AUSTRALIAN RAILWAYS
STANDARDISATION OF GAUGES A COSTLY UNDERTAKING (Rec. 11.40 a.m.) CANBERRA, January 24. The Federal Government is prepared to pay half the cost of standardisation, of rail gauges throughout Australia. Originally the. Commonwealth undertook to pay only two-fifths of the estimated cost of more than £220,000,000. In making the announcement at the Premiers' Conference, Mr Chifley .said that the decision meant that the Commonwealth would shoulder another £22,000,000 of the cost .of the plan. Commonwealth legislation would include provision for the appropriation of funds to start the work pending consideration of plans for borrowing. The complete standardisation. scheme would be spread over 33 years. The proposals were to spend at the rate of, £12,000,000 for the first seven years,: after which the expenditure would fall. Nearly £5,000,000 would be spent in the first period in converting Victoria's sft 3in gauge.to the standard 4ft BJin gauge. The States have accepted the Commonwealth proposals.
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Evening Star, Issue 25699, 24 January 1946, Page 6
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153AUSTRALIAN RAILWAYS Evening Star, Issue 25699, 24 January 1946, Page 6
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