was his unfortunate lot to make a "kosmos" out of a chaos. It seemed to him a medley—a network of inextricable entanglements. However much he deplored the sorry fact, still he found the best remedy would be to attempt the onerous undertaking of putting matters right. One thing aided his labours, and that was the limited railroad mileage in the colony. When he came there were only 212 miles of Government railway, and since then great have been the expansion and the developments. With the enormous growth of traffic and commerce insuperable difficulties strewed the path. Arrangements for new systems, want of rolling stock, and want of experienced men increased his trials to a maximum. Everything required remodelling and renewing, and when Mr. Davies had successfully accomplished these alterations he was obliged to import men from the other colonies to cope with the new regime. Buildings and railway appliances of every description were required, and with the sudden rush and general block which was bound to take place these could not be furnished at a moments notice. It is marvellous how Mr. Davies obtained the present system considering all the trials and perplexities he had to contend against.
We will mention the railways opened to the general public since he came here, and then the reader can estimate for himself the great amount of labour involved in forming this general connection into a definite working order. The new lines are:—Perth to Pinjarrah, on 23rd May 1893, 54 miles; Pinjarrah to Picton Junction, on 22nd August, 1893, 57 miles; Boyanup to Minninup, on 16th November, 1893, 10 miles; Northam to Yilgarn (Southern Cross), on 1st July, 1894, 170 miles; Mullewa Junction to Mullewa, on 1st November, 1894, 57 miles; Boyanup to Busselton, on 2lst November, 1894, 27 miles; Southern Cross to Boorabbin, on 1st July, 1896, 66 miles. The following lines in course of construction (October, 1896) have yet to be handed over to the Government:— Boorabbin to Kalgoorlie, on 31st December, 1896, 80 miles; Mullewa to Yalgoo, on 1st December, 1896, 73 miles; Yalgoo to Mount Magnet, on 30th August, 1897, 77 miles; Mount Magnet to Cue, on 31st November, 1897, 47 miles. The following railways are in contemplation:—Menzies Railway, 100 miles; Kalgoorlie to Kanowna, 12 miles; Cue to Nannine, 40 miles; Donnybrook to Bridgetown, 15 miles; and Brunswick to Collie, 24 miles. Another railway which has recently been brought under his supervision is the Great Southern Railway, from Albany to Perth, purchased in September, 1896, by the Western Australian Government from the Western Australian Land Company for £1,100,000. Mr. Davies is the first president of the local Cambrian Society. When twenty-three years of age he married Miss Mary Ann Williams, daughter of Mr. John Williams, of Oswestry, Shropshire. After reviewing all his achievements amid such unusual complexities and difficulties, sufficient praise cannot be awarded to his administrative abilities. His mental resources have tided the traffic of the colony over a trying crisis. It is to his able efficiency that any progress at all was made when the colony was unable to cope with the sudden rise Of traffic. In a practically new country his experience was especially valuable. The Western Australian Railways system is stretching out octopus-like in almost every direction. Every day puts additional responsibility on Mr. Davies's shoulders, but his thorough grasp of departmental detail, with his masterly administrative power, has made him popular alike with the travelling public and the well-disciplined men under him.
JAMES BROUN ROE, J.P.
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Photo by JAMES BROUN ROE, J.P. Greenham & Evans. |
IN the annals of Australian history the name of Roe will ever occupy a prominent place, for few men have done better work for Western Australia than the late Captain Roe, R.N., Surveyor-General of the Colony. Nearly seventy years have passed since this gallant officer threw in his lot with the fortunes of the few adventurous spirits who settled in the land of the Black Swan, and laid the foundations of the present great colony. That man of energy and scientific turn of mind, who previously accompanied the navigator King in his explorations along our coast, accompanied Governor Stirling when he landed in Western Australia in 1829. It is not, however, of the famous sailor that we have now to deal, but with the career of his son, Mr. James Broun Roe, the principal sheriff of the Colony.
In the whole of the Public Service there is, perhaps, not a more arduous and responsible position, requiring, as it does, a man of iron nerve, a good disciplinarian, and a capacity to manage men. Such accomplishments in Mr. Roe's case are probably hereditary, for from boyhood he was noted for these qualities—qualities which, when he was a lad, were absolutely necessary to a man who was to act as a leader of men. This, Mr. Roe, like his father, has had to do nearly all his life, only the son's task has been harder, if anything, than the father's, for whereas the captain had to deal with the well-disciplined sailors of a man-of-war, the son, in his capacity of Inspector of Prisoners and as Sheriff, has had to deal with some of the worst characters in the community. Mr. J. B. Roe was born on the 11th of May, 1833, in Perth, where he passed his boyhood.
