SOUTH ISLAND MAIN TRUNK.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20315, 14 August 1931, Page 11

SOUTH ISLAND MAIN TRUNK.

♦ NO WORK ON BRIDGES. i awaiting decision of board. Wishing to save expense, which may prove to be unecessary, the Public Works Deuartment is not constructing bridges over the Comvay ancl Leader Rivers for tlie South Island Main Trunk Line, and is proceeding only slowly with the work at the Hawkswood Saddle cutting until the Railways Board has decided whether or not the line in to bo completed. If the work is to be stopped in a few months, the Department consiueis that it is not justified at present in starting expensive work such as bridge-building. There aro two steam shovels working on the Hawkswood cutting, but until the Department is certain that tho line is to be completed, it is not bringing from the North Island a drag line excavator, which would speed no the work on the cutting cor siderably. Tho transpoitation costs of the excavator would involve the Department in considerable expense. At present there are 300 men oil formation works. Tho line has been finished for some miles past Parnassus and has been pegged for 21 nines. The Leader River bridge is within a mile of Parnassus, but plans for it have not yet been drawn. Ihe Conway River bridge also has not yet been started.