EAST COAST RAILWAY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 199, 9 August 1911, Page 2

EAST COAST RAILWAY

PROGRESS TOWARDS MOTU.

TURNING OF FIRST SOD SOUTHWARDS.

| SPECIAL —BY TELEGRAPH.] Wellington, Aug. 8. “ Towards the end of September we should see the completion of the Otoko viaduct, and even then, although some months after contract time, it will be one of the quickest erected viaducts in the Dominion.” remarked the Minister of Public Works (tlie Hou. R. McKenzie.) when questioned regarding the progress of the construction work on the Gisborne-Motu section of the East Coast line. Several miles of rails, he went on to say, had been laid beyond Otoko, but the construction of several bridges would probably postpone the commencement of running operations to Rakuna until about Christmas. He still intended that the Public Works Department should keep control of the line until it was completed to Matawai, towards the end of the corning summer. Ballasting operations from Motu onwards would be commenced as soon as the. viaduct was finished, and all the ballast would have to be hauled up from Te Karaka until they tapped a I shingle supply in the Motu river near Matawai. For that reason I they would not hand the line over to the Railway Department, but would maintain a Public Works service. as at present. That would be a great convenience to the settlers. The work was rapidly approaching j Moiii. and the difficult task of takI ing the line down into the Bay of I Plenty would soon have to be ; solved. Regarding the Gisborne i southwards line, another surveyor ; was being put on at the Hangaroa : end to push on with the completion of the, trial survey from Hangaroa to Gisborne. When this was finished (hey would be able to com--1 pare the details with the Alr.nga- ! poike trial, and come to a final de-j-i’- nm on the route. There was also (lie question as to which would be tin- belter point to junction with ;he present line at Ormond or ; Makarnka. The latter would mean ;an addition of about four miles, !l»ut before deciding (.his he thought . he would make another inspection : ol' the ground himself after the ses- . siom Questioned as to the pro- : bahle date of the the j first sod, the Minister said he i thought it would be about six i months hence.