LIGHT RAILWAYS.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 133, 5 June 1919, Page 7

LIGHT RAILWAYS.

I DESIRED TS WAIKATO. "WHAT AUTHORITIES SAY. (Special to "Star.") HAMILTON, this day. A very great deal of interest is being manifested in the Waikato in the scheme for a system of light railways. This • has been born of the ideae that have j been set going by the tales of the light railway systems that network Northern France, and their comparatively trifling cost when compared with the work they do so epeedily and go well. I 'Captain D."Bruce, of Hiniiera district, who was in charge of the engineering department and the light railway section| of the New Zealand division in France, I and Major "Worloy. who is an officer of the Public Works Department, and was in charge of the divisional engineers over there, are greatly impressed witn the adaptability of this system to our back country in Xew Zealand, and they claim that a light railway system can be used alongside the roads with a very light track, and light bridges over the streams. This system luw bcon tried, and has been a great success in France. Its gauge is roughly 23 inches, and tri'cko on this system have been known to carry a load of as much weight as eight tons. These tracks could be established in many casce to cost less than the making of a good road. Captain Bruce, who is reliable on this subject, has estimated that a light raihvav can be eon- ■ slructed in Xew Zealand under present conditions for between £11,0(10 and £14.000 per mile, including all the mater ■ iala for the track itself, and including the, ' bridges. Major Worley wroto to the Xclsoii 1 Fruitgrowers" Association recently tceommending the adoption of the system in that province a means of clearing out their fruit in the most efficient and ■ speedy manner. A responsible official of the Public Works Department lips, recently classed Major YVorlcy's statement its of doubtful practicability, and ( doubts the success of such a system of, running light lines alongside the roads.' Apart fron- this criticism, the consensus of opinion among responsible men i> that the idea of making these light niilroads ; merits the concentrated attention of the State. The Chamber vof Commerce in Hamilton has recently cabled to the ; Prime Minister urging that the Xew Zealand Government should purchase a quantity of the materials used fur the lines in France, these material-; being j out of commission, γ-o to speak, now I that the war is over. This recinest was i made with a view to their possible utilis- ' J ation for a trial system of the light railway in the Waika-tn district. The, Chamber has two localities in view in making .this request. The iirst is K.iwhia. where light lines are designed to serve the surrounding country and the' territory between Kawliia and' Hamilton,' and the second concerns the hydro-elec-tric scheme at Arapuni. where the Chamber expects that the Government will decide to run the system there. Tt was suggested that this would nfford an admirable chance for the Government to teet the value of the light railway, for the station would be served by putting in a line to Arapuni from Cambridge via the districts of Pul?e-j kura and Maungatautari. which lie on j the west ~ide of the Waikato river. Tt is recognised that in any ease the Government will require som-e construction I in order to carry the heavy machinery. ; cement and other materials required, for Jit is not possible for the roads as they: , are formed at present to carry the' weight of these burdens without break' ing them up a very great deal. Tn view! of these facts, the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce feels very confident that I, the Government will realise its hopes • and seriously investigate the question. ■ Cabled advice was received hv the secretin- of the Chamber (Mr. Kelson) \vs- !. u-rday. This states that inquiries are • being made along tiie lines of the .| Chamber's request. I !l .___ .= i