RAILWAY CONTRACTS. The Star. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 1881.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume II, Issue 122, 15 June 1881, Page 2

RAILWAY CONTRACTS.

The Star. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 1881.

It appeal's that, owing to a series of unfortunate delays, the gravelling on Messrs. Mace and Bassett's contract, from the termination of* Messrs. Berry and Newman's (now complete except a little patching) to Hawera, was only commenced on Wednesday last. At the outset, the contractors engaged a large number of men, and were prepared to have pushed the work forward with vigor. However, the department having failed to supply them with trucks and engine when required, Messrs. Mace and Bassett were compelled to reduce the staff, or to have their men stand idle. At present they have about twenty men at work. Even now the work is not progressing as it should do. The branch line to the gravel pit which had to be made is very nearly a mile long, and part of it has a steep grade of about 1 in 35.

The consequence is, that the little -weak ballast engine with which the contractors have been supplied, has to toil painfully up the hill with only two trucks at a time ; then she runs back for two more, and finally takes four along the line to their destination. The contract time for the completion of the ballasting will be up soon, but owing to delays caused by the department, no penalty can possibly be enforced. In the interests of the public, the District Manager might surely despatch one of the spare locomotives in his shop to help on this contract. The work would be done far more expeditiously, and he could thus make amends for the first delays, for which he must be held primarily responsible. "We believe that one of the old engines has lately been under repair at the Sentry Hill workshops ; if this is finished, there should be a spai'e horse in the New Plymouth stable. Owing to the ballast engine having been required to bring down rails and sleepers for the permanent way, which will be laid to Hawera by the end of the week, the gravelling has not progressed as rapidly as it will henceforth. The ballasting at the cattle crossings, &c, is now being made good, to enable the engine with a couple of passenger carriages to run through shortly. The gravel which is being used seems to be of first-class quality.