A GREAT WORK

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10392, 9 May 1927, Page 5 (Supplement)

A GREAT WORK

BUILDING OF GISEORNE-MOTU-HOBA RAILWAY.

HISTORY FROM AGITATION TILL COMPLETION. BIG PROBLEMS SUCCESSFULLY HANDLED. - As one of the most important undertakings carried out in this district during the last 25 years is_ unquestionably the construction of the Gisbornc-Motuliora railway, it may here be interesting to , outline the early history of the line. In April, 1897, a Railway League was formed and, under the guidance of the Hon. (afterwards Sir) James Carroll, the League commended a vigorous agitation in response to which the Government sent an Auckland engineer, Mr. Jus. Stewart, to make an inspection of the country between Gisborne and Rotorua and thus the first reconnaisance survey was made. For three years, no further work was entered upon. In September, 1899, the Railway League appointed Messrs. Townley and Matthews as a deputation to proceed to Wellington to urge the necessity for the railway. These gentlemen were unable to get any definite promise, so the agitation was renewed and in the following Public Works Statement the modest sum of £2OOO for the Gisborne-Te Karaka section appeared. At this stage an assistant engineer, Mr. John Stewart, was appointed to Gisborne, but after a few months, Jl2 was obliged to retire owing to ill-health. Mr. Armstrong was then transferred from the Main Trunk lino to take control and the first work undertaken was the permanent location survey to Kaitcratahi.

A BUSY LITTLE OFFICE. In January, 1900, a start was made and, 011 the 14th of that 111011th, Sir Joseph Ward and the Minister lor Public Works performed tile cere- , mony of turning the first sod. At j this time, the Public Works opsu- j ations were on a very modest se.de, ] and the staff comprised the engineer, an overseer, and one clerk, and the headquarters of this important Department were situated nearby the present station house in a small building of two rooms, erected as an office. Access to this estab-. lishment was by a more or less winding path through high fennel, crossing the Waikanae on a small footbridge. This little building eventually became the scene of much activity. Here one might- also remark upon the steady advance in the activities of the local branch of the Public Works Department. During the past 25 years the staff lias increased fom three to some twenty officers and the expenditure from £2OO to £98,COO per annum in this district. OPENING OF FIRST SECTION^ Surveys were pushed ahead and many and varied were the suggestions ns to the proper location for the railway from the many would-be well-wishers. In a few months several miles of centre line location were pegged out and the work of preparing the permanent plans was pushed forward practically day and night in the little office with its small staff. On June 26th, 1902, the first section of 10 miles to Ormond was ready to be opened and this opening was performed by Sir Jas. Carroll, Lady Carroll and Mrs. Townley also assisting in the function. FACING BIG OBSTACLES. In response to further representations a Parliamentary party visited the district, the outcome being the speedy extension of the t-ine. On November 10th, 1902, a further section of three miles, taking the iailway to Kaitcratahi, was ope he d. It was only after this stage was reached that any engineering obstacles were met With. On leaving the Kaiteratahi station the Waipaoa river had to he crossed, necessitating a bridge 560 feet long, the contractors for this work being the excellent firm of Messrs. McLean Bros. A couple of miles ahead the hill on Mr Scott’s property had to be pierced'and tins tunnelling work was carried out entirely by co-operative labor. The railway was completed find opened to Te Karaka on April 13th, 1905, -.which was the occasion of much jubilation and thanks to the good services of Sir James Carroll, who had so persistently urged the importance of the line as fin important factor in development of the district. VERY HEAVY SECTIONS. . The headquarters of the Public Works Department were then remov-

