NORTH OF AUCKLAND KAIL WAYS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13723, 13 April 1908, Page 6

NORTH OF AUCKLAND KAIL WAYS.

SATISFACTORY PROGRESS,

INTERVIEW WITH ENGINEER-IN-CHIEF. Mr. R. W. Holmes, the Engineer-in-Chief of the Public Works Department, and Mr. J. A. Wilson, district engineer, armed in Auckland on Saturday morning from a tour of inspection of the North of Auckland railways.' Mr. Holmes, in the course of an interview with a Herald representative on Saturday morning, stated that he first went over the railway works from HelensvjUe to Te Haua. He anticipated that the section from Tauhoa to Way by would be completed and handed over to the Railway Department in about three weeks' time. The principal work which yet required to be done was the completion of the ballasting. This, Mr. Holmes said, was a slow process, owing to the fact that the ballast had to be conveyed from Mt. AI bert. The Engineer-in-Chief added that the completion of the next section, from Way by to .Wei Is ford, would be considerable delayed owing to extensive slips in cuttings and embankments, arfd for this reason 't would probably be six months before It was finished. Works were in hand to Te Haua, about three miles from Wellsford. Mr. Holmes stated that lie had a look into the question of route, through the district around .Maunga.turoto, and gave instructions regarding some trial surveys to be made before the final decision as to the route was arrived at. The Engineer-in-Chief went on from there to Cape Brett for the purpose of satisfying himself, as marine engineer, of the stability of the : ite chosen for the new lighthouse. The site was selected by Mr. Wilson, and his action met with t':e approval of Mr. Holmes. After leaving Cape Brett Mr. Holmes looked into several matters in connection with the railway lines between Grahamtown and Kawakawa, particularly with reference to the completion of the line to Grahamtown and the wharf there. THE MAIN TRUNK LINE. The Engineer-in-Chief informed our representative that an his way up from Wellington he looked over the works of the Trunk line, and was well satisfied with the progress being made, and- that every effort was being put forth to have the rails connected through early in the ensuing spring. This, of course," continued Mr. Holmes, " will entirely depend on tile weather during the winter. Although the rails will be connected, it will take some time longer to, finally complete the line to enable the express service to be commenced. The Makatote viaduct wilt be completed within about three months. The rail-head will reach the viaduct from the north about the end of the current month. The rail-head at the south is also advancing, and it is anticipated that about the end of the month the gap will be reduced to about nifie miles."