D.—2

LOCOMOTIVE. Mr. E. E. Gillon, Chief Mechanical Engineer, reports as follows : — The plant, locomotives, tenders, carriages, brake-vans, wagons, machinery, and tools havo been maintained in good working-order during the year. Locomotives. —On the Ist April, 1922, there were 637 engines in service, and on the 31st March, 1923, there were 663 engines. Twenty-three old engines were condemned and written off stock. One tank engine was sold and written off stock. Twenty-six new engines were added to stock, six of which were built in tho Government railway workshops, five being Pacific-type simple superheated tender engines, Class Ab, and one heavy tank engine, 4-6-4 type, Class Wab : four Pacific-type simple superheated tender engines, Class Ab, were built by Messrs A. and G. Price (Limited), of Thames : the balance, sixteen, was portion of the contract with the North British Locomotive Company (Limited), of Clasgow. In the Government railway workshops to date 200 engines have been built, and twenty-four old locomotives have been rebuilt. During the, year 705 locomotives passed through the workshops, the details of work done being as follows : —

Included in the above are two engines repaired for the Public Works Department and two engines repaired for private lines. At the close of the year there were on order in the railway workshops twenty-one engines, consisting of twelve simple superheated tender engines, Pacific type, Class Ab, and nine heavy tank engines, 4-6-4 type —four Class Wab and five Class Ws. There were also on order from Messrs. A. and G. Price (Limited), Thames, sixteen Pacific-type engines, Class Ab, and from the North British Locomotive Company (Limited), Glasgow, five Pacific-type engines, Class Ab : the latter order was increased by three. Altogether there were on order on the. 31st March, 1.923, forty-two engines. The, tractive power of locomotives was increased by 342,233 lb., equal to 3-66 per cent.

Boilers. —The work on renewals and repairs has been kept well up to date. The following statement shows details of boiler-work done :—

Included in the above are three boilers repaired for the Public Works Department and five for a private line. Forty-three new boilers were in hand at the close of the year, consisting of eleven Class Ab, one Class B, eleven Class F, four Class Fa, six Class U, one Class W, one Class Wa, four Class Wab, and four Class Ws. Carriages. —The stock on the Ist April, 1922, was 1,4-96, and on the 31st March, 1923, the number was 1,498. Ten new cars were built, six being additional stock, and four to replace stock condemned and written off. One car was sold and seven cars written off stock.

XXIV

Number and Type. Particulars. • Fourcylinder Balanced- Tender Tank Tell Single compound Engines. Engines. Engines. Fairlies. Tender Engines. Total. lumber passed through shops luilt new Irected new te-erected 'horoughly overhauled leavy repairs light repairs 'ainted 'aint touched up 61 24 7 30 21 18 300 5 16 1 62 51 165 53 179 327 I 83 57 186 67 110 7 4 10 2 1 7 2 8 705 6 16 1 175 116 391 148 315 3 5 !

N aSed r Built Heav - y Ught Now Description. .* , Re- Re- Tubes through new. , 0 . , Shops. pairs ' palrs - (Sets) ' Boilers .. 393 17 159 217 106 J I Superheater Tubes (Sets). Tubes pieced and Secondhand (Sots). New Now Firebox Firebox. Tubeplate. 16 15 New Smokebox Tubeplate. Number of Boilers patched i 141 24 31 I 13