THE TAUPO RAILWAY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 48, 20 November 1920, Page 4

THE TAUPO RAILWAY

SITTING OF THE COMMISSION EVIDENCE OF CHIEF RAILWAY ENGINEER. Tho Taupo Totara Tramways, Land, and Commission eat again ,in Wellington yesterday, 'and heard additional evidence from the Chief Engineer of liailwnys (Mr. F. AV. M'Lcnn). The chief question before tliis commission is whether or not the acquisition by the Crown of the Taupo Company's line and timber rights is desirable. Mr. jl. J. H, Blow presided, and the other numbers of the commission present! were Messrs F. W. Furkert. H. Buxton, and G. XI. it. M'Clure.

Tho Chief Engineer of Railways etatcd that ho had made further investigations Bineo first giving evidence before* tha commission. The line, regadded as a tramway had been found to be in very good-condition. He thought there had been an endeavour recently to keep - it up to a good standard. Tho cuttings were ratkor too narrow, but a surprisingly small amount of weathering had taken place. If the line was tm bo used: for passenger traffic the cuttings shouldbe widened, but a certain amount of economy could 1 be effected by alterations to rolling stock to prevent: passengers , from looking out of the windows. There was some shed accommodation at various points on tho line, and a great number of stopping places.- The practice was to leave wagons standing on tho itrack.-at some of these places,. but that would nave to -bo stopped, and sidings put in if passenger traffic was authorised. Sidings, he estimated, would cost aboutl JC3OO each.-and, in addition, it-would be necessary to put in light roads in some cases. Ho had estimated that for the company to make tho railway . fit for passenger traffic under an Order-in-Couu cil would cost approximately Formation, widening the banks and cuttings, ■£400 a mile; total from. Lichfield to Oruanui, 41} miles, ,£18,700; renewal of bridges, ,£8300; strengthening . of track,, .£3400; four sidings, ,£1200; altering clearances, .£200; shelter sheds nnd conveniences, ,£l2ooj Urenui to Mokai, JI2-150) contingencies, ,£1550 total,. .£40,000. In addition to that there would bo required' in. the -way of. rolling "stock; Two additional engines, JC10,000; tweniiy-fivo wagons, two passenger cars, .£2ooo} a total of .£20,500, or a grand total of approximately .£70,000. He had hot included it ,in oitimatefi,- but it might bo necessary :a insist on the installation of- air brakes, which would add about .£IOO per engine and „C'so por vehicle.

. To his mind it would pay the company to keep its trains small until tliere was a bigger traffic available, and then, install air brakes and run larger trains. The • extension" of the line from Mokau 116 Taupo spemed quite practicable; in. fact, the country did not eeem any mors difficult than some over which the present lino ran. If the line was not extended beyond Mokai' tho passenger traffio would be very small. As a financial proposition the thing was hopeless. On the ICaihu line, over which four million ;feet of timber and 35,400 passengers vera carried last year, the loss,'without taking into account interest on capital, was ,£3400. while on. iho. Nelson line',; which carried two million feet of timber'and 117,000, passengers, the loss was .£1609 last . year. • _ " Mr. M'Lean then went into the matter of the.cost of. bringing the'line up to illie .standard necessary if the" Government took it oyer and incorporated! it in the .general railway system ."Of the Dominion. To bring the lino to tho secondary lino standard would cost' to Oruanui* .4543,000, and illie extension to Taupo .£320,000, or a total of about .£OOO,OOO. On top of tliait there would, be rolling stock required, costing about <C 60,000, .or a grand total .of not »«rj; far short of a million.

Mr. Blow: "Have you' formed any opinion as to whe-flier it would bo wise for the State to take the line over and expend' that amount ?" , . ' Mr. M'Lean: "Most unwise. Whether it is wise in the interests of the country 'is- of course, another question." Ho .added , that lie thought there wore other parts of the country, in which, the monoy could,lk.more. TII9 existing railway could do a area!" deal. He would not consider., frotii a commerj eial point of view, the taking over of tho line even to the 19-mile peg. Mr. M'Clure-. ,You are, of course, basing your statement on ■ the assumption that! Government rates would ba charged on the line P" Mr. M'Lean: Yes. •' Tho commission will take further evidence on Monday.