AUCKLAND RAILWAYS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 172, 20 July 1916, Page 4

AUCKLAND RAILWAYS.

WORKS IN PROGRESS. PUBLIC WORKS REVIEW. "" The Public Works Statement presented to Parliament on Tuesday contains a interesting review of the _*orks which ).are been in progress durmg the hnan eial year ended March 31st, 1910. KAIHAU VALLEY EXTENSION. \t the beginning of the year con-struction-work had been ii>tprogrees upon the extension from Tarawhati to Don nelly's Crossing, four nnles and a halt in length. Formation and culverts were knished over about half the length when operations were suspended in November last, and have not since been resumed. KAWAKAWA-HOKIANGA. The section under .construction at the beginning of the year commences at Kaikohe. Lhe termination of the opened line, and ends at Oka&au, over cjght miles distant. Of this length the formation of three miles and a quarter »a» been completed, with the exception ot itlio removal of some slips. Work has been commenced on a further length of "some three miles and a. half, but the number of men employed gradually dwindled until it became necessary to suspend operations and remove the few remaining men to other works. WHAXGAREI-XORTH AUCKLAND MAIN TRUNK. This is an important new line, which was' recommended by the North Auck land Railway Commission. It is nearly twenty miles in length, and will link up the existing Whangarei system with the North Auckland Main Trunk Railway at a point 23A miles north of the present terminus at Otaroatea, on the Otamatea River, a branch of the Kaipara Harbour Construction work is in progress oyer the whole length,- the first four miles under a contract, which is approachin;; completion, and the remainder by cooperative parties. The earthworks, on the whole, are not very heavy, but slips in the bigtrer cuttings give some trouble and interfere with progress. A small wharf has been built near Oakleigh station, eight miles south of Whangarei, and is connected by a. siding with the railway, for the purpose of landing construction materials. Owing to the very great scarcity of a suitable material for ballasting, road-making and concrete work throughout this district, advantage is being taken of a suitable volcanic deposit in the vicipity of Maungakaramea. A quarry ha 3 been opened up. and crushing machinery is being installed. It is proposed to concentrate upon the construction of this line, and also the adjacent positon of the Main Trunk* line, in order to take advantage of the cheaper and better material than those available at present. The-quarry is situated seven miles inland from Oakleigh Station, from which point the laying of the rails is proceeding. NORTH AUCKLAND MAIN TRUNK. ■ Works are completed aefar a3 Jlaungaturoto Station, a length of four miles and a quarter, to which a temporary goods and passenger service has been maintained during the year, and.which has extended to Huarau, ,two miles further 6nV"durfn«r the past three months. Construction work is in progress over a length, of . seven.. miles_ from Huarau >-TfortH wards','* including /<twt». -tunnels '"■of yards' ami 330" yards' respectively." both in difficult material, which-limits the rate of progress.

