LIGHT PIONEER RAILWAYS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIII, Issue 10596, 4 March 1895, Page 3

LIGHT PIONEER RAILWAYS.

TO THE EDITOR.

. Sir,— About eleven years ago, when the cheap,money scheme .was first started, I advocated, in your columns, the construction of light pioneer railways as feeders to our existing lines. It. was suggested that lines with a gauge of two and a half feet, or even of two feet, would be found of great value to settlers living seme miles from main lines. At the time the subject provoked some discussion, but the Government never apparently went into the matter beyond acknowledging my communications, and I contented myself with calling public and official attention to what might be deemed a‘desirable augmentation to our means of locomotion. As the building of light railways has recently been prominently brought before the British public; and as an expert has, we are told, decided to travel to Australia and. New Zealand to inspect our ordinary lines—which would hie light lines in Britain—it may not bo out of place to again call attention to the aid to settlement which might be afforded by the laying down of a light railway, with a two-feet gauge, to connect soma promising “plantation” with a main lino of railway. If the. Government possessed a portable line complete, with Bagnall engines to match, we might by its use derive valuable information as to the paving prospects of suggested main lines.— I am,J. H. NEWLYN.