CHAIRMAN'S ADDRESS. XI. 



With regard to the alteration of 5ft. 3in. rolling stock to 

 4ft. 8Jin., it must be borne in mind that all the old stock 

 will be worked out on the 5ft. 3in. compound track, as the 

 altering of the gauge will extend over a series of years; 

 that so much of the present 5ft. 3in. stock as may require 

 to be altered to work any 4ft. 8£in. section may be 

 economically altered, while all new stock that may be 

 required in the natural order will, of course, be built to 

 the standard gauge. 



It is just a decade since my experienced and gifted 

 predecessor in this Chair, Mr. 0. O. Burge, m. inst c.b., drew 

 attention to the question of unification of the gauges. At 

 that date he realised that complete unification was only 

 a happy dream, incapable then of practical realization. 

 His view of the subject was, that with only 6| inches 

 between the gauges of Victoria and New South Wales 

 there would be serious constructional objections to a mixed 

 ga uge, andyet he is convinced that in the mixed gauge 

 lies the best present solution of the question. 



He further says, "When after Federation the traffic is 

 absolutely unhampered by border duties, preferential rates, 

 and unequal import duties, a third rail southwards from 

 Albury to Melbourne will abolish the break of gauge as 

 regards this large and increasing traffic." 



He proposes to run the 4ft. 8Jin. line round the back of 

 the present stations, clear of all points so as to avoid the 

 difficulty of running the mixed gauge through the points 

 and crossings and interlocking gear of the larger gauge. 

 He pointed out that as regards the cost of the work of 

 complete unification it would be many years before the 

 traffic reached such dimensions as to pay interest on the 

 capital expended, but with a mixed gauge or partial unifi- 

 cation between Albury and Melbourne (190 miles) the cost, 

 including alteration to rolling stock, stations, aud per- 



