THE MAIN TRUNK LINE

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 174, 16 April 1908, Page 9

THE MAIN TRUNK LINE

VISIT OF INSPECTION. • Holmes, Engineer-in-Chief of thc irubiic >>orks Department, has returned from- making a/ tour.of inspection of.. tho Mam Trunk and North of Auckland railways.' Seen by a represcntativo of this paper yesterday,, Mr. Holmes had little to add -to the statement, on .-the, progress, of these railways which ho mado; to our Auckland corresponderit,,.- and'i which was published . in Tub Dominion ' on ' Work' on the Main Trunk jliiie,-' he stated, is" proceeding uneventfully,'and; very satisfactorily.' The'Makatbte viaduct]-should :bo liiiislied iir;, about two irionths'f. tiine-," and' the ;two' largo 'bridges also'included; in Messrs.' Andbrsbn's'contract within three months from now. .Mr. ilolmes believes that the, line wilL be. cbmpleted with-: out' .'difficulty .--bytho '-"end ; bf:-;'tho, year,' if all goes, as well as things are; goiiig, now;;' Shoulda ' very .wet spring experienced, this may cause delay., Under ordinary circumstances trains should ,be running by' the end,of the year,, though- sonio : ,;dbtails • of construction will probably be still .unfinished. . Station' and other buildings are .being erected'..all along, the, lino,-, and the Railway Department has given, an order for construction, - by : the Public Works 'Department,' of no fewer than ; 100. cottages''along tho routo and : ;Taumarunui; 'for tho accommodation of train workers : and- maintenance 'men. Some .of these arc already under way, bufc. il. will, be a large-contract to construct them all by the end 1 of the year. ■;■ . Increasing uso.iis being made, of . tlio line.; It is being utilised for sawmill traffic, ' which, considerably; .interferes 'With the work of construction-, as engines are engaged hauling'.goods which are . needed for . hauling ballast.