LIGHT RAILWAY BUILDING

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 2456, 8 May 1915, Page 7

LIGHT RAILWAY BUILDING

AN OBJECT-LESSON IN OTAGO. (By Telecro.pl].—PrcEa Association.) _ Dunedin, May 7. _ Tho Hon. W. Fraser, Minister of .Public Works, in speaking to a depute tion to-night, made reference to the construction of light railways in the Dominion. Tho lino that .was being constructed between Clyde and Cromwell, he said, was a new kind of line. He had got the idea of it some time ago, and when he suggested it to one or two of his engineers—very capable men—they fell in with it. What had been done with tho line beyond Clyde had really exceeded his anticipations. ISo ono who had travelled on this road only sis months ago had aiiy expectation that by this time he would find earth works so far on and a portiou of the line actually ready, for anything like the money ho had been called on to expend on it, and it seemed to him that there was 110 reason why that class of lino should not be extended in any part of the country. The country, ho added, could not afrord to build .lines that cost £10,000 or £10,000 a mile. He could do doublo or treble the work if ho could construct a line for three or four thousand pounds a mile. He did not know what the Clyde-Cromwell lino \vouid cost, but he believed it would be an obicct-lesson in conncction with railway construction in New Zeaalnd.