NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3120, 22 February 1909, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS

By Telegraph.—Press Association. DIJNEDIN, February 21. The Minister of Railways informed a reporter yesterday that the Government was building at the railway workshops six of the biggest engines ever built in New Zealand, two being already completed. They weigh, with tender (loaded), 90 tons, and are the heaviest it is possible to run on our narrow gauge. One is now on the road doing splendid work. "If the railways are to be run economically," said the Minister, "it can only be by increasing the power of the engines so that one locomotive may be able to do work which up to the present has needed two." Six tank engines, designed for suburban or passenger traffic, other than the express service, are also in hand at the Hillside workshops, and ten engines have still to be delivered by Price Bros. Orders in hand pretty well meet present requirements, but owing to the increasing traffic, further provision must be made. Four hundred trucks are under coHstruction at the workshops in the centres. The Minister intends to'specialise in the building of different parts of locomotives in different workshops. > The Minister is making inquiries as to how few trains will suffice on non-paying lines. He has already stopped four superfluous trains, and is enquiring with reference to others. With regard to rates the Minister said that there is no need to take away any privileges already granted to the travelling public, and he was in hopes that by reducing the number of non-paying lines and by economies effected by the acquisition of the Manawatu line and completion of the Main Trunk, neither long distance fares, nor concessions in freights granted to farmers, etc., will need to with. "After twelve months' experience under more favourable conditions," said the Minister, "I shall be better able to* form an opinion of what our railways are capable of doing."