MAIN TRUNK LINE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11714, 25 July 1901, Page 5

MAIN TRUNK LINE.

WORK ON THE VIADUCTS. [BY TELEGRAPH. CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Wednesday. In asking the Minister for Public Works in the House this afternoon when he proposed to call for tenders for the construction of 'the viaducts beyond Makohine, on the North Island Main Trunk railway, Mr. Napier said there was no single dissentient in the House as to the importance of the line being completed with the greatest possible speed. In order that that should be done, he thought the Minister would agree that tenders should be called for the viaducts, so that the work of constructing them might be proceeded with at the same time as the formation works were proceeding. He had every confidence that the Minister intended to push on the work with all possible vigour, but at the same time he would like to know the approximate date of the tenders being called. : . ". .. , ," '">'■ Mr. Hall-Jones agreed that it was a very important question, and he had not lost sight of ■ it. The first viaduct beyond the Makohine, was the Mangaweka", which would be constructed with the same plant used in connection with the Makohine. The manufacture of the material for the Makohine viaduct was practically completed, and he hoped to have a train running over that viaduct, and through to Mangaweka this summer That was some miles beyond the Mfc.koMne viaduct. The Mangaweka viaduct was about 1000 ft long. All the material for this work was on the ground the foundations were pretty well completed, and the manufacture of the ironwork was in hand. Beyond that was the . Toitois, for which the contract had been let, and beyond that again there was the Hautapu, the girders for which were now tinder contract. There were some smaller structures between which the Department could carry out with its present staff in ample time to meet the requirements of the line. He had been advised by those who understood the position that none of the other structures were nearly so formidable as the Makohine viaduct. It was true the Mangatote viaduct was longer and higher, but the construction was much simpler, and it would not take anything like the time, nor would the work be nearly as great, and he had been advised by his officers that if the Government carried out the work themselves it could be done quicker than if the plans had to be sent to America and the Old Country for the purpose of inviting tenders. However, he would like to test the other markets so as to compare the prices with those of New Zealand.- The plans and specifications of the largest bridge were almost completed. In the event of tenders being invited in England and America, as well as in the colony, and if they were in excess ot the estimates, the. Department would be in the position of having to do the work themselves, and in this way the invitation of tenders outside the colony might lead to delay. So far arrangements had been made to cany the work a long way on the road to Auckland. At the Northern end they had all the bridges let down as far as Taumaranui. In accordance with the promise, he made last session, ho saw no reason to doubt that the line would be laid through to Auckland in about three years.