WELLINGTON.

Evening Star, Issue 3885, 6 August 1875, Page 3

WELLINGTON.

[By Telegraph.] {From our ovm Correspondent.) ri Wellington, August 5. Mr Carruthers enters into a controversy about the relative advantages of tho broad and narrow gauges, and makes the following remarka:—“ We have in the Dunedin and Port hj halmers (narrow gauge), and in the Christchurch and Lyttelton (broad gauge) railways examples so similar in many conditions that the relative advantages of the two systems may be most instructively compared. Each line connects the capital of the Province in which it is situated with its seaport, and they are both very short, the broad gauge being seven miles and the narrow ten miles long. The receipts for 1873 on the broad gauge rvere L 44.426 for 1874-5, and L 32,592 on the narrow gauge, the difference in reCe au due to tho higher rates charged on the broad gauge, the traffic on the t vo linos being nearly the same. Both lines were well and substantially built, with heavy rails, and managed by able and experienced men for the respective Provincial Governments ; but here the points of resemblance cease. The points of < ineience arc that the broad gauge line is nearly straight with a riding gradient of 1 in X4U, while the narrow gauge is a succession of reversing curves of from tight to ten chains radius, with a ruling gradient of liu 57. Tho narrow- gauge sea terminal station is miserably insufficient, and the City terminus was until quite lately nearly as bad: on the broad gauge both stations arc roomy and convenient, and on the whole the lacuities for working are immensely in tavor of the broad gauge The revenue returns, however, by no means show this advantage; J i , in9 18 worked with a low rate of speed and light rolling stock, and the other as a first class line, with high speed, heavy rolling stock, and uxurious carriages; the result being shown in the relative cost of working. In 1873 h^u 01^ 1118 expenses of the broad gauge ww 00.84 per cent of the gross revenue. lam unab'e to use the later year for comparison, as the Chustchurch and Lyttelton accounts are not now separated in the printed returns from those of the other Canterbury lines. It is lair to _ assume, however, that no great change in the coat of working has taken juace in the interval, as tho percentage for all the Canterbury lines was in 1873 71 per and m 1874-0, 70 per cent.; or, would have been, had not a reduction iu the rates been made, which raised the actual ratio to 84 per cent. The change in tho wiio'cheln" so slight, there has probably teen no croat change m the Lyttelton section, and we may, therefore fan]y compare the narrow paiwn working expenses for last year with the broad gauge fur 10,3. In the first place the rates on mis broad gauge are much higher than on the narrow gauge, as will he seen from the printed table, faking the traffic returns for the year , lc , loss ol revenue which would have followed had the rates on the < hrislchuroh lice Ik -a rXIirJ ? Dune,Un standard, can easily be calculated. It amounts to 1.15,486, which would Ptlen^r VtT 11,6 .' vorkin 3 expenses to a lutk ovei ihe total receipts, aud there would

have been an actual loss ..u the working of the whole of the interest on the cost o the line. Ihe narrow gauge line, on the other hand, is being worked for lifty-two per rent, of its receipts, and has paid a profit of twenty per cent, 'ilia hroad guago advocate-' are pleased with the rapid rate of travelling a,nd the smoothness with which the heavy carriages run on the heavy rails, without countin'' wnat it would coat to have all the Hew Zealand railways constructed and worked in the same manner as the Christchurch, and hylt.dton hne. J>ut if that lino can only ].».vv jis woi Icing expenses hy levying rates doidile those which are sullieient to allow the narrow gauge line to pay », very handsome profit, in what position would the o!hcr_ New Zealand railways he whcic the traflio is so much smaller, and wheie + ac r;ttfs could no!, he raised to the broad gauge .‘umidard ! I here could be oulv one result of Hueh a policy, and that- is absolute ruin to the Colony. Jf, however, it is the wish to adopt the narrow gauge, it can lie worked at speeds oc th ! vty or thirty-iive miles an hour quite as cheaply as, or cheaper than, the hroad. Fo" hwher speeds the cost would probably he gi eater, and of comve heavy engines and heavy stock would be required to get smootli rmmim' and heavy rails and ballast be necessa; y. fins means wider banks and cuttings; and easy curves and gradients ms of course inquired for high speeds, and won... have to be provided. l lt short the co.. m construction would he not wry much Irsi then f-:u a line, or in a dilueult country irrobaulv three tunes the cost of the ’present, lines If the system adopted for working the narrow P un ? e adhered to, the railways in Ntw Zeaiana will m a few years earn aa incom.e equal

to the interest on their cost, even with the present scale of charges, which is considerably toivor than that charged on the lines worked by the Provincial Governments of Canterbury mid Otago ; but if the thoughtless agitation for high speeds is given way to, the Colony will have to pay out of taxation the interest on the public works loan, and a still larger sum in addition to meet the loss in working." Mr Carruthers reports that the Waitaki Bridge is certain to be completed by October 27. The first section of the Waitaki-Moeraki line, from Waitaki to Oamaru, is completed. On the port branch the cost of changing the line, owing to landslips, is incieased to L 18,500. The total cost of this line exceeds the appropriation by L 37,400, of winch 1.9,000 is for extra rolling stock, and the rest is due to the originally insufficient estimates for the formation having been adopted. '1 he extras in the Chain Hill tunnel contract cost 1.25,000, and on the Clutha section extra fencing cost L 6,000, culverts and bridges L 3,000, and the extra price of rails LLIjOOO, The surveys from Balclutha bridge to Clinton were completed, and the sections would be advertised immediately. On the Mataura-Invercargill section the extra cost of rails, fencing, and station accommodation was L 36,500. Twenty-two miles of the WintonKiugston railway would be opened this mouth, and tenders for the remaining length of twenty miles would be contracted for shortly. Mr Carruthers also reports that for L 25,000 Riverton harbor could be so improved as to give thirteen feet of water on the bar.

August 6. After (me Government explanation of the Abolition Bill, Pir George Grey will move the adjournment of the debate till Tuesday.