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APPENDIX F. Statement of Revenue and Expenditure, New Zealand Midland Railway, Year ending 31st March, 1900. Revenue. Expenditure. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Passengers ... 6,844 18 6 Balance from last year ... 23 11 7 Parcels, &c. ... 665 13 4 Maintenance ... 9,696 9 3 Goods, &c. ■ ... 12,805 1 0 Locomotive ... 4,273 10 0 Percentages ... 1,932 13 8 Traffic ... ... 2,469 5 0 22,248 6 6 General charges ... 250 0 0 Rates* ... ... 1,217 4 9 Protective works' ... 1,104 15 4 , . ! 19,011 4 4 Credit balance transferred to ♦ construction account, Public Works Department... ... 3,213 10 7 £22,248 6 6! £22,248 6 6

Particulars of Rates.

APPENDIX G. Sir, — District Traffic Manager's Office, Auckland, 17th May, 1900. I have the honour to report on the working of the Auckland Section of the New Zealand railways for the financial year ending 31st March, 1900. The revenue has increased by nearly £10,000, being an increase of 6 per cent, over the receipts of the previous year. The passenger traffic shows an increase of 75,000 passengers : when it is remembered that part of the Easter-holiday bookings in 1899 were included in the returns for year ending 31st March, 1899, while the Easter holidays this year occurred during April, the bookings for which are included in the accounts for the current year, the increase as above is very pleasing. The parcels traffic shows that 7,000 more parcels have been carried than during the previous year : this traffic is increasing very steadily year by year, the traffic for the year showing an increase of 21,000 parcels over that for "the year 1896-97. The live-stock traffic shows a steady improvement notwithstanding the competition by water carriage with which we have had to contend. There is an increase of nearly 1,000 tons of chaff: had it not been for the low prices ruling for this commodity a much larger quantity would have been carried by rail during the year. Timber shows an increase of 600,000 superficial feet: new mills are being started at Mamaku and Mangapeehi, and the promises for the timber traffic for the ensuing year are very encouraging. Grain and manure traffic has increased by 5,000 tons. Merchandise traffic is 4,500 tons over that of the preceding year : this traffic produces the largest revenue of any goods traffic, and the increase is therefore very satisfactory. The Waikato coal traffic shows an increase of 3,000 tons over that of the previous year. A fair proportion of this increase is due to an extension of the line to Thames having been opened in December, 1898. This traffic is bound, however, to increase from year to year, and a very large impetus will be given to it when the line is opened to Waihi. Waikato coal will then be largely used at the mines for fuel instead of firewood, which latter is now becoming scarce and expensive to get. The passenger traffic to Te Aroha and Botorua Hot Springs has increased very much during the year, and these places are gaining more and more in popularity as time goes on. The change whereby the express trains run all the year round between Auckland and Botorua, with connecting trains on the Thames line, has been greatly appreciated and taken advantage of during the year. The supply of cars and wagons has been augmented during the year, but is still hardly sufficient to meet requirements. When the additions which are now under order are given effect to I hope to be in a position to supply all the necessities of the passenger and goods traffic. The reduction in fares for workmen, which comes into force at the end of this month, will, I consider, largely increase the number of passengers from suburban stations to Auckland.

Local Body. Period. Amount. Grey County Council Westland County Council .. Waimea County Council Brunner Borough Council .. .. 1st April, 1899, to 31st March, 1900 1899, „ 1900 1899, „ 1900 1899, „ 1900 i . £ s. d. 782 5 8 24 10 3 250 0 4 160 8 0 -1,217 4 9 £1,217 4 9