Page:Problems of Empire.djvu/245

AUSTRALIAN RAILWAYS.

There is thus a great saving on first cost by the adoption of the narrow gauge, but there is no subsequent saving in working expenses, as compared with the broad gauge. The Northern line has recently been carried to Oodnadatta, 686 miles from Adelaide. The railway in the Northern territory is narrow gauge. Its present terminus is Pine Creek, 147 miles from Palmerston. The extension of the Northern line for 250 miles from Hergott Springs has been a great burden on the Colony. It passes through desert country. The traffic upon it is practically nil, and only one train is run a fortnight. From four stations fairly distributed along the line the traffic was as follows:—

—	Cattle.	Sheep.	Wool.	(Tons.)	Tonnage forwarded.	Tonnage received.
Oodnadatta	20	23	13	—	62	538
Anna Creek	—	—	—	—	5	19
Strangways Springs	—	—	—	—	6	23
Stuarts Creek	—	—	—	—	8	19

It is difficult to understand why, when the Government decided to make this extension, the railway was not carried up the eastern instead of the western side of Lake Eyre, which would have brought it 150 miles nearer the Queensland border. A considerable portion of the traffic from the back stations on the Barcoo and the south-western corner in Queensland passes to South Australia at present viâ Hergott Springs and Farina. In 1895, 15,000 cattle and over 56,000 sheep were shipped from Hergott Springs alone. As the Southern Queensland line extends westward the whole of this traffic will gradually pass to Brisbane. The

227