D.—2 A

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wagons upon it. The ratio of shunting-mileage to total locomotive-mileage is 22-50 on tlie New Zealand Railways, as against 13-90 in New South Wales, 12-52 in Victoria, 17-71 in Queensland, and 17-35 in South Australia. This shuntingmileage in New Zealand does not include shunting by train-engines at stations en route. The inclusion of the latter would show total shunting-mileage at still greater disadvantage. Reorganization of Time-tables essential. We recommend a complete reorganization of the time-tables with the object of meeting public requirements, and providing at suitable times as many passengertrains as can conveniently and economically be run, leaving goods traffic to be conveyed by goods service, excepting only in those instances where the running of mixed trains is not calculated to divert traffic. In revising the time-tables regard should be had to the profitable employment of engine-power in order to eliminate the waste caused by engines standing in steam and earning nothing for many hours. The closest co-operation between the operating and locomotive branches is necessary to achieve this. At the same time all trains should be speeded up. They are not at present running to the speeds determined by the Chief Engineer, and many of the maximum speeds could, without danger, be increased, especially if stops are eliminated at unimportant stations in the case of business trains between populous centres. It is difficult to particularize the districts demanding prior attention, but we consider the Auckland-Hamilton, the Dunedin-Invercargill, the Wanganui and Christchurch district services should receive special attention. Limited trains have recently been arranged between Wellington and Auckland. To make these trains popular we would suggest that carriages of modern type, replete with the best form of sleeping and lavatory accommodation, be specially constructed. At the same time the attaching of a breakfast-car to these trains at the last stopping-place short of Wellington or Auckland would be appreciated. Only by making trains comfortable as well as speedy can the motor competition be countered. The latest type of the South African (3 ft. 6 in. gauge) railways express trains is an example likely to meet with general approval in New Zealand. Suburban Traffic. Suburban traffic upon railways in general is profitable, more particularly so where, by reason of transport facilities and other inducements, suburbs extend many miles from city centres. In arranging a revised time-table it will be well to extend suburban facilities in an effort to induce those who live and work in the towns to reside in the country and travel daily to and from their offices and workshops. Tourist and Excursion Traffic. It should be possible to extend this traffic very considerably by judicious arrangement and advertisement. No yearly or seasonal general programme has hitherto been published. The beauty-spots of New Zealand are known more or less the world over, but facilities for reaching them are by no means as convenient or as well advertised as they might be. The Tourist Bureau and the Railway administration working in close co-operation, spending freely in advertisements and more still upon convenient train services, should in the course of two or three years make the tourist and excursion traffic a very valuable addition to Railway revenue. The New Zealand climate in summer, in conjunction with convenient transport facilities, might be expected to prove attractive to Australian tourists, but visitors from that direction can only be secured through attractive advertisement, preferably in conjunction with steamship companies. When excursions are advertised the records show that the public respond, especially in the South Island ; and we suggest that more frequent opportunities should be given, with faster trains, not only to and from tourist centres, but also between one town and another. It has been urged that in the latter case traffic at ordinary fares is jeopardized, but experience