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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 75

Railways in War Time

Railways in War Time.

Although I have not hitherto written or spoken on this portion of the subject, it has occupied much of my attention.

If war were to break out now, the North and South ends of this island might easily be severed for want of inland communication. Wellington and Auckland could not properly support each other. These cities could be easily and cheaply connected by means of a 2ft. 6in. line, but here the department steps in again and says: These lines cannot be allowed here, they will never do among our mountains. They do very well among the Himalayas, and pay a high rate of interest. I was under the impression that this range was just a little more stupendous than anything we have here, especially in the North Island, but perhaps the department knows better. At any rate, these lines have been found to be very useful to connect with the English, Irish, and Indian lines, and, therefore, ought to be good enough for us.

What an enormous advantage it would be to us in war time if we could run about over the country at the fares I propose. It would be easy then to send the women and children away to places of safety. And what so much enables a country to be defended as an intimate knowledge on the part of its inhabitants of all its strong and weak places. But what do most of us know about our country now? Absolutely nothing from personal observation.

If I have dwelt long on the subject of our railways, it is because I am convinced that