KENYAN RAILWAYS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 82, 5 April 1924, Page 16

KENYAN RAILWAYS

FACILITIES FOli CARRYING . ■ LARGER CROPS. '

.. Considerable developments are in prospect with regard to railway develop-, meht in; Uganda 'and ■ Kenya ■'■■ Colony, which will have a. great effect on 'the cotton-growing districts which will be opened up, states • -.the London , correspondent of the "Christian Science Monitor, "i In reply to ( questions' in |Pariiament, it was stated that approval has been given to the immediate construction of an extension of the.:Nashin-Gishu lines from Turbo to a station oa the Busoga railway, just .north ( of 'Jinja. Branches northward through . eastern. Uganda and . southward through ; the Kaxirondo district of Kenya are included in' the scheme. • . . :.

/Cotton cultivation in Uganda has reached the limit of. its transport -facilities. The main Uganda railway is also to be relaid with lieavier'. track to cope with the expected increase of traffic. Three branch lines in Kenya, are to be constructed which will serve districts opened up by former soldiers. The total 'amount involved is £8jOOO,000: In .view of the importance of increasing, tho': Empire's cotton production, .and of the general benefit to industry arising out of orders for material which will. come to Great Britain; the Government has' decided to1 assist the local i Governments with a loan of £3,500,000, free of interest for five years, and repayable by annuities over a'period of 37' years. The remainder, of the amount .required will be raised "later by. a-'public loan secured on the revenue and; 'assets of Kenya, Uganda, and the East African Railway jointly. ' ■'■ ;'■■ '..' _. '■ '■■■ Tanganyika .is.'.also to 'get a loan of £50,000, free of,interest,' for. the present to enable, her to recondition and extend the Lindi tramway withra view to 'assist-, ing her cotton industry. . Two 'new steamers for Lakes .Tanganyika and'Nyassa are to be provided on the same terms >at a cost of ,£70,000. • ■