D.—2.

XIX

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BOARD OF MANAGEMENT OF THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT RAILWAYS. New Zealand Government Railways, Sir, — Head Office, Wellington, 18th August, 1925. We have the honour to report on the working of the railways for the financial year ended 31st March, 1925. The Pukemiro - Glen Afton Section, I mile 54 chains ; the Kohuratahi-Tahora Section, 5 miles ; the Makaraka-Ngatapa Section, 11. miles 33 chains ; the Arthur's Pass - Otira Section, 8 miles 18 chains, were taken over and opened for traffic during the year, making the total mileage open for traffic on the 31st March, 1925, 3,085 miles. The capital invested in the lines open for traffic, including the steamers and plant on Lake Wakatipu, on the 31st March, 1925, was £44,570,746, as against £41,399,427 for the previous year, an increase of £3,171,319. This amount includes £2,175,522, construction charges on lines already taken over from the Public Works Department, £742,922 on new works charged against Capital Account under " Additions to open lines," and £252,875 expended under the Railways Improvement Authorization Act, 1914. The gross receipts for the year amounted to £7,112,524, as against £6,984,211 for the previous year, an increase of £128,313. The net revenue, £1,567,108, is equal to a return of 3-55 per cent, on the capital invested in the lines open for traffic, and 3-08 per cent, on the capital invested in the opened and unopened lines. The train mileage for the year was 9,083,623, in addition to 409,455 miles run by assisting engines, as against 8,675,636 and 348,867 miles respectively the previous year. The particulars arc; as follows : -

The mileage run by assisting engines will not, in future, be included in the Department's statistics and has not been included in this year's returns. Extensive slips and floods were experienced in the North Island during the year, resulting in serious damage to the track and consequent dislocation of traffic on several lines. The districts principally affected were —North Auckland, where through traffic was interrupted from the 3rd April to the 13th May ; the Toko Branch, between Pohokura and Whangamomona, where the line was completely blocked for traffic from the sth April to the middle of July ; and the Rimutaka Incline, which was blocked by slips from the Ist to the 7th November. The following figures, which include delays from every cause, and give the record of the late arrival at destination of the principal trains during the year, indicate that, notwithstanding the unforeseen difficulties caused through slips, Hoods, and other circumstances, the trains have, generally speaking, run well up to schedule :— Average Late Arrival. Min. Min. Long-distance passenger-trains .. .. .. 3-64 against 3-51 last year. Suburban trains .. .. .. .. .. 0-65 ~ 0-71 ~ Long-distance mixed trains .. .. .. 4-63 ~ 4-26 ~ The number of ordinary passengers carried during the year was 12,424,012, a decrease of 1,412,299 when compared with last year. 486,065 passengers were carried at holiday excursion fares, an increase of about 12 per cent, on the previous year ; 76,057 children and teachers and adults at the school, factories, and friendly societies rate, as compared with 200,748 carried the previous year. The decrease in this traffic can be ascribed practically wholly to the epidemic of infantile paralysis. Season tickets issued during the year numbered 537,554, an increase of 11,810. Workers' twelvetrip tickets issued numbered 136,563, an increase of 3,561 ; and workers, weekly tickets issued on suburban lines numbered 331,861, an increase of 18,750.

1924-25. 1923-24. . . . , - _ ; j - m • Assisting rr • Assisting : * t « c , ,. Irani tjy: rp j. , Irani ™ • m . i * Increase. ' Se0t, °"- 1 Mileage. *££ TotaI " ! Mileage. 1 1 t^e. ' i j r j Whangarei .. 134,858 1 2.070 136,928 126,680 1,060 i 127,740 9,188* Kaihn .. .. 17,232 ! .. 17,232 18,132 .. I 18,132 900f Gisborne .. .. 65,609 245 65.854 63,331 239 63.570 2,284* North Hand Main 5,238,099 308,752 5,546,851 | 5,006,506 261,605 | 5,268,111 278,740* Lines and Branches South Island Main 3,438,695 I 94,058 3,532,753 3,281,071: 83,271 3,364,342 168,411* Lines and Branches Westport.. .. 87,640 2,334 89,974 79,016 466 79,482 10,492* Nelson .. .. 56.469! 958 57,427 | 57,035 1,365 58,400 973f Picton .. .. 45,021 1,038 46,059 43,865 861 44,726 1,333* 9,083,623 409,455 9,493,078 8,675,636 ' 348,867 ! 9,024,503 468,575*