RAILWAY ELECTRIFICATION

Chronicle (Levin), 4 March 1949, Page 5

RAILWAY ELECTRIFICATION

-Press Association)

Dominion Experts To Study Overseas

(Per

WELLINGTON, March 4. The Government had given full consideration to the necessity of overseas investigations by New Zealand experts and, in view of the importance of the issues, had de-. cided to send a departmental mission abroad, said the Minister of Railways, Mr. Semple, today in a statement on the e.ectrification of New Zealand's railWays. The Minister saidi that the mission would cohsist of v the chief mechanical- engineer, Mr. P. R. Angus, the transportation superintendent, Mr. A. J. Ede, the eiectrical engineer, Mr. C. A. Mackersey, and the signal engineer, Mr. L W. Porter. The general manager, Mr. F. W. Aickin, would follow the mission in a few months' time to take part in the dehberations and also to discuss the terms of a contract with the directors of the British company which it was proposed to empioy as the principal contractor. Mr. Semple said that sufficient multiple unit coaches, both motors and trailers, wouid arrive in New Zealand this year to enable a muloipie unit service, as on - the Wedingtoii-Johnsonville route, to aperate between Wellington and Paekakariki in about eight months' time. The electrification of the Hutt Valley railway lines, for which a target period of 2£ years had beeni set by the Railways Department, would be extended- to the Wairarapa when the Rimutaka tunnel was* completed. •fne Minister exoressed' the opinion that Wellington particularly lent itself to railway patronage by suburban residents, and also quoted figures to show that Wellington had greater claims than Auckland so far as the relative need Of the electrification of suburban services was concerned. Referring to the electricity supPiy situation, the Minister said that where coal had) to be imported and was relatively expensive, and where electrical energy could be obtained at a reasonable cost from water power, the case for electrification was considerably strengthened.