APPENDICES.

APPENDIX A. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GENERAL MANAGER OF NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT RAILWAYS'. New Zealand Government Eailways, Head Office, Wellington, 24th June, 1903. I have the honour to report upon the working of the open railways for the financial year ended 31st March, 1903 :— The capital cost has increased from £18,170,722 to £19,081,735. The revenue has been £1,974,038, against £1,874,586, an increase of £99,452. The net revenue has been £630,623, against £622,349, an increase of £8,274. The expenditure has been £1,343,415, against £1,252,237, an increase of £91,178. The expenditure per cent, of revenue was £68-05, as compared with £66-80 last year. The rate of interest earned on capital was £3 6s. Id., as compared with £3 Bs. 6d. last year. The revenue per train-mile was 7s. 3d., and the cost per train-mile 4s. lid., as against 7s. 4fd. and 4s. lid. respectively last year. The following extensions have been opened during the year: — M. oh. Stratford to Toko ... ... ... ... ... ... 6 25 Mangaonoho to Mangaweka ... ... ... ... ... 9 20 Gisborne to Kaiteratahi ... ... ... ... ... 12 75 Eiverlands to Seddon ... ... ... ... ... ... 13 3 Waipara to Scargill ... ... ... ... ... ... 14 40 Total ... ... ... ... ... 56 3 The total mileage added to the system during the year under review was thus 56 miles 3 chains, making the total mileage open for traffic on 31st March 2,291 miles, as against 2,235 miles at the close of the previous year. 7,575,390 ordinary passengers, yielding a revenue of £576,529, were carried, and 118,431 season tickets, yielding a revenue of £49,169, were issued during the year, being an increase of 219,254 ordinary passengers and £832 revenue, and 17,653 season tickets and £3,847 revenue over the traffic under these heads in the previous year. In view of the adventitious circumstances which induced an abnormal passenger traffic during the year ending 31st March, 1902, the increased passenger business of the past year is all the more remarkable. 47,588 children and teachers and 41,555 adults travelled by school and factory excursions, yielding a revenue of £6,050, an increase of 3,193 passengers and £584 over the preceding year. 602,014 passengers travelled at holiday-excursion fares, the revenue derived therefrom being £103,279, as against 684,441 excursionists for £136,813 the preceding year. The decrease in the number of holiday-excursion,tickets is no doubt due to the fact that the occurrence of two Basters, the visit of Their Eoyal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales (then Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York), and the departure of the Eighth and Ninth Contingents for South Africa during the financial year ending 31st March, 1902, caused the issue of holiday-excursion tickets over a very considerably extended period of that year, whereas last year the issues were confined to the normal period and under normal conditions. The expansion of the traffic has again been very marked, grain alone showing a decrease. Increases. Coaching. —Parcels, 53,958 ; horses, 811 ; dogs, 3,798 ; carriages, 140. Eevenue, £7,712. Goods.— Cattle, 19,003 ; pigs, 6,685 ; sheep, 1,096,473; chaff and lime, 34,714 tons; wool, 14,431 tons ; firewood, 262 tons ; timber, 8,855 tons ; merchandise, 77,290 tons; minerals, 160,633 tons. Eevenue, £87,061. Total increased goods and live-stock tonnage, 251,222 tons. Decrease. Grain, 94,969 tons.

During the year there have unfortunately been a number of train accidents of a serious nature, but lam pleased to be able to record the fact that no loss of life has resulted therefrom. Exhaustive investigation was made into these immediately they occurred, and a report of result was printed and laid before Parliament during last session (see D.-6, 1902). These accidents emphasize the necessity for pushing on the equipment of the lines with safety appliances with all convenient speed. The Lake Wakatipu steamships and plant acquired by the Government in November, 1902, have since been run in conjunction with the railways with satisfactory results. Ten locomotives built in the New Zealand Eailway workshops have been added to the stock during the year. On 31st March, 1903, there were in the North Island 151 locomotives, 296 carriages, 117 brake-vans, 3,729 wagons, and 5 travelling cranes fitted with the Westinghouse air-brake. In the South Island 70 locomotives, 141 carriages, 20 brake-vans, and 75 wagons were similarly equipped. The equipment of the stock on the Auckland and Wellington-Napier-New Plymouth Sections is practically completed, and the fitting of the remainder of the rolling-stock on the Hurunui-Bluff Section with the Westinghouse brake will be undertaken at an early date. Appended are the reports of the Chief Engineer, Chief Mechanical Engineer, Chief Traffic Manager, and Stores Manager. I have, &c., T. EONAYNE, To the Hon. Minister for Eailways. General Manager.