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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT RAILWAYS. New Zealand Government Railways, Head Office, Wellington, 20th July, 1923. Sir,I have the honour to report on the working of the railways for the financial year ended 31st March, 1923. During the year the Patumahoe-Waiuku Section, 7 miles 70 chains, was opened, making the total mileage open for traffic on the 31st March, 1923, 3,037 miles. Tho capita! invested in the lines open for traffic, including the steamers and plant on Lake Wakatipu, at the close of tiro financial year was £40,275,161, as against £39,309,097 the preceding year-, an increase of £966,064. This amount includes £156,374 construction charges on lines taken over from the Public Works Department, £75.1,928 for rolling-stock and new works charged against Capital Account under " Additions to open lines," and £57,301 expended under the Railway Improvement Authorization Act, 1914. The gross receipts for the year amounted to £6,727,802, as against £6,643,591 for the previous year, an increase of £84,21.1. Tho net revenue, £1,225,305, is equal to a return of 3-04 per cent, on the capital invested in the lines open for traffic, and 2-62 per cent, on the capital invested on the opened and unopened lines. The train-mileage for the year, 8,346,731, was 370,534 miles less than the preceding year. A reduction of 260,468 miles was made on the North Island main line and branches, and. 84,861 miles on the South Island main line and branches. In the Ohakune district slips and subsidences occurred in May, July, August, and November, 1922, and January, 1923, while the earthquakes in the Canterbury District in December last caused considerable damage to the railway in the Cheviot district. Beyond this, nothing calling for special comment occurred, and the train services were unusually free from delays arising out of floods and slips. The following figures, which include delays from every cause, and give the record of the late arrival at destination of the principal trains during the year, show that—notwithstanding such difficulties as were experienced —the trains have, as a whole, run well up to time : — Average Late Arrival. Mm. Mm. Long-distance passenger-trains .. .. .. 2*57 against 3-14 last year! Suburban, trains .. .. .. .. .. 0-61 ~ 0-80 ~ Long-distance mixed trains .. .. .. 3-66 ~ 5-00 ~ The number of ordinary passengers carried during the year was 14,256,610, a decrease of 5,830 when compared with last year. 512,943 passengers wore carried at holiday excursion fares, 99,416 children and teachers and 73,855 adults at the school, factories, and friendly-societies rates. Season tickets issued during the year numbered 485,681, an increase of 12,816. Workers' twelvetrip tickets issued numbered 127,012, an increase of 5,891, and weekly workmen's tickets issued on suburban lines numbered 281,220, an increase of 6,535. The goods and live-stock tonnage was 6,618,588 tons, an increase of 297,237 tons over the preceding year. The increases were — Cattle .. .. .. .. .. 14,026 head. Other goods (including minerals) .. .. 348,694 .tons. The decreases were — Sheep and pigs .. .. .. .. 267,752 head. Timber .. .. .. .. .. 44,999 ton,:. The increase in general goods was 255,81.4 tons, and in, minerals 92,880 tons, mainly represented by traffic under tho heads dairy-produce, grain and general merchandise, and native coal. The movement of sheep was retarded by an unfavourable season combined with a fluctuating market and the necessity for replenishing flocks which had been heavily depleted in past years. The falling-off was confined to the North Island main line and branches, where the reduction compared with previous year's traffic was 406,255 head. The decline in timber tonnage reflects the depression in the building trade and fluctuations in importations of poles for electric-power lines. The coal railed from Westport mines was 586,684 tons, an increase of 88,188 tons on the previous year's traffic. The output from co-operative parties increased by 12,000 tons. The output from mines in Greymouth district was 275,856 tons—a decrease of 15,255 tons on the previous year. In 1915 the coal railed from Greymouth mines was 514,795, or 46-61 per cent, greater than last year (275,856 tons). The mines in the Wairio district, Southland, served by the Ohai Railway increased their output by 32,000 tons. Nightcaps and other mines in the same neighbourhood fell off by 15,500 tons. The average, number of men employed for the year was 15,728, against 15,662 for the previous year. t Twenty-seven members of the Second Division were, promoted to the First Division, 302 members v ,ned, 116 retired on superannuation, 46 died, 122 were dismissed, and 715 engaged.

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