RAILWAY GUAGE

Hokitika Guardian, 24 January 1929, Page 2

RAILWAY GUAGE

AUSTRALIA’S PROBLEM

LAST OBJECTING STATE

SYDNEY, January 10,

The declaration by the Premier of South Australia (Mr R. L. Butler) that that State is still opposed to any attempt to bring about a uniform railway gauge throughout the mainland of Australia, indicates that this country will have to continue allowing the eventual cost 1 of this big task to increase for another few years. Every year the work is delayed the costs mount, and yet the reform is inevitable. In 1897 Victoria cbuld have converted her railways to the uniform gauge at a cost of £350,000. In 1913 the estimated cost had increased to £3,500,000. In 1922 it was £5,200,000; in 1926 the estimated cost was £8,324,000; and by now some estimates place the cost at £10,000,000. Experts consider that there will never be a more propitious time for the unifying of the gauges than at present, particularly since the Victorian Premier (Sir William McPherson) has declared himself in favour because of the heavy economic losses caused by the present system. While labour costs are high the cost* of some materials have decreased. Labour is plentiful, and if the railways are to compete successfully against road transport they will have to be efficient. The fact that the railways of every State are in an unsatisfactory condition indicates the need foi improvements. The proposal put forward by the Unification Commission was for a uniform gauge line from Brisbane to Fremantle at a cost which in 1926 was estimated at £22,000,000, and as the result of an agreement between New South Wales and Queensland a start has already been made with the line from Brisbane to New South Wales territory. This will be the only uniform gauge line in Queensland territory. New South Wales is in the happy position of having the uniform gauge throughout. Before the Victorian Premier’s declaration the Victorian Government was definitely opposed to unification, but recent developments have had a sinister significance for that State. Chief among these is the construction 'of a 4ft Biin gauge line from Sydney to Broken Hill, and the proposal that this should be continued across South Australia to connect with the Transcontinental line at Port Augusta, This would cut Victoria right out of the main Australia railway and commercial route, which would seriously affect her position as a large commercial centre of the Commonwealth. Victoria’s changed attitude leaves South Australia as the last opponent of the unification scheme. West Australia has agreed to do her bit in the conversion of the 386 miles of 3ft 6in line between Kalgorolie and Perth. Mr Butler’s arguments are those which have been advocated for years by the opponents 'of unification, namely, that the work would entail heavy loan expenditure and increased taxation, and that his otvn State would not receive sufficient benefit out of the change, Similar arguments have been used in practically all controversies on matters tending toward closer federation of the States.