PUBLIC WORKS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3367, 20 November 1872, Page 7

PUBLIC WORKS.

The ballasting of tho Dunedin and Port Chalmers railway is being actively carried on, and already trains are running with a freight of wool, though the line haa not yet been formally opened. The goods shed and station in Dunedin have been erected, and at Port Chalmers good progress is being made towards the completion of the railway pier. Tho ship E. P. Buuverie, from London, is discharging her cargo alongside tho pier in question. Work on Messrs Brogden'a section of the Clutha Railway is, wo learn, proceeding satisfactorily. Men are now employed at various points along the whole 25 miles' length of the section. Operations have been commenced in the Taieri Swamp, and the large ditches cut will be good for the land owners. Tho culverts on the Swamp are being made of good I freestone, which is obtained from a quarry in the Waihola Gorge. This freestone, wo are informed, exists in large quantities on the land of Mr Cumine, is suitable for building purposes, and can be brought cheaply to the Taieri and Dunedin, when the railway is in operation. As many men as are wanted at present are now all at work ; there are 320 including quarrymen and masons, and the services of 70 Chinamen have been offered by two head men. The formation of the approaches to the tunnel, at the Chain Hills is very difticult work. The masonry of the Abbotscreek bridge is now being gone on with, and the bridge is being built of good freestone, obtainable in the neighbourhood, but which is not equal to or exists in large quantities as does the Waihola atone previously re- { ferred to. Messrs Brogden intend getting | the sleepers on the coast, and bringing them up from the sea by way of tho Taieri river.

A wooden bridge is about to be erected over tlio Makarewa river, on the road between Invercargill and Winton, and near to Wallacetoivn. Is is to replace an old bridge long erected over that river, and which has been for the last two yeara dangerous for use. The new bridge will be constructed ot black pine and totara, will consist of one main span 82ft. long, two side spans each 23ft., another side span of 20ft., and, with Oft. breadth of piers, will have a total length of 157 ft. The main span—which will be carried on two piers formed of double rows of piles, well braced throughout—-will consist of two Howe trusses, similar to thoi3e in the Kilmog bridge, but stronger than them, on account of the additional length of the span. The Howe truss span has been introduced here, as with it the timbers can always be drawn tightly together' again, in the event of the wood shrinking —an advantage which more than compensates for the extra outlay of iron, mid it has been found to bo very satisfactory on the Kilmog bridge. The side spans will consist of four beams, each corbelled at the piers. The roadway will bo 14ft. jride, double planked on the main span,

but will have only & single layer of planking on the other three spans. Tho contractor is Mr W. jr. Moilott, ot InTercargill, and the contract price, £1160, isoonflidcred remarkably low.