PUBLIC WORKS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 55, 6 March 1911, Page 7

PUBLIC WORKS.

IHESILTtWG PROBLEM,

£21,000 FOB OTAMATEA. BRIDGE.

RAILWAY INSPECTION TOUR.

The Hon. R. McKenzie (Minister for Public Works), who 13 at present in Auckland, intends making a tour of investigation while in the province. This morning the Minister visited Government House, and investigated the work which is being done there. Despite ■rumours to the contrary, the renovation of Government House is being carried on without any hitch, and will be completed by the end of the month.

To-morrow the Minister proceeds to •Htmtly, where, he will be met by the engineer-in-chief (Mr. R. W. Holmes), and will make an inspection of the site of the bridge and branch railway, which will connect with the new coal-tields on the other side of the Waikato, and ■which are to be proceeded with without delay.

On Wednesday the Hon. Mr. McKenzie expects to reach Paeroa, and there, in company with the chief engineer (Mr. Holmes) and the district engineer (Mr. Wilson), make an inspection of the work requiring to be done In connection with the river-silting difficulty. Surveys are to be made at once from the bead of the works downwards, and as soon as these are completed, stop-banking will be proceeded with. The construction of a dredge in connection with the work is also being proceeded with. The Minister then proceeds to Rotorua, Tauranga, and Te Puke, in connection witb. the East Coast railway, and makes the journey overland right through Gi3borne to Napior, inspecting the. work in progress all along the Coai-it line. En route, the Minister will also inspect the Rangitaiki swam parea. This 'morning the Minister informed a "Star" representative that the contract for building the bridge across the Otamatea River at Young's Point, on the North Auckland railway, has been let to Mr. G. M. Fraser for lees than £21,000. This was the bridge which the opponents of the western deviation of the North Auckland line alleged would cost £60,000.

The Royal Commission to inquire into the route of the North Auckland fail: way, from McCarroll's Gap onwards, will commence its work in about three weeke' time. The Commission consists of Messrs. V. H. Reed, M.P., J. Stallworthy, M.P., T. Ron-ayne, W. Evans, J. Coombe, and one other member, who has not yet signified his willingness to accept a seat on the Commission.

The new Public Trust Office, to be built in Auckland, will cost, it ia estimated, between £10,000 and £12,000, and tenders will be called shortly.