D.—2.

The Wellington-Napier district contributed £424,476; an increase in round figures of £23,000. Passengers increased by 68,000. Parcels, luggage, and mails yielded an additional £750, though the number of parcels shows a decrease of 4,000. The number of cattle increased by 3,100, and pigs by 3,600, but the sheep decreased by 55,000. Chaff, wool, grain, merchandise (13,000 tons), coal (16,000 tons), and other minerals (9,000 tons' improved, but 16,400 tons less timber and 2,800 tons less firewood were carried. The Wanganui district contributed £362,367 ; an increase of £39,000. Passengers increased by 80,000, and passenger revenue by over £9,000. Sheep increased by 112,000 and pigs by 17,000, but there was a slight falling-off in cattle. All classes of good's traffic increased, the principal improvements being in timber, which shows an increase of 15,000 tons, minerals 18,000 tons, and merchandise 9,000 tons. The business in this district shows rapid expansion generally, but particularly on the main trunk line. Auckland Section. Revenue, £439,097 ; increase, £46,749. Amount. Amount. No. £ No. £ Passengers ... 1,498,942 136,755 Increase 169,568 Increase 15,722 Season tickets 42,709 12,830 Increase 4,152 Increase 968 Parcels, &c. ... 133,972 25,815 Decrease 1,702 Increase 4,437 Live-stock ... 322,582) (Increase 53,393] Tons. \ 254,527 \ Tons. I Increase 24,041 Goods ... 571.433J (increase 51,901) Miscellaneous ... 9,170 •■• Increase 1,582 In this district the traffic continues to increase rapidly. Cattle increased by 8,592, sheep by 40,000, timber by 10,000 tons, merchandise 4,000 tons, coal 11,000 tons, and other minerals 31,000 tons. The export of butter dropped slightly in consequence of the dry season. North of Auckland Sections. Wliangarei. —Revenue, £30,566; increase, £3,639. Increases are shown in all classes of traffic. Timber increased by 9,000 tons, and coal by 13,500 tons. Kawakaiva.— Revenue, £1,984; increase, £49. The passenger revenue accounts for the increase. The coal traffic totalled only 900 tons. Kaihu.— Revenue, £4,426 ; decrease, £792. The timber traffic continues to decline owing to the exhaustion of supplies. Gisborne Section. Revenue,'£B,397 ; increase, £1,802. The increase is general in all classes of traffic. As will be seen from the table below the time-table has been maintained with punctuality : —

Average Late Arrival of Trains.

XX

63 I < e-i =* II < Pβ s< i Period ending sriod eni iding > O o I ? S5 S ■s a a J ~ ill s*a 5 -9 Express and Mail Trains. Year ending 31st March, 3-55 I 1-22 0-98 l>86 1030 0-82 ! 1-99 0-81 | 0-98 2-18 1-44 1-43 1-32 1-43 1908 Year endhi" 31st March, 1'6S 0-48 1-04 1-49 ' 0-54 : 0-37 0-35 0-87 ' 0-64 3-09 2-52 2-48 2-52 1-39 1907 I I Long-distance Mixed Trains. Year ending 31st March, 2-43 ; 1-95 1-75 1-81 I 1-07 1-25 1-14 1-20 1-27 i 1-67 1-88 3-11 2-70 1-75 1908 Year ending 31st March, 2-33 1'33 1-54 1-63 1-37 0-87 0'57 0-83 1-06 i 2--S2 2-35 2-52 2-43 1-63 1907 Suburban Trains. Year ending 31st March, 0-52 0-36 0-53 0-40 j 0-29 0-13 i 0-23 0-18 0-20 0-53 0-38 0-73 0-51 0-38 1908 I . Year ending 31st March, 0-29 0-34 0-32 0'22 0-23 0-13 0-22 0-24 0-17 ; 0-55 0-59 0-72 0-43 0-34 1907 ' .