ed to Te Karaka and, for some years, this was the centre of the Department’s activities. The railway at this time was by far the rfcost important/work of the district. From Te Karaka to Waikohu comprised the next section opened. The works of note on this section comprised considerable earthworks, the curved tunnel near Pulia, and the combined road and jjai.lway bridge adjacent to Waikolm. Following on from Waikohu ijie used section undertaken comprised very heavy earthworks, a j tunnel and the Otoko viaduct, besides a number of smaller bridges. The works on this section occupied several years, and employed a large number of men, as many as 500 being at work at one time. The scene of the operations of some of the large cuttings was most impressive. In places the whole hillside had to be cut down to form a trench ior the railway track, and the rows of men each taking down their allotted portion gave the appearance of order and precision. THE OTOKO VIADUCT. The large Otoko viaduct which undoubtedly was the outstanding feature of this section, is an excellent example of engineering, showing, as it does, how a heavy railway train 01 several hundred tons can be carried over a ravine at a great height on what seems, to the ordinary observer,to be a frail framework, of .steel. This important section was opened on April 6th, 1912, by the Hon. R. McKenzie and it brought the line to the 31 mile peg. The next section—j Otoko to Rakauroa, seven mites in j length, comprised another heavy section of construction, its chief fea- ; tures comprising a large filling across ' a deep gully which required no fewer | than 00,000 cubic yards of material to form the embankment. A water tunnel some eight chains in length had also to he driven under the hill to convey the creek waters under the line at this place. Further along this section are several bridges, the largest being at what was known as the Devil’s Elbow, and another apprnach- ! inrr the Rakauroa station, both steel ! structures on concrete piers and each

about 250 in length and approximately 50 feet,,above the creek bed. A SOMEWHAT UNSTABLE STRETCH. The next section from Rakauroa to Matawai, six miles in length, traversed in' places what has since proved to be somewhat unstable country and has necessitated the removal of considerable spoil that slid towards the railway, and, although a certain amount of inconvenience lias been caused to the track men in this locality, the trouble has not been serious, the Railway Department having maintained traffic over this length without interruption, except to slow down the trains at times when passing over the short lengths of line. This section has the distinction of reaching the highest altitude on the line, viz., 1956 feet, and this occurs about the 41-mile' peg The actual crossing of the divide is made through a long cutting of about 18 chains in length —at this point the waters divide; on the one side they flow to Poverty Bay and on the other to the Bay of Plenty. The formation work from this on became easier as tne graue falls to Matawai and finally on to Motuliora. , HOW STONE WaS OBTAINED. The Opening of the Matawai section was performed by the Prime Minister, the Hon. Mr. Massey. The section, Matawai to Motuliora, five miles away, was comparatively long in its construction, partly because itwas necessary' to curtail expenditure, and partly owing to the heavy nature of the section, several of these fillings containing some 30,000 and 15,000 -cubic yards of filling, the largest bridge on the section being that over the Motu River. During the construction of this section difficulty was found in obtaining sufficient suitable stone to ballast the line and metal -the road through the bush towards Motu. It was absolutely' necessary to metal this portion of the road and a- large quantity of stone was necessary. AN AWE-INSPIRING SIGHT.

The engineer decided to blow down a large portion of a recently opened quarry. Three drives were put into the hill to a length of- about 50 feet and a cross drive at the end of each. Into these, tunnels was placed seven tons of blasting powder and wiring lead, and carefully arranged to each chamber, connected to a detonator inserted in a plug of gelignite and placed in the powder which itseli was carefully protected from dumps with felt lining. The drives were time filled, and rammed up tight, and finally all was ready. At _a stated time,

the charge was electrically fired, and it was an awe inspiring s.ght to see the hill side open up and the front portion'fall out and break up, giving many thousands of yards of rock almost ready for the crusher, and thus the work of a moment saved an immense amount of labor in taking down stone by the ordinary method of quarrying. * 00-OPERATIVE SYSTEM SUCCEEDS. The opening day finally' arrived and thus ended for the time (we hope not for long) the building of the GisborneMotu railway. The actual construction of die line, as some may be aware, was with the exception of one or-two items, entirely built under the co-operative system, and although a system that came in for a good deal of criticism in some parts of the Domyiicyi, was not adversely' commented upon on the Gisborne line. It is a means by which men who are unable to take up large contracts are enabled to make good earnings by putting their full energies, skill and ingenuity into the operation of their work. As few are possibly aware of how the system is Worked it might lie here said that, under good m'anagement, it is quite economical and satisfactory where the work is of a light nature. Heavy construction requires the steam navvy and plenty of them.