AUSTRALIAN RAILWAYS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18040, 15 March 1922, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN RAILWAYS.

THE NORTH-SOUTH LINE.

QUEENSLAND ROUTE URGED.

Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association. (Reed. 6.30 p.m.) LONDON. March 13.

Mr. T. R. Johnson, formerly Railway Commissioner under the New South Wales Government, and lately engineering adviser to the Peking Board of Communications, delivered a lecture at the Institute of Transport, on "Railway Problems in Australia and China."

He endorsed the recommendation made by the Commonwealth' Railway Commission in 1921, in favour of the adoption of the New South Wales gauge, and stressed the overwhelming advantages for defence purposes of diverting the proposed North-South line eastward, thereby linking up Queensland with the East-West lines. He advocated the unification of the railways. Victoria, he said, was leading the Commonwealth in regard to electrification. Sydney benefited by having the electric tramways under the Railway Commissioners. Sir Joseph Cook, High Commissioner for Australia, paid a tribute to Mr. Johnson's railway services in Australia. Wellinformed" opinion, said Sir Joseph, favoured a North-South line, via Queensland. Sir Joseph deprecated the description "desert line." He had the best authority for saying that hundreds of millions of acres were capable of carrying millions of cattle, when bores were operative, and railway transport provided. The Kimberley district alone contained 100,000,000 acres of the finest cattle country in the world. Lord Kitchener had repeatedly informed him that he favoured the Queensland overland route, not only for military reasons, but for economy.

Sir Joseph advocated the spending of millions on railway extension and land development, thereby employing hundreds of thousands of immigrants and promoting the expansion of industries.