D.—2

XI

Invercargill. —Revenue, £483,101; decrease, £31,69.1. Passengers decreased 135,356, and season tickets 320. Parcels, luggage, and mails decreased £765. Cattle and calves decreased 10,522. Sheep increased 71,319. Timber decreased 14,195 tons, and minerals 12,886 tons. General goods increased 6,086 tons. Lake Wakatipu Steamers. Revenue, £8,019 ; decrease, £970. Passengers decreased 5,533. Live-stock decreased 1,878. Goods increased 1,076 tons.

Average Late Arrival of Trains, Year ended 31st March, 1922.

MAINTENANCE. Mr. F. W. Mac Lean, M.Inst.CIS., Chief Engineer, reports as follows : — The track, buildings, structures, and appliances have been maintained in efficient order and repair. During the year 42| miles of track were relaid almost entirely with new material. This is a considerable improvement on the relaying carried out during recent years, but is still much less than is required. Sleeper renewals and ballasting have also been increased considerably. It is unfortunate that the financial position and the necessity for the most rigid curtailment of expenditure prevents any attempt to carry out works held over when neither men nor materials were available. It must be remembered that increasing traffic involves to a large extent the reconstruction of railways originally designed for light traffic, and it is imperative that this must be, carried out if the traffic is to bo handled with convenience to the public and economy. Permanent-way. —The relaying during the year has been as follows : — Miles. Main line, 701b. and 100 lb. steel rails relaid with new 1001b. material . . £ Main line and branch lines, 53 lb., 56 lb., 65 lb., and 100 lb. steel rails relaid with new 70 lb. and 100 lb. material .. .. .. .. 33 Branch lines, 40 lb., 45 lb., 52 lb., 53 lb., and 56 lb. relaid with 55 lb. material 8| Branch lines relaid with second-hand material .. .. . . .. J Total relaying for the year .. .. .. .. 42| Sleepers. —l4s,734 new sleepers were placed in the track during the year. Ballasting. —173,9.11 cubic yards of ballast were placed on the track during the year. Slips and Floods. —Slip, and floods of a minor character, which do not call for special comment, occurred on various districts. In May a slip of 100 yards at Opua blocked the main line and damaged the engine-shed. Heavy rains caused another slip at Opua in June, and on Whangarei line and the Kaipara Branch the line was under water for considerable distances, but causing no material damage. In January and February the Thames and Waihi Branches were scoured out by flood-waters, slight delays to traffic occurring. In December a slip took place just north of Taumarunui, causing derailment to engine and four wagons. The sea-wall at New Plymouth was badly damaged by heavy seas in August, 3,278 cubic yards of stone from Mount Egmont being used in repairs. A cloudburst on the 12th January caused floods in Patea and Whcnuakura Rivers ; the bridge over latter river was washed out, blocking traffic until the 30th-January. About 1,000 cubic yards of stone were used on river protective works on the Midland line. An old slip on Midland Branch came down during the year, the track being diverted to a safe position. The protection of foreshore at Oamaru with heavy stone was continued, about 5,700 cubic yards of stone being discharged. About 2,400 cubic yards of stone were used in protective works in the Westland Section. Bridges. —These have been maintained in good condition. Considerable renewals and repairs have been effected. Water-services. —These have been maintained in good order. Wharves. —The wharves belonging to the Department have been maintained in good order. Buildings. —Extensive renewals and repairs have been effected. Engine-sheds at Clinton and Cross Creek were destroyed by fire, and the work of rebuilding is well advanced. Station-yards. —Siding extensions and rearrangements, and additional accommodation, have been carried out at a number of stations. Railway Improvements. —Auckland-Mercer grade easements : Further portion of this work has been completed. A new station has been built at Papakura. The total expenditure under the Railways Improvement Authorization Account during the year was £62,069.

Year ended d 3 81 < rt CD a a 05 C-l 3 ri © CM BO < Period ended J5. ■ id « © ■fi •' 43 > 6 Sr ° o » (g o Z P I fc~ I a A 03 rM 53 «- O 03 © u P rr 5f 5 S March 31, 1922 March 31, 1921 Express and Mail Trains. .. I 4-54 I 2-83 I 3-11 j 2-10 j 2-74 I 2-11 I 1-89 I 2-45 [ 2-06 I 7-73 I 3-58 j 2-80 I 2-89 j 3-14 .. | 7-86 | 5-09 [11-36 | 2-72 | 1-84 \ 1-98 | 2-72 10-09 I 2-39 | 7-62 | 4-79 I 4-41 | 6-18 I 5-35 Long-distance Mixed Trains. March 81, 1922 March 31, 1921 .. j 8-62 I 7-49 | 5-01 | 4-54 I 3-43 I 3 49 I 3-48 I 3-74 I 3-52 ] 4-77 [ 5-90 I 5-35 [ 5-66 I 5-00 .. 112-43 |l2-17 I 8-59 | 5,30 | 4-50 | 4-07 | 5-29 | 7-42 | 5-84 | 0-85 I 7-54 | 9-59 Jl0-85 | 7-72 Suburban Trains. March 31, 1922 March 31, 1921 u Ik .. 1-09 1-31 1-18 1-08 0-71 0-50 0-57 0-67 0-54 0-82 0-(i7 0-64 0-67 0-80 .. 1-75 2.04 1-38 1-18 0-92 0-57 0-91 1-08 1-01 1-09 0 88 0-89 1-49 1-16