THE MAKOHINE VIADUCT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8955, 12 August 1892, Page 3

THE MAKOHINE VIADUCT.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —The deputation who waited upon the Minister of Public Works regarding the Makohine viaduct a few days ago were informed by Mr. Seddon that the work would cost £60,000. It would be interesting to the colony to be made aware of the cost of the other three viaducts yet to be faced on the central route, and within the Wellington Provincial district. They are known as follows The Mangahuruhuru, the Manga-nui-a-te-ao, and the Manga tote. Turning to the evidence of those distinguished engineers, Blackett, Knorpp, and Rochefort, given before the Select Committee in 1554,1 find they place the combined cost of these four viaducts at £25,000. We are now told in 1892 that the first of them now reached is to cost £60,000. With great pride Mr. Rochefort told the committee that his estimate of £1,293,134, being the total cost of the central route, was within £18,000 of the estimate of Mr. Knorpp. Rochefort says : " Our estimates were within £20 or £30 per mile of each other; something remarkably close." For the sake of their reputation it is a pity that their estimates were ever printed. They estimated the cost of the Stratford route, where there is nothing but low bridging, at £1000 per mile more than the central. They were also remarkably unanimous in all they said against the Stratford route.— am, &c , August 11,1892. Peter Oliphant.