NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS. Annual Report. (BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN REPORTER.) Wellington, June 9.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 206, 11 June 1887, Page 1

NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS. Annual Report. (BY TELEGRAPH. — OWN REPORTER. ) Wellington, June 9.

The annual report upon railways for the year ending March 31st last was laid on the table yesterday. From it I learn that the length of line opened at the end of the year was 1,727 miles. The Waimea I'lains railway was taken over to be worked by the Government on tlio 14th November, 188 G. The total length of railway opened during the year, including the Waimea lines, was 114 miles. Thirty-six new stations have been added. The revenue earned represents L 2 Gs per cent, on the estimated cost, of the opened lines. The highest rate is paid by the Greymouth line, L 3 10s 2d percent., and the next highest by the Wcstport line, \A 16s Sd per cent. The traffic under the heads of passengers, parcels, live stock, wool, and minerals has increased, while that of timber, grain, and merchandise has decreased. That the extensive reductions in rates Much have been carried out should have been followed by a falling off in imports ot merchandise, diminishing the most profitable railway traffic, and that the much smaller pioduction of grain, due to the low market prices, and the lessened demand for timber, due to cessation of building and settlement, should have occurred at the same time is unfortunate. The grain traffic loss has been superseded -by increased traffic in live stock, but the law rates at which the latter traffic and that of minmals is necessarily carried do not return revenue at all equal to that lost on the classes of traffic which have fallen off. The traffic was greatly affected during the early part of the year by the heavy and continuous floods in the South. A fire at Dunedin caused a loss of a goods shed, and heavy losses in claims and expenses. Mr Maxwell further reports that during the yeaf exceptionally heavy floods did much damage noith of ChrUtchurch, at Addington, between Oamaru and the Bluff, and on the Little River and Otautau branches. Such heavy flood-s have not occurred since 1579. Groat damage occurred at the Taieri, causing a suspension of traffic, loss of revenue and heavy outlay on repairs. The railway at the Taieri is still liable to serious damage and suspension of traffic from floods, winch it is desirable to take .steps to avert. * Careful attention has been given by the local officers to economy in every department, and the gradual improvement of works and appliances in former years had admitted of saving. An increased expense must be expected in the permanent way of repairs and on structures, and in general repairs for locomotives and a rolling stock in the future. As to future prospects, the general manager says there seems every prospect that the coming year will show a greater traffic than any preceding year, while there is no j reason to expect any large or sudden increase in expenses, provided that no serious casualties occur. With the largely reduced rates and fares now in operation, and the extension of the lines in many parts into feettled districts, it must be anticipated that the proportion of expenses to the revenue will not be so low on the average as it has been in former years, but an improvement on the results of the past year may be expected. The alterations in rates made during the year are almost entirely in the direction of facilitating traffic in local products, and have been made to meet the demands from various quarters.

Mr Maxwell on Railway Kcforin In conclusion, Mr Maxwell states that "during the year 14 carriages and 356 trucks have been added to the stock. These have been manufactured almost exclusively in the colony. Fourteen locomotives have also been added. The locomotive building contract being executed in Chrietchurch is not yet completed, but is expected to be during the current year. The Railway Department is now performing postal and telegraph duties at 136 stations, under the supervision of the post and telegraph department, the latter contributing to the expense. The expenditure exceeds that of three years by only L 9,046, while in the meantime no less than 53 new stations and 250 miles of railway have been added to the system. Public criticism on the railway working is sometimes very severe, but allowance is seldom made for the difficulty of satisfying all demands without exceeding the means available. There are two forces always at work— the one operating directly on the Department through the public demands upon it, which tend almost exclusively either to increase expenses or to curtail revenue j the other operating through another channel requiring that the strictest economy should be exercised, and that the largest possibly revenue should be realised. During the past two years, it has been necessary to curtail expenses by reducing the train mileage, and to carry on an increased traffic upon a largely extended mileage of railway, without practically increasing the cost, in order to keep expenditure down to some extent in proportion to the diminished revenue. iWhile the public has acquiesced in these economies, they have necessarily been attended with a certain amount of dissatisfactionj which seems to some extent inevitable. As increased outlay in renewals of the lines and stock; with increased age must certainly be expected, stringent economy is obviously necessary wherever possible, and as increased facilities have been afforded by reduced rates and fares, a reasonable allowance should be made for the absence of luxuries, which are only obtainable by increased expense."

.;, Growth of Traffic 'A return is appended showing a comparison^ of. traffic and revenue for the past eight years:- It gives the following information, commencing with 1879-80 and going down to 1886-87.

Uiles. Revenue. . Expenditure. Passengers. 1,172 1,277 1,319 1,358 1,396 1,477 1,613 1,727 L. 762,573 836,451 892,026 953,347 961,304 1,045,712 1,047,419 998,707 L. 580,030 521.957 623,099 592,821 655,990 090,026 690,340 699,072 2,967,000 2,849,581 2,911,477 3,283,378 3.272.6 U 3,232,886 5,362,266 3,4JM03