THE DOMINION RAILWAYS.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13374, 16 March 1909, Page 8

THE DOMINION RAILWAYS.

9 A VISITOR'S IMPRESSIONS. (PUESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAMS.) AUCKLAND, March 15. In conversation to-day, Mr W. M. Ffbon, who was for ninny years one of the railway commissioners of New 'South Wales, and who returned to Sydney by to-night's boat, gave some of his impressions of the New Zealand railways system, over a great portion of which he has recently travelled. " I think," said Mr Fehon, '• considering tho great difficulties that your engineers have had to contend with in regard to sharp curves and steep gradients, that you have got a really good system, and one that will compare favourably with the larger railways systems of Australia. In view of the nature of the country over which your lines travel, New Zealand has clone the right thing in adopting tho narrow gauge of 3ft Gin. which is the same ns that in use in Queensland, Tasmania, Western Australia, and on a portion of the South Australian lines, although in Victoria nnd New South Wales the gauge is, of course, broader. You seem to have a good class of engines nnd carriages, and your trains keep fairly good time."

" \es, the speed of your trains is also very good, when nil things are taken into consideration," said Mr Fehon, in reply to an observation on that point. " Where the road is favourable, your speed is as good as that of the Australian railways. Your fares and freight rates aro based on a very liberal scale. Now Zealand is nhend of tho Australian railways in regard to the dining-car system. Dining-cars were adopted in Victoria a few months ago. but they have not yet been introduced into New South Wales. The sleepingcars on the Main Trunk line nre very comfortable, although, of course, the compartments are not so roomy as they are on the broader gauge lines in Australia.