§ CAPTAIN M'CALMONT (Antrim, E.)asked the Under Secretary of State for the Colonies, Whether it is intended to construct a railway to Haputalé, in Ceylon; and, if so, is it to be constructed on the broad or five and a-half feet gauge, at the estimated rate of £17,500 per mile; is the proposed railway to be constructed departmentally, or will the contract be let to an experienced contractor; and, whether, in the interests of economy, he will invite contractors to tender for broad and narrow gauge lines, the light character of the traffic in the Colony not requiring a heavy and costly line of railway?
THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. STUART-WORTLEY)(who replied) (Sheffield, Hallam) saidThe Secretary of State has sanctioned an extension of the existing Ceylon Railway, from its present terminus at Nanuoya to Haputalé, a distance of 25½ miles. It has been decided, on the strong recommendation of the Governor and the consulting engineer, not to introduce a break of gauge on this, the last section of a line 158 miles long. The estimated cost of the extension, if executed by contract, is £17,500 per mile; but the consulting engineer anticipates that this will be reduced to £17,100 per mile, if the work is executed departmentally. The conditions in this instance are specially favourable to the departmental system, the adoption of which has been forcibly advocated by the Governor on the grounds of economy and expedition. In these circumstances, there is no intention of inviting tenders for broad and narrow gauge lines.