P.—2

XVIII

Invercargill District. —Revenue, £342,254 ; increase, £28,227. There was a large increase—over 70,000—in passengers. Parcels traffic improved considerably. Cattle show an increase of 2,200, and sheep 157,000. The sheep sent to Southland during the dry weather of the previous year were returned when feed became plentiful further north. There was a decrease of about 12,000 tons of grain, but other classes of goods traffic show substantial improvement. Lake Wakatipu Steamers. Revenue, £6,669 ; increase, £26. There was'little variation of traffic.

Average Late Arrival of Trains, Year ended 31st March, 1912.

Stores. Mr. H. Baxter, Stores Manager, reports as follows : — The value of stores (purchased under the railway vote) on hand at 31st March, 1912, at the various depots amounted to £252,079 lis. 9d.. as against £222,844 3s. lid. on the 3lst March, 1911, an increase of £29,235 7s. lOd. The value of the stores stock on hand on account of addition to open lines amounted to £17,266 18s. sd. on the 31st March, 1912, as against £27.090 os. 4d. on the 31st March, 1911, a decrease of £9,823 Is. lid. The total stock of stores on hand has therefore increased during the past year by £19,412 ss. lid. The stock is in good order, has been carefully and systematically inspected, and is value for the amounts stated.

The conduct of the staff as a whole has been very satisfactory. 1 have, &c, T. RONAY-JE, The Hon. the Minister of Railways. General Manager.

l i -t f\ ' 3 at | -5 ei | g ■ j r. & ■ o Period ending rH O oi ci 9 d H i tf so A 9 fa | a | a « Jh s 5 -H Express and Mail Trains. Year ending 91st March, 6-48 2-96 2-65 2-47 1-G6 0-68 i 1-05 101 0-84 8-45 1-95 j 2-14 I 1-65 2-23 1912 Year ending 81st March, 3-32 1-35 2-81 0-96 1-20 0-72 0-43 0-60 0-66 4o3 2-38 285 2-71 1-88 1911 Long-distance Mixed Trains. Year ending 31st March, 4-52 3-18 2-85 253 219 1-84 1-88 i 2-15 2-49 4-05 3-54 4-29 8-45 2-99 1912 Yoar ending 81st March, 4-03 3-09 ■ 3-17 1-57 1-72 1-44 1-67 i 2-02 2-43 374 ! 3-41 4-28 3-91 2-80 1911 Suburban Trains. Year ending 31st March, 0-81 0-63 I 0-68 044 I 0-30 0-21 0-58 0-34 0-80 i 0-f.8 0-59 0-66 0-64 0-52 1912 Year ending 31st March, 098 0-59 0-92 j 0-67 i 0-40 0-32 036 0-34 0-81 0-65 i 0-61 i 0-51 0-47 0-54 . i9ii '___ ■ L_ ' I 111: