NEW RAILWAY CARS.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10759, 12 September 1900, Page 5

NEW RAILWAY CARS.

' (special to "the press.") I WELLINGTON, September 11. Last night I was able to inform you on what I deemed reliable authority that a big order had been placed in America for rolling stock for the New Zealand railways. I now learn from an officer of the Department that a definite order has been given for £100,000 worth of railway carriages, and that an officer of the Railway Department has proceeded to America in connection with the business. Li all, some sixty cars *_iave been, or are to be, ordered. They will be built to a special design to suit our narrow-gauge fines, and will be quite up-to-date and far in advance of anything we have at present. They are to be shipped from New York, and should be running on our lines about March next. I have not been abie to ascertain the name of the firm with which the order has been placed, but understand that it is a "large trust" which has in a number of towns throughout the States. Tlie Trust has agents in Wellington, but they will not give any information on the subject. No doubt there will be an outcry among the labour members about getting such work done outside the colony, but it seems certain that Mr Ward is going to give us something very much better than we could produce ourselves. Moreover, our railway workshops seem unable to cope with the work at present necessary in the shape of repairs and ordinary rolling stock. All the criticisms about tbe "starving" policy of the late Minister of Railways are being fully borne out by the facta now coming to fight. Apart from the question whether the work should have been done in the colony, if there is any room for criticism on the new venture," it will no doubt be in the direction of urging that the cars should have been ordered several months ago, so as to bs available for the approaching tourist and holiday season.