2

D.—2

APPENDICES.

APPENDIX A. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GENERAL MANAGER OF NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT RAILWAYS. N.Z. Government Eailways, Head Office, Sir,— Wellington, 30th Jane, 1900. I have the honour to report upon the working of the open railways for the financial year ended 31st March, 1900. The capital cost has increased from £16,404,076 to £16,703,887. The revenue has heen £1,623,891, against £1,469,665 last year, an increase of £154,228, The net revenue has been £571,533, against, £539,928 last year, an increase of £31,605. The expenditure has been £1,052,358, against £929,736, an increase of £122,620. The expenditure per cent, of revenue £64-80, as compared with £6326 last year. The rate of interest earned on capital cost —£3 Bs. 5d., as compared with £3 ss. 10d. lasb year. The revenue per train-mile, 7s. 9d., and the cost per train-mile, 55., as against 7s. sd. and 4s. Bd. respectively last year. The following extensions have been opened during the year : — M. oh. Gorge Eoad to Waimahaka ... ... ... ... ... 6 40 Winton to Hedgehope ... ... ... ... ... 1266 Total ... ... ... ... 19 26 Eeturn No. 16 gives a comparative statement of the traffic and expenditure from 1881-82 to date. The passenger traffic shows an increase of 512,731 passengers and 8,308 season tickets, the increased revenue derived therefrom being £39,468. 582,704 holiday excursionists have travelled, yielding a revenue of £96,154. 43,455 scholars and teachers, and 31,164 parents and friends, travelled by school and factory excursions, yielding a revenue of £4,752. There has again been a large increase in the goods and live-stock traffic—viz., 503,815 tons. The revenue from goods and live-stock has increased by £103,646. Cattle and calves have increased in number 9,185; sheep, 5,554; and pigs by 1,537 head. Wooi has increased by 7,225 tons; firewood, 5,088 tons; timber, 24,411 tons; grain," 343,962 tons; merchandise, 57,577 tons; minerals, 71,345 tons. Chaff and lime have decreased 5,792 tons. Ten locomotives have been imported from Sharp, Stewart, and Co., of Glasgow, during the year, and are giving satisfaction. The building of new carriage and wagon stock is still keeping all the railway workshops very busy. Our workshops are, however, quite unable to keep pace with the demand for rolling-stock. It will therefore be necessary to import both carriages and wagons, in addition to placing orders with New Zealand firms. A contract has been entered into with the Westinghouse Brake Company (Limited) for the fitting of the Westinghouse automatic brake complete to the locomotives, cars, brake-vans, and wagons on the Wellington-Napier-New Plymouth and Auckland sections of the New Zealand railways, the company to provide all patent parts and material, and to perform all the work necessary in connection with the fitting of the brake to the rolling-stock. An order has also been given for the supply of the fittings necessary for equipping the through trains on the HurunuiBluff section with the Westinghouse brake, and on arrival of the material the brakes will be fitted in the departmental workshops. Dining-cars commenced running on the express trains between Dunedin and Christchurch on the 21st December last. They are proving a convenience to travellers, and have met a long-felt want. The cooking apparatus is heated by compressed gas. Arrangements are now being made with a view to applying the staff system of working, both ordinary and electric, to our railway lines. The traffic is developing rapidly, and a very large capital expenditure will now require to be provided for in order that the appliances and accommodation necessary for dealing with the business in a satisfactory manner may be provided. I have, &c, T. Ronaynb, To the Hon. the Minister for Railways. General Manager.