D.—2

XX

TRAFFIC. Mr. H. Buxton, Chief Traffic Manager, reports that the following are the leading features of the traffic in the various districts in comparison with the previous year: — Whangarei Section. Revenue, £73,963 ; increase, £3,763. Passengers increased 3,585 ; season tickets decreased 238. Live-stock increased 13,850. Timber decreased 12,313 tons, and other goods increased 24,151 tons. Kaihu Section. Revenue, £8,866; decrease, £1,042. Passengers increased 34. Timber decreased 2,657 tons, and other goods 1,509 tons. Gisborne Section. Revenue, £38,301 ; decrease, £5,960. Passengers decreased 8,334, and season tickets 31. Livestock decreased 9,456 (sheep). Timber decreased 3,961 tons, and all other goods increased 286 tons. North Island Main Line and Branches. Revenue, £3,888,547 ; decrease, £8,483. The principal items of traffic were : Passengers, 8,553,046 ; increase, 88,589. Season tickets, 337,116 ; increase, 19,988. Parcels, &c, revenue, £228,470 ; increase, £30,272. Live-stock, 3,403,943 ; decrease, 392,780. Goods tonnage, 2,405,523; increase, 59,208. Timber'decreased 12,161 tons, and general goods increased 71,369 tons. The revenue per mile of railway decreased from £3,439 Us. 4d. to £3,411 os. 2d., but increased per train-mile from 15s. 3Jd. to 16s. lid. The variations of traffic in the individual districts were approximately as follows : — Auckland. —Revenue, £1,626,117 ; increase, £64,336. Passengers increased 176,680, and. season tickets 14,826. Parcels, luggage, &c, increased £10,293. Cattle and calves increased 12,416, and sheep and pigs 62,641. Timber decreased 9,314 tons, but other goods increased 65,591 tons. Ohakune.-— Revenue, £487,130 ; decrease, £7,530. Passengers decreased 9,735, and season tickets 172. Parcels, luggage, &c, increased £5,439. Cattle and calves decreased 1,676, and sheep and pigs 142,318. Timber decreased 1,116 tons. Other goods increased 4,873 tuns. Wanganui. —Revenue, £637,851. ; decrease, £41,718. Passengers decreased 81,622, and season tickets increased 7. Parcels, luggage, &c., increased £5,4-43. Cattle and calves increased 5,683, but sheep and pigs decreased 170,389. Timber decreased 2,447 tons, and all other goods 2,788 tons. Wellington. —Revenue, £1, Hi 1,020; decrease, £23,571. Passengers increased 7,266, and season tickets 5,327. Parcels, luggage, &c, increased £9,097. Cattle and calves decreased 12,948, and sheep and pigs 156,189. Timber increased 716 tons, and all other goods 3,693 tons. Picton Section. Revenue. £40,366 : decrease, £2,985. Passengers decreased 19,652, and season tickets increased 43. Live-stock increased 12,495. Goods increased 1,491 tons. Nelson Section. Revenue, £23,824 ; decrease, £4,371. Passengers decreased 13,170. Live-stock increased 13,789. Goods decreased 4,637 tons. Westport Section. Revenue, £125,243 ; increase, £9,790. Passengers decreased 779, and season tickets increased 437. Timber increased 2,460 tons, and other goods 88,994 tons. Westland Section. Revenue, £184,756 ; decrease, £4,394. Passengers decreased 1,833, and season tickets 300. Parcels, &c, revenue decreased £809. Live-stock increased 16,439. Timber- decreased 3,965 tons, and all other goods 15,560 tons. South Island Main Line ami Branches. Revenue, £2,334,586 ; increase, £96,563. The principal items of traffic were: Passengers, 4,751,507; decrease, 58,432. Season tickets, 128,190 ; decrease, (1,580. Parcels, &c, revenue, £143,805 ; increase, £22,400. Live-stock, 3,821,576 ; increase, 92,347. Timber, 155/124 tons; decrease, 11,080 tons. All other goods, 2,292,420 tons; inoreaes, 181,473. The revenue per mile <>f railway increased from £1,569 13s. I Id. to £1,633 14s. 5d., and per trainmile from Ms. !l.!d. to His. OJrd. The variations of traffic in the individual districts were approximately as under: Christchurch. Revenue, £1,006,411 ; increase, £25,560. Passengers decreased 10,979, and season tickets 4,901. Parcels, luggage, &c, revenue increased £8,226. Cattle and calves decreased 619, but sheep and pigs increased 4-7,274. Timber decreased 12,537 tons; other goods increased 59,824 tons. Dnndin. -Revenue, £800,577; increase, £26,506. Passengers decreased 27,942, and season tickets 2,252. Parcels, luggage, and mails revenue increased £8,660. Cattle and calves decreased 886, but sheep and pigs increased 78,823. Timber decreased 720 tons ; other goods increased 33,678 tons.