D.—2,

XXVI

want and demand. The patronage accorded to the Sunday trains has proved the correctness of the Department's estimate of the public requirements. Excursions. —Various avenues of regaining revenue by means of excursions have been exploited) with satisfactory results in most cases, notwithstanding that the Department was compelled to somewhat curtail its programme on account of the outbreak of infantile paralysis and the consequent restrictions of travel. Next summer the excursions will be repeated, and experiments made in other directions. It is also proposed to arrange winter tours during the time when trade is slack and business men and. others can conveniently spare the time for travel. Availability of Tickets. —The period for which tickets are available has been considerably extended, and arrangements have also been made for intending passengers to purchase tickets up to fourteen days prior to the date they intend to travel. Reservations of sleeping-berths and seats in day coaches may also be made fourteen days ahead. These concessions have done much to facilitate booking, and have obviated in a marked degree the formation of queues at booking-offices. If any congestion occurs at ticket offices it is usually the result of passengers leaving the purchase of their tickets to the last minute, instead of taking advantage of the facilities offered by the Department. Rail tickets are now obtainable at all offices of the Tourist Department, at the various offices of the Union Steamship Company, and on the Union Steamship Company's Wellington-Lyttelton and Wellington-Picton steamers. Season Tickets. —Arrangements have been made whereby season-ticket holders are enabled to obtain their tickets with a minimum of inconvenience, and a wider range of season tickets is now stocked at stations than was the case formerly. Excursion Tickets. —The excursion fares have been reduced, and also excursion tickets may now be obtained for shorter distances than previously. Refunds and Adjustments of Minor Undercharges and Overcharges.—A new system has been instituted whereby passengers are enabled to obtain refunds with a minimum of inconvenience. Cushions on Main Trunk Trains. —Passengers may hire cushions for use during long train journeys on the Main Trunk at a charge of Is. each. Checking Luggage.—The checked-luggage system has been extended to include the Picton Section from overseas stations. Luggage may also now be checked from stations in one Island to flag stations as well as officered stations in the other Island. Storage Charges on Commercial Travellers' Samples. —The Department is now giving eighteen hours' free storage on commercial travellers' samples. Private Tarpaulins. —Private tarpaulins are now carried free on the return not in use. Raihvay Department's Officers acting as Customs Clearing Agents. —Arrangements are under way for training Railway officers in the work of clearing goods through Customs. This will afford another benefit to traders in this Dominion, tending as it does towards promptness and economy, and reliability of service. The charges proposed are just sufficient to cover the cost of the work, the Department hoping to benefit by the additional transport work that will be obtained. Collection and Delivery of Goods and Parcels. —Arrangements for the collection and delivery of goods and parcels are being made whenever necessary and where suitable agreements or contracts can be arranged. At many stations the best means of doing this is by inducing the local carriers to act in co-operation with the Railway. The carriers supply the Stationmaster with a list of their charges to and from the station, and these rates are quoted on application. The Stationmaster pays the carriers their charges for cartage to the station, and the amount is included in the charges collected from the consignee. In the case of goods arriving by rail, the Stationmaster, when advising consignee of the fact, is in a position to quote the rates for cartage from the station, and to make all arrangements for delivery of the goods. Where a number of carriers operate at a station they are called together and asked to submit a working arrangement and uniform scale of charges. Only carriers who undertake not to compete against the Railways are given this assistance. If a contract was let for the cartage at a station lower rates might be obtained, but the contractor would have a monopoly of the work, and this would cause distress among the remaining carriers. Under the present system a very satisfactory service is given to the Department's customers and all the carriers are in a position to secure a share of the work. Through Booking of Passengers and, Goods.—The system of booking of passengers, parcels, and goods from any station in one Island to any station in the other Island was brought into operation shortly after the close of the year. This has filled a long-felt want, and the business done during the short time the facility has been afforded to the public is most gratifying. In order to foster the through booked traffic, special arrangements have been made to give it the speediest transit possible. The labels for the packages are distinctive, and in themselves form an advertisement, and we hope that in time the Railway through booking will become synonymous with " promptness and reliability of service." The cartage between the boat and the station at Wellington is done by the Department's own motor-vehicles. With regard to passenger traffic, the Department now gives facilities for passengers booking from any station to any station in New Zealand, including the issue of steamer tickets for the LytteltonWellington ferry and reservations for the whole of the journey. Rail Motor-cars. —The present mixed trains 011 lines which convey comparatively light traffic, while providing an economical means of transporting passengers |nd|goods, occupy too much time on the journey in shunting and other operations connected with goods work ; this permits the motors