THE MAIN TRUNK LINE.

Evening Star, Issue 11830, 9 March 1903, Page 3

THE MAIN TRUNK LINE.

The Minister of Public Works, who has just returned from a tour of inspection of the North Island Trunk railway works so far as they have gone, finds that matters are progressing well. The line is completed to Mangaweka, and beyond the Mangaweka station about a mile of formation is completed, over which, the trains run. The Mangaweka viaduct is well under way, and should be completed in a few months. This bridge is the key to the opening of the line to Taihape. Between Mangaweka and Taihape there is the Toitoi bridge, the material for which is already manufactured and ready for erection. This will be completed in a very short time. The three tunnels between Mangaweka and Taihape are in a forward state, tie work now in hand consisting principally of lining with concrete blocks, which are made near the site of the tunnel, and are found to be cheaper than bricks, as the shingle for making them is readily available, and the heavy cost of carting the bricks is saved. Between Taihape and Mataroa, about five and a-half miles, the banks and cuttings are fully manned. The piercing of the Mataroa tunnel will be started almost immediately. The works in hand extend beyond Mataroa to Taurangarere, sixteen miles from Taihape. This work will prove tedious, as it is composed almost wholly of banks, cuttings, bridges, and tunnels. This makes just about thirty miles of formation work in hand at the southern end. Between Taurangarere and Waioru, seven and a-half miles, the formation is light. Beyond Waioru there are some heavy cuttings for about three miles, grading down to the flat towards Waione, on the Murimutu section, a distance of about three miles. Shen there are about fourteen miles of fairly easy formation, where good E regress could be made. A few miles of eavy work follows, and after that there appears to be no great engineering difficulties in the way of formation. About 600 men are now employed at the southern end of the line. The engineer in charge has had authority for some time past to put on a larger number, but owing presumably to so many men being employed in harvesting operations the supply at present is not equal to the demand.