IX

D.—l

Stratford to Wangamomona—Permanent survey. Coal Creek Railway Extension—Permanent survey. Gisborne to Motu —Permanent survey. Domett to Kaikoura—Trial survey of alternative routes. In addition to the above, trial surveys will be made in respect of the following lines as soon as officers are available to undertake the work:— Kawakawa to Hokianga. Kaihu to North Auckland Railway system. Pukekohe to Waiuku. Kawhia to Main Trunk Line. Tauranga to Opotiki. Rotorua Line to Te Puke or Tauranga. Motu to Opotiki. Wangamomona to North Island Main Trunk Railway. Napier to Gisborne. Masterton to Waipukurau. Levin to Marton. Featherston to Martinborough. Little River to Akaroa. Waihao Downs to Waihaorunga. Winton to Heddon Bush. Total Appropriations for Railway-construction. In addition to the amounts already mentioned, a vote of £112,000 is proposed for permanent-way materials, £6,000 for surveys of new lines, and £1,000 for land-claims and other old liabilities and contingent payments on Construction Account. These items bring the total proposed authorisation for railway-construction purposes up to £1,000,000, on account of which a vote of £900,000 is proposed for the requirements of the current year, which is a material advance on last year's vote. In addition to this sum, the unexpended balance to the credit of the Waikaka Branch Railway Account, amounting to £13,391, will also be available, and the £30,000 voted out of the State Coalmines Account for the Point Elizabeth line. Other Railway Works. The expenditure under the heading of " Additions to Open Lines" was £364,068. Of this sum £261,749 was spent in the provision of rolling-stock, and the balance (£102,319) on additions to station-accommodation, workshops machinery, and the inauguration of signalling, interlocking, and safety appliances. The amount proposed to be voted for the current year is £350,000, of which £185,000 is for new rolling-stock. A considerable amount of work has been carried out in connection with the duplication of the Hutt Railway and the road improvement connected therewith. Much of the work has been of a preliminary character connected with the formation between Ngahauranga and Kaiwarra. The duplication of the line is practically completed from Lower Hutt to Ngahauranga, and the station buildings and yard improvements at the latter station are in hand, and the line to this station will be opened very shortly. The work is still being somewhat retarded by the difficulties experienced in connection with the transport of stone for the sea-wall. The forming and metalling of the Hutt Road will now be pushed on speedily. A large amount of work has been done under the Railways Improvements Authorisation Act of 1904 in connection with the Auckland-Penrose, AddingtonRolleston, and Dunedin-Mosgiel duplications. The double line between Newmarket and Penrose is rapidly, approaching completion, and the interlocking and block-working appliances are being installed. As soon as this installation is completed the line between Newmarket and Penrose will be opened for traffic. That part of the duplication which lies between Auckland and the Parnell Tunnel, being dependent on the completion of the superstructure of the Parnell Bridge, will not be opened until a later date. The construction of this bridge is well in hand, however.

ii—D. 1,