A GREAT WORK

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 10473, 31 December 1927, Page 5 (Supplement)

A GREAT WORK

BUILDING OF GISBORNE-AIOTU-HORA RAILWAY.

HISTORY FROM AGITATION TILL COAIPLETiOX.

BIG PRO BLEARS SUCCESSFULLY HANDLED.

As one of the most important undertakings carried out in this district during the last 2-3 years is unquestionably the construction of the Gisborne-Motuhora railway, it may here he 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 commenced a vigorous agitation in response to which the Government sent an Auckland engineer, Mr. Jas. Stewart,, to make an inspection of the country between Gisborne and Rotorua and thus the first recounaisance 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 £2900 for the Gisbornc-Te Karaka section appeared. At this stage an assistant engineer, Mr. John Stewart, was appointed to Gisborne, but after a few months, he was obliged to retire owing to ill-health. Air.

Armstrong was then transferred from the Alain Trunk line to take control and the first work undertaken was tho permanent location survey to Kaiteratahi.

A BUSY LITTLE OFFICE.

In January, 1900, a start was made and, on the 14th of that month, Sir Joseph Ward and the Minister lor Public Works performed the ceremony of turning the first sod. At this time, the Public Works operations were on a very modest scale, and tiie staff comprised the engineer, an overseer, and one clerk, and the headquarters of this important Department were situated nearby the present station master’s house in a small building of two rooms, erected as an office. Access to this establishment was by a more or less winding path through high fennel, crossing the AYaikanae on a small foot bridge. 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 has increased font throe to some twenty officers and the expenditure from £2OO to £98,000 per annum in this district.

OPENING OF FIRST SECTION. Surveys were pushed ahead and many and varied were the suggestions as 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 tlie little office with its small staff. On June 26th, 1902, the first section of 10 miles to Ormoiul was ready to lie 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, tho outcome being the speedy extension of the time. On November 10th, 1902, a further section of three miles, taking the railway to Kniteratahi, was opelied. 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 be 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 lie pierced and this tunnelling work was carried out entirely by co-operative labor- The railway was completed and opened to Te Karaka on April 13th. 1900, which was the occasion of much jubilation and tlianks to the good services of Sir James Carroll, wlio had so persistently urged the importance of the line as an 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 tiie centre of the Department’s activities. The railway at this time was by far the n«ost important/work of the district. From Te lvaraka to Waikohu comprised the next section opened. The works of note on this section comprised considerable earthworks, the curved tunnel near Puha, and the combined road and bridge adjacent to Waikohu. Following on from Waikohu tjie used section undertaken comprised very heavy earthworks, a 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 th‘ operations of some of the large cuttings was most impressive. In places tho whole hillside had to he cut down to form a trench for 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 oi several hundred tons can he 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 Aprij 6th, 1912, by the Hon. K. AleKenzie and it brought the line to the 31 mile peg. The next section— Otoko to Rakatiroa, seven miies in length, comprised another heavy section of construction, its chief features comprising a large filling across a deep gully which required no fewer than 90,000 cubic yards of material to form the embankment. A water tunne] some eight chains in length had also to he driven under the hill to convoy 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 approaching the Rakauroa station, both steel structures on concrete piers and each about 250 in length and approximately 5U fe?t„,gbove tiie creek bed.

A SOAIEWHAT UNSTABLE STRETCH.

The next section from Rakauroa to Alatawai, 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 has 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 ns tne grstuS falls to Alatawai and finally on to Alotuhora. , HOW STONE WaS OBTAINED.

The opening of the Alatawai section was perlormed by the Prime Minister, the Jfcion. Mr. Al’nssey. Tlie section, Matawai to Motuhora, five miles away, was comparatively long in its construction, partly because it was 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 tin's section difficulty was found in obtaining sufficient suitable stone to ballast the line and metal the road through the hush towards Motu. It was absolutely necessary to metal this portion of the road "and a large quantity of stone was necessary.

AX AAY E-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 tone of blasting powder and wiring lead, and carefully arranged to each chamber, connected to a detonator inserted ill a plug of gelignite and placed in the powder which itself was carefully protected from dumps witJi felt lining. The drives were tlwn 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 sight 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 takingdown stone by the ordinary method of quan-ying. *

CO-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 the 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 fur a good deal of criticism in some parts of the Dominion, was not adversely commented upon on the Gisborne line. It is a means by which men who are unable to take up largo contracts are enabled to make good earnings Inputting 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 he here said that, under good management. it is finite economical and satisfactory where the work is of a light nature. Heavy construction requires tiie steam navvy and plenty of them. ’ ,