THE MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 11960, 12 August 1904, Page 3

THE MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY.

PROGRESS Of THE WOR^L (STECUXi TO "THI PMBS.") WELLINGTON, August 11. Mr Fowlds asked the Minuter for Public Works to-day wltetlier he expects to fulfil hid promise nude {oar years ago to have the North Island Main Trunk rail-way completed thm year ,and if nob, how much longer will be required to complete the said railway, assuming the same rate of progress to be continued in the future »b nan been made during the past four yean. Mr Hall-Jones replied it in not expected that the railway will be completed during Uie current year.' The date of completion trill depend upon the amount of money Toted <*eh year for the' work 'of the 426 miles between Auckland and* Wellington. Three hundred and twenty-three are now open for regular daily passenger and goods traffic, and the rails are laid and the lino a\ailable for goods traffic for twenty-one r.ike further. The- formation works are either complete or in program for twenty* teven miles beyond that again, .making a total length finished or in progress* of 370 imk», which reduces the length of untouched section to fifty-five mites. "It was <«4imatod on the 3Ut March that £550,000 would be required to complete the railway.