THE WORKS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 4 March 1909, Page 2

THE WORKS.

The vails are already laid for 2i miles past Kiwi, towards Manu, but the ballasting is not y-efc all done. An engine belonging to the Public Works runs on this line, and hauls the ballast trucks. This "train' 'was caught, and it proceeded on for about a mile and a-half. Here a gang of men were working on the line. Mr Foster said they were ballasting. Almost before the trucks had stopped men were aboard them, the sides had been opened, and the metal was racing to the ground. Each truck was trying to beat the next, and the men worked like the players in an exciting football match. When half the truck had been emptied the word "over sounded, and the men were immediately doing the same on the other side. In less than a minute, it seemed, the trncks wsre off to be refilled. Meanwhile the men were ballasting. The track proceeds on for another mile, and then it is interrupted by a large ravine which has to be bridged. This is a wild-looking sully now, but it will be all right soon. Men are working putting m concrete stands for the bride.. As soon as tins ravine is crossed, and it takes Bomo time to do it, the track continues on. Tno country is fairly level here, and bush encloses the cutting on both sides— and why shouldn't it? Some people say, "What's the good of taking a railway here? It won't pay at all." But where docs the opening up of the country come in if the fettler has to warrant the railway before it comes to him. But, fortunately for Nelson, this line will make now land, and increase the arable size of the district. New wealth will be created, which means new money, but money is not wealth. The new land when it "will yield her increase, is though. The railway, more than anything else, as everybody knows, facilitates settlement. But preceding on, the cutting continues for a good way, and then goes no further. It is impeded by the uncut ground in front This, it seems, is as far as has been done, but when the ordinary surface of the ground has been reached it is found that on the other side there is also a cutting. A few days" work, it looks, would quite remove the uncut piece