Railways in New Zealand

Abstract

Early construction by provincial governments, 657.—Vogel 's vast scheme of expansion in 1870, under general government, on borrowed money, 658.—Deviations from the original plan, through political influence, 660.—Expansion, followed by collapse in 1879, 661.—One important private railway, 662.—Bought up by government in 1908, 664. —The railways, narrow gauge and light, 666.—Traffic, rates, length of haul, 668.—Uniformity of rates, 670.—Commission administration, 1889–94, succeeded by direct governmental administration, 671.—Improvements charged to capital account, 672.—Net earnings insufficient to pay interest on debt, 673.—The deficit larger than the published figures indicate, 675.—Causes of the deficit, 678.—Railways should not be built or operated at financial loss because of supposed social utility, 685.—Recent movement for economy, 690.—Return to private ownership nowhere proposed, 692.