CAPE-NATAL RAILWAY.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 6 December 1901, Page 4

CAPE-NATAL RAILWAY.

The Cape-Natal railway, for which tenders are, according to cable advices, now being called, has baen vigorously advocated by Mr P. Zeitsman, M.L.A. for Kokstad in the Cape Parliament, wh-j in Juno last succeeded in getting the Natal Legislature to authorise the construction of their section of the line from Pietermariizburg to Riverbank, on the border of Cape Colony. Riverbank is not shown on any of the maps at our disposal, but the distance of the soction would be about fifty miles or so. The Capa Colony portion cf the line is to ba formed by the extension of the existing Sterkstroom-Indwe line to Kokstad, in Griquland East, a distance of 140 miles as the crow flies. According ) to the Cape papers Sir Gordon Sprigg the Premier of Cape Colony, had under taken to bring in a Bill to extend the railway from Indwe to Griqualand, but appeared very doubtful whether they would be able to deal with the question. He, however, promised Mr Zeitsman that if private enterprise could be induced to construcG tho lino the Government would give every assistance. Mr Zeitsinan's proposal* also included branch lines running from Kodsiad to TJtnt.ata (about 80 miles) and to St. John's, ITmzirnvubu River. Tho total distance from Capetown to Durban by the proposed line would be roughly about 1000 miles, made up a 3 follows :—Capetown to ludwo (constructed) 760 miles ; Indwe to Kokstad, 140 miles; Kokstad to Piotermaritzburg, 90 miles. It is probable that tho Imperial Government now attach value to tho proposed extension, for military purposes, and aro consequently subsidising tho work.