was little variation in the passenger and parcels revenue, though there was a decline in the number of passengers. Live-stock increased 16,403 in number, and general goods 8,451 tons, but timber decreased 388 tons and minerals 1,087 tons. Nelson Section. Revenue, £34,019; increase, £86. Passengers, parcels, and luggage revenue increased £345, but goods and miscellaneous revenue decreased £259. Live-stock decreased 4,954 in number, timber 1,048 tons, and minerals 244 tons; general goods normal. Westport Section. Revenue, £113,101; increase, £4,649. Passenger and parcels revenue increased £222, and goods and miscellaneous revenue £4,427. Minerals increased 9,371 tons, and timber decreased 401 tons; general goods normal. Westland Section. Revenue, £162,529; decrease, £206. Passenger and parcels revenue decreased £397, but there was a small increase in goods and miscellaneous revenue. Live-stock increased 5,088 head. Timber increased 428 tons, but minerals decreased 7,840 tons, and general goods 2,573 tons.