VICTORIAN RAILWAYS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12772, 25 May 1912, Page 3 (Supplement)

VICTORIAN RAILWAYS.

WHOLE METROPOLITAN SYSTEM

A £2,000,000 UNDERTAKING. MELBOURNE, May 7. The State Government is now calling for tenders m England for the conversion of the suburban railways to electric traction. The scheme covered by the specifications embraces the whole of the metropolitan lines. For some time Mr Merz and Mr W. Stone (electrician of the Railway Department ' here) have . been iv consultation m England, and they have advised the Government that they have agreed as to the conditions, and have invited tenders, v • Mr Merz is expected to reach Melbourne m the last week of August, accompanied by Mr Stone. The tenders received ho will bring with him, and furnish a report for the guidance of the Government m dealing with the offers. A few years ago it was proposed to electrify the St. Kilda and Port Mel- 1 bourne lines by way of experiment, but Mr Merz considers it very desirable not to incur capital expenditure on works which willafter wards have to be modified if extensions are made. After mature • consideration \ it ■ has ' been determined to -let a contract for the whole of the suburban system m one complete scheme.

*Mr Watt, State Treasurer, says that £2,000,000 had been mentioned -as the Sjproximate cost of the conversion , one, but fi Jhat it was impossible to speak with' an v certainty on that point