UGANDA RAILWAY.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11320, 2 September 1899, Page 5

UGANDA RAILWAY.

I , Qnii ii i i , 28 COOLIES EATEN BY LIONB. Tbe report of Sir Guild ford Moles* worth to tbe foreign offioe on the Uganda Railway was Issued on Monday nfterooon in the Parliamentary lobby. 'Taking Into consideration the difficulties I hare enumerated I am of poinion,' saya Sir Guildford, ' that the rate of construction has, on the who!e, been maintained in a manner highly creditable to the obief engineer and tbe oflloera oonoeroed ; bat heavy rains mußt be expected, and the progress of the line may at times be greatly retarded owing to Bubsidonoe and breaches in the newly-formed banks. The want of rolling stock, and ospaolally of locomotives, has been the most formidable obstsole to progress. Of the survey an 1 Betting out I oannot speak too highly. Sj fur as I can asoertsin, the progress of rai'road has never been impeded by ' the survey parties, who have always Wn well in edvanoe. The engineering tt ii£ appears to me to have been very

oarefully eeleoted. The locomotive department eeems to have been weak ; bat it lias had to contend with immeneo difficulties. With regard to the coolie labour, the organisation of the working gangs appears to be exceedingly good, and the output of work per head is moat satisfactory. I was extremely pleased with the condidion of the transport, and the arrangements m»de for the oare and health of the animals. Taking the system as a whole it la characterised by the utmost method and careful consideration of detail.' The report adds that on January 13, 1899, 2,359 pationts were under medical treatment, and that the total number of deaths in 1898 was IGS, aa compared with 261 in the previous year ; but these figures do not include 28 cnoliee eaten by Hone. Platelaying was completed in December last to mile 256, or a total of 18 miles in the month.