MOHAKA VIADUCT COMPLETE

Evening Star, Issue 22689, 1 July 1937, Page 2

MOHAKA VIADUCT COMPLETE

COST MUCH UNDER ESTIMATE WORKS RECORD DESPITE SHORTER HOURS / , [Pjcr Unhid Press Association.] NAPIER, June 30. The Minister of Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple) to-day drove the last spike completing the Mohaka viaduct on the Napier-Gishorne railway- route. Tho ceremony of opening the viaduct, which is 315 ft high and 911 ft long, and which contains 1,792 tons of steel, was attended by nearly 400 people from places as far apart as Gisborne and Napier. In addition to Mr Semple, the Cabinet was represented by the Minister of Railways (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan), others present including Mr W. E. Barnard. Speaker of the House of Representatives, and members of neighbouring town and country organisations.

Mr Semple congratulated all concerned on the fine piece of work which, he said, had established a New Zealand and Australian record. The estimated cost of erection was £23,400. The total cost to-day was £13,205, and though there were a few pounds still to he spent the cost of erection was much less than was estimated. _ The estimated time for the erection of the steel and riveting only was nine months, but it was done in seven. The best riveting for a gang in an eight-hour day ivas 376 rivets, against the previous best of 315 in an eight and a-half-hour day. The best month’s erection, working 40 hours in a five-day; week, was 297 tons, the previous best in a 47-hour week of five and a-half days being 250. There had been no hitch whatever in the work and no accidents. The men had been paid 23s a day, but had earned every penny of it. Mr Semple was presented with a silver spike.