D.—2

XVI

Thiity-eight cars were under construction in the railway workshops at close of the year, but owing to want of material the work is progressing very slowly. Brake-vans.- -The number of brake-vans on the line on the Ist April, 1917, was 440, and the number on the 31st March, 1918, was 444. Eour new vans were built and added to stock. The following table shows the weirk done on brake-vans during the year : —

Twelve bogie vans were under construction at close of the year. Wagons.—The wagon stock on the Ist April, 1917, consisted of 21,940 vehicles, and the number on the 31st March, 1918, was 22,073. Sixteen wagons were sold. One hundred and forty-nine new wagons were built and added to stock. Of this number 137 were additional stock, and the balance, twelve, was to replace wagons sold. The carrying-capacity of wagon stock was increased by 2,547 tons, equal to 1-35 per cent;., or an equivalent of 425 ordinary wagons. The following table gives particular's eif work clone on wagons during the, year : —

One thousand and fifty wagons were under construction in the railway workshops at the close of year, and comprised 175 beigie and 875 four-wheel wagons, but the work is proceeding very slowly* owing to want of material. Tarpaulins.— The tarpaulin stock on the Ist April, 1917, was 17,532, and on the 31st March, 1918, the number was 17,632. One hundred new tarpaulins were made in railway workshops and added to stock ; 692 worn-out tarpaulins were condemned and written off, and replaced with a similar number of new tarpaulins. The following table gives details of the work on tarpaulins for the year :■ —

Nine hundred, and fifty tarpaulins were being manufactured in the railway workshops at the close of the year, but the shortage of canvas is seriously retarding the work. Stationary Engines and Cranes. The repairs and renewals during the year were as follows : —

Axles- During the year 512 car, van, anel wagem axles were replaced with modern steel axles ; this number does not include axles for new rolling-stoe-k. The- steel axles increase the carrying: capacity eif eaedi wagon by 2 terns. Weslinghouse Brake. The work of equipping engines and rolling-stock on the Westland Section is in hand, but so far only the Greymouth- Gtira passenger-trains have- been equipped, owing to want of material. Efficient arrangements are in force for the examination and upkeep of the Westinghouse brake-. All new engines anel rolling-stock built for sections upon which the air-brake is in operation are equipped with it before being put into service.

Description. Number passed through Shops. Built new. Thoroughly overhauled, Heavy Repairs. D L1 Painted. tlepairs. Paint touched up. Irake-vans 731 4 10 260 457 161 200

r Thoroughly ~ -, . Paint Description. Built new. Re-ereeted. Rebuilt. over- T , ■•' r> ■ Painted. touched v through . , , Repair,-;. Repairs. o, 6 hauled. e F up. Shops. * agons .. 21,712 I 149 12 41 62 5,090 16,358 3,563 9,029 .. __ jt_ _.

tarpaulins Description. I Condemned Number passed Manufactured I and replaced through Shops. new. with New j Tarpaulins. 20,658 100 692 I Repaired. 19,866

Description. 13 ft %£ §<* ftlfl s P w H 'eg Ph J I Ph Boiler-repairs. JH r/, y. ■3 it I rrj . O CD • S 1 W fc H fc « 7 i " 3 '.'. \ '.'. '.'. '2 .. 7 24 1 2 1 11 2 .. 2 I i land-cranes >team-cranes Stationary engines 'He-drivers and hoisting-engines.. 'neumatic cranes 21 25 31 6 3 8 8 13 17 3 ! 5 1 5 6 1 2