D.—2.

The garden-plots and approach roads at the new station were laid down by the Wellington City Council, whose officers are to be complimented upon the beauty and general effectiveness of the layout. Although the new station is now open for business the contractor has yet to complete a portion of the office accommodation in the building in order that the Head Office and branch staffs may transfer to it. The main district offices, also the Signal and Electrical Branch, the Advertising Branch, and the Land Office staffs have already transferred to the building. The following works have been completed : New engine-shed, locomotive offices and conveniences, rail-car shed, and sleeping-car depot. The new staff social hall and Head Office garage are nearing completion. Mileage. —The total mileage of track open for traffic on the 31st March, 1937, was 3,278 miles--45 chains. Unemployed Relief. —During the year an average of 158 men were employed on new works at Wellington (exclusive of contract for erection of station building) and an average of thirty-two menwere engaged for forty weeks on the Puketeraki deviation. The wages for these men were subsidized by the Labour Department, as were also the wages of approximately twenty sedentary workers who have been employed assisting in offices. An average of 635 relief workers have been employed on earthworks for grade easements, deviations, carrying out improvements to the track,, cutting noxious weeds, repairing fences, &c. SIGNAL AND ELECTRICAL. All installations and apparatus have been maintained in good order and condition. The following is a summary of the principal activities of the Signal and Electrical Branch during the year : — Signalling. Stratford-Okahukura. —A start has been made on the installation of automatic signalling on this section. This installation will be battery-operated, the signals being approach lighted. Searchlight type signals will be used. Tenders were called for the supply of the necessary material, and delivery has commenced. Napier-Gisborne.—Preliminary work in connection with the calling of tenders for this installation has been put in hand. Wellington New Station. —During the year the old platforms and the mechanical signalling which served Lambton Station were dispensed with, four of the platforms constructed for the new station at Wellington being brought into use and worked from the new signal box. The work of installing the remaining interlocking was proceeded with as the construction of the yard progressed.. The signals used are of the searchlight type. Automatic signalling, with power-worked unattended stations, is under construction between. Wellington and Johnsonville. Dunedin-Mosgiel. —The installation of automatic signalling between Dunedin and Mosgiel was completed during the year the mileage involved being 9 miles 31 chains (double line). The installation includes remote control of the points and signals at Kensington by a small relay interlocking in the Dunedin South signal box. Signal boxes at Kensington, Caversham, and Abbotsford have been dispensed with. These boxes, which were necessary under the lock and block system previously in operation, are no longer required with automatic signalling. Power Interlocking.—Relay power interlocking was installed at Huntly and Morrinsville during the year. The control panels for the operation of the installations were designed by the Signal and Electrical Branch staff and manufactured in the railway workshops. Frame-levers. —Frame-levers with facing-point locks were installed at thirty-seven stations. General. —The home signals at Morrinsville were replaced by power interlocking, using threeposition colour light signals. Colour-light outer home signals were installed at Palmerston North in order to improve the working of the level-crossing alarms and facilitate shunting. Colour-light distant signals were installed at Timaru, and the mechanical control between the signal boxes was replaced by electrical control. Alterations and additions to the existing signalling and interlocking systems have been carried out at Avondale, Frankton Junction, Taumarunui, Aramoho, Palmerston North, Timaru, Oamaru, Dunedin, Burnside, Green Island, Wingatui, and Mosgiel. Tablet locks, interlocking siding-points with the tablet system have been installed at five service sidings and stations, and similar equipment was removed from seven service sidings and stations during the year. The total number of signalling installations in use throughout the system is as follows : — M. eh. Number. Miles of single line automatic signalling .. .. .. 190 41 Miles of double line automatic signalling .. .. .. 7816 Automatic crossing-loops .. .. .. .. .. .. 33 Automatic switch-locked sidings .. .. .. .. .. 37 Power interlockings .. .. .. .. .. .. 32 Mechanical interlockings .. .. .. .. .. .. 94 Interlocked tramway crossings .. .. .. .. .. 7 Mechanical fixed signals and Woods' locked stations .. .. .. 305 Tablet-locked sidings .. .. .. .. .. .. 268 v—D. 2.

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