§ 69. Mr. LUMLEYasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made with regard to the placing of contracts for the new railway extensions in Kenya and Uganda, or invitations to tender; whether any of the 3½ millions voted by Parliament has yet been drawn upon; and when it is anticipated that actual construction work will commence?
§ Mr. MORGAN JONES (for Mr. THOMAS)With regard to the main extension from Turbo to Luzinga, I have been advised that invitations to firms in this country to tender for the work would involve an extra delay of 12 months in beginning work, and I have therefore decided that, when the surveys and staking out have been completed, and I have received and considered a full estimate of the cost of the line, the work shall be 632 undertaken departmentally, with a free use of local competitive contract for particular parts of the construction. The question will be separately considered for other lines, but the Thika-Tana River branch, which is not one of the lines covered by the £3,500,000 assisted loan, is already under construction on the same basis. So far as I am aware, no expenditure under that loan has been incurred, except on the surveys, which were authorised before the Vote was passed. Construction of the Turbo-Luzinga line is expected to be begun by the 1st January next.