The Gauge Question.

Mr. Whitton favoured the Irish gauge, 5ft. 3in., and desired to make the New South Wales gauge conform to that of the neighbouring colonies of Victoria and South Australia, but, as the 4ft. 8 ½in. gauge was favoured locally, he accepted the situation, and, subsequently, fought most strenuously for its retention. It is due entirely to his determined resistance, that the State was spared from having different gauges thrust upon it.

So convincing was Mr. Whitton's report that Parliament approved of his proposals, and he successfully carried the railways not only to Goulburn and over the Blue Mountains to Bathurst, but also to the northern railway extension.

When the extension of the railway from Goulburn to the Victorian border, and that from Bathurst towards the Western Plains was considered, great efforts were made for the adoption of cheap narrow gauge railways and two-feet horse-tramways, and with a view to ascertaining the best means of facilitating inland traffic, a Parliamentary Select Committee was appointed in 1870 to report upon the question. After taking a great deal of evidence, the Committee recommended that the Main Trunk lines should not be continued beyond Goulburn, Bathurst and Murrurundi in the north. Beyond these towns 3ft gauge railways, laid with 5lbs, rails, were to be constructed at an estimated cost of £1,000 per mile.

Fortunately, New South Wales had in Mr. Whitton, Engineer-in-Chief for Railways, a gentleman of ability, indomitable perseverance, and unquestionable integrity. He fought very stubbornly against the recommended break of gauge in New South Wales and the adoption of cheap and inferior railways.

Mr. Whitton had the trial surveys revised, with the result that, by modifying earth and structural works, the estimates for the construction of the extensions beyond the towns named, could be reduced to £7,000 per mile for railways built to the 4ft. 8 ½in. gauge and laid with 70lbs. rails. The Government approved of the proposal, and the mistake of narrow gauge railways of very inferior construction was finally averted.