Beautifying Stations.

There are quite a number of ways in which railway working may be made of greater interest to the staff. Anything which may be accomplished towards achieving this is worthy of the closest consideration. Here at Home, the happy idea has occurred to the permanent way departments to encourage the subordinate forces in their tasks by awarding money prizes each year for the best-maintained stretch of page 45 track on the system. Certificates are also offered in this connection, and the awards are made only after keen inspection by experts. Marks are given for the sound and neat condition of the track, level and gauge of rails, state of joints and fastenings, and condition of the ballast. These annual inspections of the track are on very similar lines to the annual inspections which take place to determine which are the best-kept wayside stations. Money prizes also are awarded in connection with the latter contest, the prize money being divided among the staffs at the winning stations. Thanks to the working of this scheme, wayside stations throughout the country are kept remarkably spick and span, while here and there the most wonderful floral effects are produced by the enthusiastic railway gardeners.