EAST COAST RAILWAY.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIV, Issue 282, 8 November 1924, Page 5

EAST COAST RAILWAY.

ARMSTRONG-WHITWORTH CONTRACT. TURNING THE FIRST SOD. (Per Press Association.) Waihi, Nov. 8. In connection with the cermony of turning me lirst sod of the railway contract of Armstrong-Whitworth and Co., fox a portion of the East Coast Main Trunk Railway, between Tuapiro and Wairoa River, near Tauranga, a party oi guests, consisting of the lion. J. G. Coates (who will perforin the cerexnonv av 3 o’clock this afternoon).. Mr Noel Elmslie, British Trade Comnussoner, and Mrs Elmslie; Mr and Mrs Kiley. Mr Bennett, president of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, and Mrs Bennett; Aliss Skerrett, Mr C. E. MacMillan, M.P., and Miss MacMillan, Mr McKenzie, Assistant Engineer to the Publie Works Department, and Mr Sterling, Assistant General Manager of Railways, left Wellington on the Main Trunk express yesterday. Special carriages con taining Alinister and guests were brought on from Frankton to Waihi by special train, the party being joined at paeroa by Air Poland. M.P. On arrival at Waihi the party was mot by Air Walnutt (Mayor) and Coun* cillors, and entertained at breakfast at tho Bob Boy Hotel.

The special carriages containing the party were run on to Athenree over the Fublic Works line, being the first passengers conveyed over that section. At Athenreo Messrs Armstrong-Whitworth and Co. have motor cars waiting to convey tho party to the scene of the ceremony, near Tauranga.

Colonel Greenhough, the company’s Now Zealand representative, will meet the party at Athenreo. A celebration dinner will take place at Tauranga tonight. . < The contract is for 18 miles IS chains of railway, costing about £500,000; and is to be completed by about March, 1927. The weather is ideaL Air Elmslie took the opportunity to pay a brief visit to tho Waihi mine.