D.-2.

SUGGESTIONS AND INVENTIONS COMMITTEE. The Suggestions and Inventions Committee dealt with 1,0-42 suggestions during the year, as compared with 1,414 during the previous year. Of these, 106 suggestions were recommended for adoption, either wholly or partially ; 301 referred to heads of branches were already in operation or related to policy matters ; 583 were not recommended for adoption ; and 56 are under trial or investigation, and have been carried forward for future consideration. Where a suggestion has been wholly or partially adopted due acknowledgment by monetary award or otherwise, as the circumstances appeared to justify, has been made to the person responsible for the suggestion. As in previous years, a number of suggestions received from the Australian railways were dealt with, and several suggestions adopted in New Zealand were forwarded to the Australian systems for consideration. In the latter connection one suggestion forwarded from New Zealand was adopted by one of the Australian systems and a monetary award remitted to the person who made the suggestion. Of the 106 suggestions recommended for adoption 14 were in connection with improvements to rolling stock ; 12 were in connection with workshop equipment, 19 referred to matters connected with the Way and Works and Signals Branches, 25 related to traffic operation, while the balance dealt with genera] matters in connection with railway working. In connection with the functioning of the Suggestions and Inventions Committee, I desire to make it clear that the name of the person submitting any suggestion is never made known to the Committee. This procedure ensures that suggestions received from employees in the lowest ranks of the Department will receive the same consideration as suggestions that may be submitted from any other employee however high he may be in the service. STOEES BRANCH. The amount expended in connection with the purchase of stores and material during the year was £2,345,239 14s. 9d., and the expenditure was divided as follows : — £ s. d. To merchants, manufacturers, and others in New Zealand .. 853,055 13 2 Through High Commissioner, London .. .. .. .. 330,566 0 11 Material manufactured in railway workshops .. .. .. 349, 853 10 9 Coal and coke .. .. .. .. .. .. 669,785 17 8 Stationery 38,789 9 0 For manufactured and used material recovered from other railway branches 103,189 3 3 £2,345,239 14 9 The value of stores held at 31st March, 1931, was £867,636, as compared with £901,472 at the end of the previous year. There was a net decrease in this year's expenditure as compared with the previous year of £225,117 18s. 5d., the following variations being shown : — Increase. Decrease. £ s. d. £ s. d. To merchants, manufacturers, and others in New Zealand .. 10,362 16 9 Through High Commissioner, London .. .. .. .. .. 99,067 17 0 Material manufactured in railway workshops .. .. .. 21,151 11 6 Coal and coke 161,693 18 10 Stationery 1,712 12 7 For manufactured and used material recovered from other railway branches .. .. .. .. ■• •• 8,842 19 £40,356 10 0 £265,474 8 5 The work of reorganizing the main stores throughout the system has proceeded steadily during the year. The change-over to the new buildings at Addington and Hillside was completed during the year, and the completion of the new buildings at Woburn has enabled substantial progress to be made with the amalgamation of the Signals and Maintenance Branch, stores with the general store. The transfer of the stores from Newmarket to the new building at Otahuhu was ready to be undertaken soon after the close of the year. Coal-supplies. The average consumption of coal per week during the year ended 31st March, 1931, was 8,327 tons, which was a decrease of 832 tons per week compared with the previous year. A comparison of the purchases of New Zealand and imported fuel for five years ended 31st March, 1931, is as follows :— New Zealand. Per Cent. Imported. Per Cent. Total. Year - Tons. of Total. Tons. of Total. Tons. 1924-25 .. .. 94,351 23-16 313,107 76-84 407,458 1925-26 .. .. 85,393 23-49 278,076 76-51 363,469 1926-27 .. .. 187,793 49-30 193,163 50-70 380,956 1927-28 .. .- 288,646 65-50 152,025 34-50 440,671 1928-29 .. ..356,724 84-25 66,675 15-75 423,399 1929-30 .. .. 355,214 74-59 121,037 25-41 476,251 1930-31 .. .. 367,686 90-00 40,827 10-00 408,513

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