CHEAP RAILWAYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1005, 4 March 1871, Page 16

CHEAP RAILWAYS.

The following letter -from Mr H. E. Victor, C.E., appears in the Melbourne Argus: — 1 Sir— The Ohief Secretary, at Granbourne the other day, in reply to a question regarding the annual appropriation of a certain amount of the land hind for railway purposes, said, " I believe that if we can once establish a cheap railway system, we shall not only be able to carry out extensions more quickly, but more generally over the country." From a nnmber of yean practical experience in railway construction, I have no doubt a cheap system, such as desired, could be easily introduced, but not under State direction. To be economical, and at the same time effective, such a system would be better carried oat by private capital under a State guarantee. If the public would be satisfied with passenger traffic at 20 miles an hoor, including stoppages, their goods to be carried at 12 miles an hour, and running only between sunrise and sunset, with four hundred tons over every mile in the 12 hours, a good sound, permanent line of railway could be laid down over any ordinary country, where the gradients do not require to be more than one in fifty, and the curves sharper than 10 chains radius, with fair rolling stock and station arrangements, for L 3700 a mileon the present gauge, exclusive of compensation for land or law expenses. Ontheexpendlturestated passengers at 2d a head and freight at 2d per ton per mile wenld pay 5 per cent. , leaving a fair margin for working expenses and maintenance. In India, railways which have cost from L 15,000 to L 20,000 a mile, constructed under a guarantee of 5 per cent., their traffic for four months of the year nominal in consequence of heavy rains and want of lateral feeders, many miles running through a country having no exports or imports, can, on a low scale of wages, return from 6 to 7 per cent.

Supposing the State guaranteed even 7 per cent on private capital raised fof railways, the indirect gain could be scarcely calculated, it would be so gnat. A young country requires opening up by easy communication with large markets. An ordinary road is very good in its way, but carriage swallows up the profits. Aa expensive railway is either a burthen on sanguine shareholders, or, if a State con? oern, a tax upon the people. The hippy medium is what is required, and that the State can obtain if they go the right way about it.

The Chief Secretary, in replying to another gentleman, added, " With this L 200,000 per annum we can constmct 30 miles of railways, if not more, in the course of each year." Now, if this L 200,000 was spent in guarantees, a very little calculation would show that the progress of railway construction would be more in character with a young and rising colony than 30 miles a year.