SOUTH ISLAND TRUNK

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 28 May 1930, Page 4

SOUTH ISLAND TRUNK

excellent progress

(By Telegraph—Press Association)

BLENHEIM. 26tlr May. Though the progress of work on tire completion of the South Main Trunk railway does not come up to the anticipations of those optimists who expected to see express trains running between Picton and Invercargill within three years of the advent of the United Government, excellent progress has been made, and the actual permanent railhead is now at Blue Slip, some four miles south of Wharanui, while the work is nearing completion as far as Kekerangu and the work has been opened up for a distance of about five mrles beyond that point. Light temporary rails have been laid round Blue Slip, and the Department’s works train will soon be able to reach Kekerangu except for the necessity for a couple of small bridges. It is anticipated that a definite policy in regard to bridging will be laid down shortly. At the present time there are some 250 men engaged on the work from Wharanui southward, and unless double shifts are worked in some of the more difficult places it is hard to see how many more could be profitably employed at the present time. The workers, however, are under the impression that the departments, as a means of absorbing unemployed during the winter, is’ contemplating opening up a section south of the Clarence River. In this locality there is a fairly long stretch of comparatively easy work, and it is stated that gangs of men could carry on formation continuation without any equipment short of horses, scoops, trucks and light rails, with, of course, the indispensable pick and shovel. The fact that this section could be put in hand without the necessity for transporting great quantities of material by road lends colour to the suggestion. A report is also current to the effect that the engineers engaged on the southern end of the job at Parnassus intend to send an advance guard of workers to Oaro, midway between the Conway and Kaikoura. It is stated that a big camp is about to he establishecl in that locality, but no confirmation is possible from this end.