There are evidences that once again very heavy pressure is being placed upon our existing rolling-stock to handle the March-April rush of traffic in goods and livestock. The various workshops throughout the Dominion have certainly reached a stage where they are in condition to overtake the arrears in our wagon building programme, but it will be past the rush of the Autumn season this year before relief from this source will become really effective. In the meantime I would ask that every member of the staff dealing with wagons should remember the pressing need for rapid discharge and despatch to the points of supply of all trucks coming under his control. Although, up to date, a bigger tonnage has been handled this year than ever previously and (through a heavy withdrawal of condemned wagons) with even a slightly reduced total of wagons available, complaints regarding delay have been less than at any similar period that I remember. This I attribute to a fuller understanding of the position by the Department's clients, better co-operation in the matter of order and distribution, and improvements in train services enabling a more rapid turnover of the rolling-stock. I am very pleased to be able to place this on record, and, although we are not yet out of the wood, I feel sure that the same good spirit will prevail through the remainder of the rush period, including Easter. Thereafter we may expect to be in a much better position to deal with urgent rush traffic through the new stock which we will, by that time, have on the road.