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CORRESPONDENCE.
A RAILWAY FROM THE MIDLAND.
To THE EDITOR.
SIR-The questions asked in the House by
Mr. Clarkson, member for Newcastle, respect-
ing the Greenmount line are very important,
and worthy of serious consideration, for the
following reasons: (1.) The increasing traffic
on the eastern line render necessary a much
easier grade than that obtaining over the
Darling range. (2) From an engineering
point of view, to attempt a permanent line
over the Darling range is a serious mistake
when easier country and better land are to be
found by running parallel to the Avon River.
(3.) I am quite unprejudiced as to which
Tonic is followed, but feel certain that the
Greenmount line is a huge blunder. It would
be a great pity in ten years time, when the
trans-continental line, via, Yilgarn to
Port Augusta, is an accomplished fact,
to find it necessary to make a line from the
Midland to Newcastle, and thence down the
Avon Valley to Northam. The Government,
I understand, is tend spending nearly £100,000
on improving the Eastern line via Greenmount.
Would not the same sum spent on
a line to Newcastle from the Midland be
much more to the country's interest P Farther
such, a line would avoid the necessity of
branch lines to two of the most important
agricultural centres in the colony Newcastle
and Northam-as these two districts would
then be on the main line.
The subject is worthy of more attention
than has been given to it. We have an able
and reliable Engineer-in-Chief. If he were
instructed to have a proper survey made from
the Midland line to Newcastle and Northam,
and to report on the better route for permanent
as, the question would be once and
for all settled. Sorely in the interest of fair
play this is not asking too much.
Yours, etc.,
ENQUIRER.
November 28.
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