OPENING OF THE RAILWAY TO TAHORAITE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4182, 16 December 1884, Page 2

OPENING OF THE RAILWAY TO TAHORAITE.

[by telegraph.] Woopvillk* Tin's day.

The excursion train that inaugurated the opening of the extension of the lino to Tahoraite carried up about 500 passengers. On reaching the terminus there was a large assemblage of settlers and Maoris, but beyond that there was no demonstration. Several carriages conveyed those who desired it back along the road to Allardice's Hotel which was the nearest place for dinner, four coach loads also proceeded to AVoodville. The opening of the line to'Tahoraite

offered an occasion to say something about the extension of the line through the bush commencing at Takapau, not much engineering difficulties were encountered to Kopua to which place the line was opened in January 1879, some of the heaviest work was then undertaken in the formation of the line to Makatoko, necessitating deep cuttings, heavy embankments, and tho erection of three high viaductsThese viaducts wero mentioned in tho scientific papers of New Zealand and Africa and referred to, exhibiting the enterprise, & the New Zealand Government and has been splendid examples of cheap and safe bridge work. The two principal viaducts are to be found between Kopua and Ormondvill, but there is a third between the latter place and Makatoku, tho principal one is the middle one and carries the roadway round a sharp curve 96 feet above the bed of the creek. The viaducts cost £15,000, and were two years in construction, delaying the extension of traffic to Makatoku till almost ISBO. At this time at the order of the House of Representatives a Royal Commissioner was appointed to report on what, line iv the colony it would be desirable to go on with and then the Napier line extension to Woodville was reported on adversely, all work was accordingly stopped and was not recommended until the end of 18S1 with the exception of some few short lengths of formation that were given out through the ciy of the unemployed two months before the general election of 1881. Tenders were called for the extension of the line through the heaviest portion of the country, of which the most expensive item was the viaduct over the Mangatawainui river, between Makatoko and Matanui. This bridge cost about £SOOO. As sufficient money had not been voted to complete the line toTahoraito it was determined to erect the other two viaducts between Matamau and Tahoraite. In the middle of 1883 tenders were called for the formation of this portion of the line. The contractors, however, failing, the Government took over and pushed on with the work, and which is now completed. The engineer of the line from Kopua to Tahoraite is Mr J. T. Carr, who has been assisted by Messrs J. Fulton, H. F. Moody, and D. Ross. No line in New Zealand has offered greater difficulties in its survey than this, carried as it was through denseyoush ; it was found repeatedly necessary to shift the proposed lino owing to the tendency of the land to slip as soon as cut into. The traveller to-day can form but a poor idea of those difficulties, but he cannot but be impressed with the splendid result that has been achieved. The principal contractors engaged on the bridge work were Messrs Proudfoot and McKay, of Dunedin, Joseph 1 Saanders, of Wellington, and H. M'Kenzie and Co., of Dunedin, all of whom have carried out their work with much credit to themselves and to the satisfaction of tho engineer. A word of praise is also due to the manner in which Mr Glendinning, of Napier, the contractor for laying the permanent way, has carried out his contract in spite of tho worst weather that has been ex- ' pcrienced in the bush for many yearß.