lluch pf the eonntry traversed is of an unstable nature, and slips are frequent in the winter months. Ballast lias to be hauled from the Department's quarry at Hotco. on the opened line, a distance of twenty-six miles from the prqeent railhead. On the section from Kirikopuni southwards light earthworks were carried out over a length of about ..two miles, but no tunnels or bridges were undertaken. It became necessary 'to suspend work in October last. WAIUKU BRANCH. . • .Formation-work along .nine:-miles of the branch line has continued during the year, and steady progress has been made • sufficient to permit of rails being laid from the junction to Putamahoc, four, miles distant. i -HDXTLY-AWAROA BRANCH. This branch, starting from the Main Trunk line at Huntly, was completed to •Pnkemiro Station, a length, of 7 miles 20 chains to thle -west, and was handed over to the Railway Department on the 20th December, 1915. EAST COAST MAIN TRUNK. Northern Section.—Work on the section between Waihi and i&thenree, about eight miles and three-quarters in length has been steadily carried on during the past year, and considerable progress has been made. Tauranga Section.—On the important section commencing at Tauranga Harbour formation-work is completed as far as Fongakawa. nearly twenty-four miles to-the, east, and the- good service which is run by the Public Works Department to this point is well patronised by settlers along the route. Passengers are carried between the starting-point at Mount Maunpanui and Te Pake, thirteen miles distant. There will be some delay in completing the steel bridge, over "the Kaituna River; owing to the difficulty in obtaining material, tint a tempora:y structure permits of the train passing over the stream in the meantime. The Department works a stone-quarry at Te Puke for ballast, and also supplies the requirements of neighbouring local bodies from the same source. Beyond Pongakawa earthworks are in .progress over a length of fifteen miles to Matata. KlTorts were made during the year to obtain supplies nf steel for the " superstructure of the large bridge which is to carry the railway across Tauranga Harbour in front of the town, brit owing to the extraordinary conditions prevailin , * in the steel industry in England, due to the" war, it is at present impossible to obtain supplies, and the construction of the bridge will therefore be deferred until the return of" normal conditions. At the present time the policy is being pursued of .only completing *the line"sufficiently to enable traffic to be worked safely, in OTder that the funds available may be utilised in extending the line as far as possible, so as to serve the maximum amount of country at the earliest possible date.

Gisbome Northward.—From Matawai the terminus of the opened line, to Kowhai Eoad station, near Motu, ' the formation-work has been completed, the rails have 'been laid, and the line is partly ..ballasted. A temporary bridge carries the line over the Motu. River, as completion of the permanent steel structure is delayed owing to the difficulty of procuring materials. A goods servicis carried on between Matawai and the railhead, timber comprising the principal freight. Construction-work beyond Kowhai Road station cannot be put in hand until the route of the main line towarde the Bey of Plenty is definite-

STRATFORD MAIN TRUSK. / At the western end the section froWhangamomona to Tahora, nearly tZ miles in length, has fully occupied tV available etaff during the whole of thf past year. On this length tunneltbridges, heavy cuttings, banks, 'stream" and road diversions, platelaying, »j,jj ballasting have been in progress, ami half the section is practically reaoy fn, traffic. From the railhead at Kolnira tahi, four miles and from the terminus of the open line, a service train" way ia in operation up to the next sta tion-site at Tahora. The larger of -tvrn tunnels on the section ia finished,* ane the second one is approaching coinilc tion. Beyond Tahora the line follows a * recently selected route through soral rough country where considerable sur' vey-work will have to he carried out bt fore construction can be commenced! At the eastern end of the line the Department is constructing the i concrete piers of the important bridge which will carry the line over the Onganie River near the junction with the Main Trunk line. As steel material is still unob tamable, a temporary wooden super-- , structure will probably be built to ncr mit of the bridge being used for traffias early as possible. The new contrat tors for the Okahu tunnel have not through with the bottom headih" atfl commenced enlarging and iinhy» tbe tunnel. Other small tunnels' toward? Matiere township are being enlarged and ' lined with bricke, which are made at tie works established in the locality by the Department. Earthworks are in'progress by contract and co-operative party up to 10J miles from Okahulcura but this section cannot be opened : until the tunnels are finished, ■■■ ■ . OPUNAKE BRANCH.

Construction-work hoe been ■in pf6giess principally over the first,- etven miles between the junction at Te Boti and Kapuni station. Earthworke are well advanced, culverts constructed piers and abutments for two briiW built, and preparations being made fot constructing-concrete piere to'carry i eubstantial bridge over the Waingoajorj, : v I Eiver. From Kapuni towards Aurpa thi ! route has been cleared and «oine entverts put in. Clearing" and fencing along the live-mile branch line fromKapuni to Manaia have also been'carried OUt. ' " ''.'l^'>.■)'"--' RAETIHI BEAXCH. - * Very little formation remains to , b« done on this branch. Kails, have b»t laid for half the length, and oalliitte" is now in hand: PlrogTese durfng ■, ttj. year has been slow, principally owing• inefficient'labour .not being available;» the .district.