THIEVES WALK OFF WITH A RAILWAY.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8843, 20 June 1907, Page 1

THIEVES WALK OFF WITH A RAILWAY.

I _ , 4» I An amusing story was related | before the "Vice-Eegal Commission on Irish Railways by Mr Tbwnshend Trench. It was in connection with the railway line between Birr and Portumma, twelve miles loug, formerly worked by the Great Southern and Western Railway Company for a period of years, the lease expiring in 1876. The company declined to renew the lease on the ground that they were' losing £2OOO a year On it, and the line became derelict. After a time people began to steal portions of the line. Pilfering on a large scale went on daily, until rails, sleepers, mlfftj and all had vanished, and nothing remained but the bed of the railway.- The chairman, Sir Charles Scotter. said it was most extraordinary that the local shareholders should see their line disappearing day by day and take no action. Mr T. M. Healy. M.P., who appeared fof the railway companies: " Oh, yes> they did. They took a bridge." Mr Trench said he was glad to say that had been prevented. The bridge was still there. The police had ! prevented it from being taken. After the looting of the railway a J man came one day with cranes and appliances, and was proceeding to remove the iron girders when the police interfered The books dis appeared, and nobody knew what had become of them. After the 1 Great Southern gave it up, mortgagors took possession, but did not work the railway. Then people began to steal the wire. The property was assessed for rates by the county authorities, and the rates got into arrear because there was nobody who would pay them. The county collector seized some of the rails and tried to sell them by auction, but nobody would buy them —they waited and walked off with them for notljing.