MOUNTAIN RAILWAY

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 353, 6 February 1937, Page 5

MOUNTAIN RAILWAY

Funicular Lines To Be Built In New Zealand.

Prees Association—Copyright. Weheka, Feb. 5. The Tourist Department is investigating the possibility of cons.trur.ing funicular railways to severs! of the major snowfields of the Dominion with the idea of developing them as skl-ing and mountaineering centres. Tbit- was announced this evening by Mr. L. J. Schratit, general manager of the Department, who slated that whi’e final claims had to be submitted to Cabinet he thought it certain that at least two or three of he railways would be built within the next two years. Engineers of the Public Works Department are already preparing estimates for the construction of funicular lines, along those common in the winter resorts of Switzerland, at the Chateau Tongariro, the Hermitage at Mount Cook, Franz Josef Glacier, Waito and the Fox Glacier at Webeka. All available data is being secured from Switzerland and other countries, where funicular transport has 1 proved popular, and the work of preparing the plans is being pushed forward at a rapid pace,