THE MAIN TRUNK LINE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7189, 6 January 1902, Page 2

THE MAIN TRUNK LINE.

A resident of this district who has had considerable experience in contracting and endincering work, and who is now in a responsible position in the same line, took advantage oE the holidays to make a trip over tlie southern portion of the main trunk line, and we have persuaded him to allow us to give our readers a short account of some of his experiences.

Leaving ike train at Manguonoho I walked up lo tho workshops through the tunnel and over the wonderful Makohine viaduct. Carefully noting the various matters of interest, standing on the eastern end or the .structure, viewing the present and contemplating tlia future, one is forced to the conclusion that when finished "safe it may be," but e'er Ions; a nervous travelling public will demand that the Makohine be tilled in instead of tho present sky raker. Such a think as a broken axle or a derailed carriage, the very thought of which would cause a weak heart to v;ease to beat. We leave the viaduct with this thought impressed upon our mind, that while the ingenuity of: im\n its great, the Rimutaka railway is not the only o:ie that will havo to be altered in the future. Proceeding, we notice hundred of tons' iof rails and other material, all of which have been carted hj drags from Manginoho, Why was all this material not trucked along and pnssed over on the caga at much less expense, abont two miles of sleepers laid and rails tusked in, " this and better will do." Long stretches o£ formation arq almost reidv for laying down \ho lino, which no doubt will bo done to get the heavy iron material along to the nest long viaduct beyond Mangaweka. The concrete foundadon seems ready for the iron structure, which 15, being prepared at the workshops, in conjunction with that for the Makohino, Between this and Utiku the formation is well advanced and should bo completed long before the second viaduct is ready. From Utiku to- Talhape the lighter portion of the work is done, but with a tunnel near Taihape of ovei- 20 chairs not as yet. started, ami large fillings to be made, it w»H he some time before the train is. seen in happy Taikvpe. Near this place is to be seen one of the greatest wastes of. public-money that it is possible to conceive, a concrete stream diversion, fome 0 chains in length, the size of which is out of all proportion to th-j requirements of such a stream. Even for ihe higliest flood of storm water or,;.third, its size would have been simple, with, a protection against timber-at the top end. It is not usaal lo bore- a 2in hole i'or a h\n boll. When the material, cement and I gravel has to be car-ted for-miles for sunh a work, no wonder- that the £200,000 will not cove:- tb,e expendituro for* thn year. |In America when institutions are badly managed, they resort to what is termed '•firing out tho fools." New Zealand should take a "leaf out of their book." Talk to some of the business people in Tiiihape of the time and prospect of the train being up there. They will tell you that so long as. public money is being spent as ii has lately they "are not jr. a Jiurry for the train. Beyond this the line is partly- formed for some miles, but due- loiiß tunnel and other heavy work in the ILuitapn will lako :» l<ui« t^me to. complete before the line, is through tUe bush to the open country of Muromuto, where the engineers are only defining tlie line. If the line is to be completed in anythin" like the time as stated by the Minister of Public Works, the tunnels at least snould be kept going as it is slow work ut the best, "With bad roads tho cartage of tho cement and pipes for tho culverts must be very expensive. Why ;ill this long cartage when timber could have boon used tor the smaller culverts, v.nd replaced by gravel and cement v.-lientlie line is open, and thcic and oher materials landed whoa and where required at a frr.oiion of the present cost. It seems a peculiar thing that tb.e Public Works or one Department of State should have, tl^u power to throw away money in the manner ii does, while another- Department' that of Lauds, are a*raid to trust ihe local bodies with even

a Dallry hundred pounds without it being hampered by all sorts of conditions, for fear of any injudicious expenditure. If a lull'- of "tho money \vi\sUt\ ou tho railway line were spent in inntallin" the roads in this locality it would bo a great benefit to the district