EAST COAST RAILWAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 59, 8 March 1912, Page 2

EAST COAST RAILWAY.

TUHWIXG THE SOD AT WAIHI. SPECIAL, TRAIN FROM AUCKLAND. The first sod of the Waihi-Tauraag* section of the East Coast railway -will be turned by the Prime Vtwietwr <Sir Joseph Ward) at noon on Monday next. It will be remembered thai in the Public Work* Estimate* of last Octobe.- a sum of £15,000 was set apart for this pertilar section of the East Coast line, and it was then anticipated that work would be put in hand almost immediately, as the preliminary surreys had already been made, When the president of the Auckland Railways League cwmmuaioated to the Minister of Public- Works some weeks ago, asking why a start had not been with the section and seeking to know when operations would be begun, the Hon. R. McKenzie replied that at» unavoidable delay had occurred through a shortage of surveyors lor completing. the surveying part of the work, but that tie difficulty had at last been overcome, permitting of an early start with actual operations, The section of which the first sod is about to be turned at Waihi will mean the linking of the goldfields town with the port of Tauranga, a distance of rather less than 30 miles, Katikati being nearly mid-way between the two towns. The engineering difficulties in the way are not great, the lay of the country permitting of the construction of the line along the slopes of the hills for a good part of the distance between Waibi and Katikati, while between the latter place and Tauranga the country is of a roll rag nature, intersected by numerous streams and creeks, necessitating a good many cuttings and short bridges, but presenting no very severe engineering problems. For the convenience of Aucklanders desirous of attending the ceremony on Monday a special train will leave at 5.45 a-m., reaching Waihi at 11.35, and leaving on its return in the afternoon, arriving at Auckland station between 9 and 10 = p.m.)