IV. Cc. O. BURGE. 
periodically like our Astronomer’s weather cycles. This is a 
matter which should be settled on the evidence of special experts 
in the departments of engineering, traffic, and property valuation, 
and only those of them who have practical acquaintance with city 
work in these branches; more than this only serves to darken 
counsel and delay results. When, therefore, we find that over 
forty witnesses were examined and thirty-five different schemes, 
by all sorts of projectors, were considered by the Royal Commission 
in 1891, besides what has been done since, and no result arrived 
at, we must come to the conclusion that the Horatian maxim, so 
often followed in modern times, interdum vulgus rectum videt, is 
not applicable to the city railway question. 
Four electric tramways in Sydney and suburbs, as well as the 
conversion of several steam tramways to the same system, are in 
the category of recently completed or authorised works. In con- 
nection with this matter, I might mention, incidentally, that out 
of three hundred and ten miles of proposed light railways in Great 
Britain, forming the first batch lodged with the Commissioners 
under the new English Light Railways Act, no less than one 
hundred and eighteen miles are to be worked by electricity. The 
large works at Cockle Creek near Newcastle for the treatment of 
Broken Hill ore by the sulphide process should also be mentioned. 
The lock and weir at Bourke on the Darling now in hand presents 
some novel features, and is certainly important enough to be 
referred to in the present summary. As to Queensland, a large 
railway bridge is being constructed over the Burdekin River. 
Another large one over the Bremer River at Ipswich is complete, 
while the contract for another at Rockhampton has been let. 
About one hundred and fifty miles of railway are under construc 
tion, and the Brisbane horse-tramways are being converted to 
electricity as a motive power. 
The railway gauge question is one that will before long come 
before the public, with particulars as to what it will cost as 4 
more or less complete scheme, together with the corresponding 
estimated gain. To some people the alteration appears to be only 
