The Westport Times. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1870.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 706, 3 September 1870, Page 2

The Westport Times. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1870.

When entertaining the question of railway extension a brief reference to the most economic system of construction, having regard to a fair average speed and a moderate pressure upon therails, will probably prove of interest. Some valuable information upon this subject, contained in letters and memoranda from an eminent firm ol' engiueers, has been forwarded to iS T ew Zealand by the Commissioners, and, from a perusal of these, results may be gathered certainly favorable to the system of light railways. It would appear that through country of an ordinary character, with cheap land, labor obtainable at moderate rates, and where expensive bridges are not required, railways, with a guage of 3ft Gin, and in every way thoroughly efficient, may be completed for £3OOO per mile. These railways, when constructed, would be suitable to a working speed of 23 miles au hour, including stoppages, and would carry a rolling load not exceeding a pressure of four tons by any wheel upon the rail; the above load being stated to ba the maximum upon tho wheel of any ordinary railway waggon or carnage in Great Britain. Lines of this description have been constructed in India, Canada, Queensland, and Norway, the cost varying very considerably according to the price of labor obtaining in each country, and the ph; sical character of the country, in \ Queensland we find th< railways havo been tionstructed at an average cost' per mile, lor 222 miles, exclusive of I

mountain incline, of £6,550; in India a .short line. 1!) miles in length, cost per mile £3,900, but no particulars are furnished as to the character of the country or tho cost of skilled aud ordinary labor; tho Canadian railways with which this engineering firm has been connected, extending over 193 miles, were constructed at an average cost of £2,900 per mile; while Tn .Norway, where the engineering difficulties would appear to have been of an exceptional character, the cost was, through heavy country, per mile, £4060 to £5382, and, through easy country, £3270 per mile. The cost of working these lines is much the same as ou ordinary railways ; but in consequence of the low speeds aud light rolling loads, there is stated to be on the light railways a most important saving in wear and tear of permanent way aud rolling stock. If, for the purposes of the traffic in New Zealand, speeds of fifteen miles an hour, and rolling loads of three tons upon a wheel will be sufficient, then the cost of construction may be again very considerably reduced ;* but, even under these conditions, the coat through an average country, not involving heavy bridges, is approximately estimated for a single line of not less than 100 miles at from £3,500 to £4,000 per mile. The above estimate would include an ample supply of locomotives and rolling stock for a moderate passenger and goods traffic.