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Principal events, such as those at Christmas, Easter, and school-vacation periods are completely covered from headquarters. By this means the most effective use of facilities for planning and executing such campaigns is made, and a more economical general result with increased publicity is obtained. The objects which the Board has sought to achieve through the Publicity Branch may be summarized thus : — (1) Selling railway service as the safest and most economical form of transport. (2) Educating the general public —the owners of the railways — on the national aspects of transport and the undeniable importance of an adequate railway system to safeguard primary and secondary industries and the national welfare. (3) Helping to strengthen the spirit of co-operation throughout the service, which has now a staff approximating fifteen thousand. The amount expended on publicity during the year was £13,409, as compared with £19,183 during the previous year. Railways Magazine.—A phase of the Department's activities in connection with publicity to which the Board has given careful consideration is the Railways Magazine. That the magazine has a publicity value is, of course, self-evident. The main question that the Board had to consider, therefore, was whether that value was commensurate with the expenditure involved. The net cost of the magazine last year, including all overhead charges, was £2,255. For this the Department obtained eight issues of 20,000 per issue. The net cost per copy works out at 3-38 d. The net cost of the magazine has been a steadily decreasing one, as is shown by the figures for the last five years, particulars of which are as follows: 1927-28, £6,267 ; 1928-29, £5,254 ; 1929-30, £5,208 ; 1930-31, £3,049 ; 1931-32, £2,255. The Board will, of course, aim to progressively reduce the cost of the magazine, and it has resolved that for the current year the publication be continued. WAY AND WORKS BRANCH. The following are the principal features connected with the operations of the Way and Works Branch during the year : — Permanent-way.—The relaying done during the year was as follows : — Miles. Main line and branches, 53 lb., 55 lb., 56 lb., 65 lb., and 70 lb., relaid with 70 lb. new material .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 25f Main line and branches relaid with second-hand material 53 lb., 55 lb., 56 lb., and 70 lb. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3 Total 28f Branch Lines. —During the year a number of motor-velocipedes have been supplied to gangs on branch lines and have proved very satisfactory and have considerably reduced the labour charges for track maintenance. Sleepers. —The number of new sleepers placed in the track during the year was 160,350. Ballasting.—There were placed on the track 133,572 cubic yards of ballast. Slips, Floods, &c. —Slips near Hoteo on the North Auckland line on the 30th April, 1931, blocked the line for one and a half hours. On the 24th July, 1931, a slip between Waikino and Karangahake caused delay to trains, and on the 30th July, 1931, a slip occurred at Purewa Tunnel on the AucklandWestfield deviation, which caused traffic to be diverted via Newmarket for one day. On the 4th April, 1931, a washout occurred at 47 m. 14 ch., Wairarapa line, at south approach of bridge No. 49 (between Fernside and Woodside), and traffic was blocked from early morning on the 4th April, 1931, to 8.30 a.m. on the sth April, 1931. A washout took place between 13 m. 20 ch. and 13 m. 60 ch., Picton Section (between Tuamarina and Spring Creek), on the 4th April, 1931, and delayed traffic. A slip of about 400 cubic yards of rock came down at 34 m. 66 ch., Wairarapa line (between Summit and Cross Creek), on the 11th April, 1931. Traffic was blocked from 1.40 p.m. on the 11th April, 1931, until 5.30 p.m. on the 12th April, 1931. On the 11th April, 1931, during a heavy southerly gale, the waves broke over the sea-wall between Kaiwarra and Petone. Ballast was scoured out in a few places and trains were diverted to "up "" main line from 9 p.m. on the 11th April, 1931, until the following morning. A number of washouts occurred between 4 m. 10 ch. and 15 m. on Gisborne Section on the 13th and 14th February, 1932, causing delay to traffic. On the 31st July, 1931, a small slip took place in a cutting at 275 m. 5 ch., main line (between. Mangaweka and Utiku), and delayed traffic for thirty-five minutes. On the Ist August, 1931, slips occurred at 273 m. 5 ch. and 275 m. 10 ch. (between Mangaweka and Utiku), blocking the line and delaying traffic for about five hours. On the 12th August, 1931, a small slip occurred at 275 m. 8 ch. (between Mangaweka and Utiku), causing traffic delay of forty minutes. On the 3rd April, 1931 (Good Friday), following a heavy storm in the Tararua Ranges, what was probably the heaviest flood in the history of Otaki developed in the Otaki River. The actual damage to track and formation was not great, but traffic was completely interrupted for twenty-six hoursFlood protective works have since been constructed at Otaki River. On the 10th July, 1931, a washout occurred at 159 m. 30 ch. (between Kai-Iwi and Maxwell) and traffic was completely blocked for four hours.

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