LIGHT RAILWAYS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 251, 17 July 1920, Page 7

LIGHT RAILWAYS

NARROW GAUGE PROPOSED

AMENDMENT OF LOCAL RAILWAY ACT SETTLERS TO. HELP THEMSELVES _A request for the amendment of section 55 of the Local Railways Act, i» order to permit the construction of nar- ' row gaugo lines, was placed before the Primo Minister (Mr.. Massey) and tho Minister of Public Works (Mr. Coatesl .by a largo deputation yesterday. , The uepufation represented settlers in the Waikato, Nelson and North Auckland .districts, and it. was headed by. Mr.'J. A. I'oung (Waikato), who isxplained that the people in his district were ready to proceed with the construction of certain ' lines of 2ft. gaugo' directly authority was granted. The Act provided at present that tho gauge of local railways must bo 3ft. 6in., the gauge of the State railWays. Mr. R.. P. Hudson (Motueka) and Mr. V. H. Reed (Bay of Island*.) wore present on behalf of: their districts. , Mr. G. Pan- (president of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce) and other speakers stated, their 'case', at length. They argued that the narrow gaugo railways could be constructed rapidly and comparatively cheaply and would meet albthe requirements of districts in cases whero the construction of lines of normal gauge would bo long delayed. The 2ft .gauge had been used very extensively in France during the war and had proved its capacity, for heavy work. The "settlers were"prepared to form railway districts under the Act and to find tho money, the engineers and the labour for the construction of the light lilies, which would transport fertilisers,' Toad metal, produce and passengers in districts that (it present were severely 'handicapped by bad roads and costly transport. . Captain H. D. Dnnsey and Major R. B. Worley, who had had experience of nght. railways with the Expeditionary Force in France, put plans of the proposed Waikato lines before the Ministers. _ They stated that capital cost, operating cost, and working capacity wore all strongly in favour of the narrow gaiigo lines. The 2ft. gauge was being used in other countries with entire success. Tho capital cost of a 2ft. gauge line, with ■foiling:, stock, ivonld bo about one-third Hie capital cost of a jlj't. 6in. gange line of light construction. The grades on the narrow lines would be arranged so that tho track would merely need widening if ewr tho substitution of a .wider gauge was proposed.

Mr. Young presented petitions signed by settlers of Waipa, Raglan, JTawhia ami Waitomo counties asking ' for tho formation of railway districts and the granting of authority, for tho construction of narrow gauge railways. ■ Mr. Mnssey slated that he'had had nn opportunity of seeing some of the light' railways in operation in France, and he was. fully aware of the important part they .placed in tho transport of troops and munitions. Light railways had been used in Belgium for many years past and also in Tasmania. Their usefulness in these countries was beyond question, and he ■ believed that they would prove similarly useful in New Zealand, especially in tho districts where road metal. was ■ scarce. Road metal was being carried 100 miles by rail in some parts of tho country how, and roads constructed in this way naturally were expensive. He feared that the Railway Department's charges for the transport, of road metal would have to be increased presently, when the fares and freights were adjusted to meet the increased running costs. "What you . are asking for is an amendment of tha Local Railways Act," said Mr. Massey. "Parliament will have an opportunity of- amending the Act during tho present session, and tlie amending Bill will not be delayed any longer than is necessary. We have some urgent legislation that will-require at-.; tention as. soon as wo can •'get it ready, It is not always possible to have the Oovernment's legislation ready when tho House meots, particularly as eome of the Bills require to bo revised over and over again. But as soon as we possibly can wo will get this amendment before the House. Personally I would prefer something better and wider than a 2ft. gauge, and I agree that in planning the lines you should look forward to widening them to 3ft. Gin. I believe tnat the time will come, not in the present generation,' when this country will have to adopt the world's standard gauge of 4ft. Bim." The Prime Minister warned the deputation that the 2ft. gauge would not do the same work'as the 3ft. Cin. gaugo. It would not permit of the same speed or possess _tho same carrying 'capacity. But the difference in cost was • larger than he had expected, and he did not count that the smaller gauge would be very useful to many districts. He suggested that the engineers who had prepared plans for the local railways should confer with engineers of the Publio Works Department and Railways Department, and said that tho information hei had gathered in France regard-,„n/nshi-la-i™ 3 ' s was at th » disposal of the districta. Inquiries had been made on the subject in-France and Sin V« ' h S by Mr - Vi(tonian, of the Public Works Department, who had found that the cost of rial and plant for lighli railways was exceedingly high, the advance on prewar prices being from 100 to 250 per cent. He understood that the -light railways laid in Prance by the British armies had been presented by tho Bri,wG ° V M nn \ 6 r nt t0 f'o French Govem««?W° l t! hamls of tlle Minister of Public Works. He had no doubt tha it would be .drafted and introduced at the earliest possible moment, and he did not anticipate any difficulty in getting in through Parliament.