FAMOUS CIVIL ENGINEER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19134, 31 March 1924, Page 6

FAMOUS CIVIL ENGINEER.

ARMSTRONG, WHITWORTH'S REPRESENTATIVE. MAN TO BUILD KATLKATI RAILWAY. (From Our Own Coeißesi'ONDent.) ! WELLINGTON, March 29 A famous civil engineer, Armstrong, "Whitworth’s representative, the man who is to build the Katikati railway. Colonel S, H. Greenhough, t.hc technical representative. of the Sir W. O. Armstrong. Whitworth Co., of Elswick, NowcnsUe-on-Tyne, (England, the firm which has contracted with the Government to build Hie Katikati-Puna section of the Last Coast Railway), is a Britain engineer ot loim and wide experience. Prior to the war, now .10 years ago, he was tor many years in the employ of S. Pearson and Sons, cf London, a big firm which

undertook large works in any part of the world, but Colonel Gteenhough’s experience has been pretty well devoted to harbour works and railways in the Rearson firm's employ. He was in charge of the reconstruction and widening of the South Devon section of the Great Western Railway, and later took charge of tho construction of the LancashircDerbyshire railway, which serves a very important part of England. After successfully completing that work he was placed in charge of the dock building at Port Talbot, in South Wales.Due of the most interesting works Colonel Greeuhough planned and carri«<out was the building of the v era Cruz harbour (in the Gulf of Mexico) for the Mexican Government in the years 189697. This was a complete work, inclusive of the throwing out of moles, the construction of docks, etc., the result of which is a very fine harbour which to-day stands as a monument to the enterprise of tho Diaz Government. As this work was carried out during the 30 years’ pcaca there was never any trouble caused by xevolut’onaries, and the big work proceeded smoothie and expeditiously from beginning to end. If will be remembered that towards tho close of the nineteenth century tho R«ntish Government became alive to the strategic importance of Dover, and tne

Admiralty figured it out that in the event cl war with any of their neighbours in Europe, this ; port would either be a (source of strength or of danger in the defence of British interests in the English Channel. With something like providential premonition, the Admiralty decided to make it a port for defence and offence., and in giving. Dover the good “kick” it proved in the Great War that it had acted wisely. Colonel Grecnhough was engaged from 1897 to 1903, and so satisfactory was his work in that connection that he was nltßrwards entrusted with the reconstruction and strengthening of Grade Harbour, at Valeria, -Malta, of which island dependency he has some interesting memories. Having had a good innings at the o'g harbour works, Colonel GreenhougU was appointed engineer in charge of the (Nigerian Railway construction works, and built a line 700 miles in length from Hugos (on the west coast of Africa) inland to Kano. Whilst there he also built a branch line 150 miles in. length to tap a tin mine field, and another line from Portbarcouit to the Udi coalfields. Alt of these works were done by Pearson and Co. for the Colonial Office. Following their completion came the Great War, in which Colonel Greeniiongfi served throughout as an officer of the Royal Engineers. ' The Armstrong, Whitworth group of companies has not for long bad a civil engineering side to their business, but tho firm is known the world over as ship builders and armament manufacturers cm the largest scale. , They are at present carrying out big harbour works at Lagos, and have recently completed the ■erection and equipment of extensive locomotive works at the same African port. The firm is also engaged on the construction of hydro-electric works in Newfoundland to cost about £4,000,01)0. • Referring to the East Coast Railway contract, Colonel Greenhough said that of the £461,000 involved, about one-third would be paid out for labour, whilst a very large amount would in addition bo paid for Australian and New Zealand timber and New' Zealand cement. The section of the railway to be built bv Armstrong, Whitworth and Co. skirls a range o'f mountains which runs practically parallel to Tauranga Harbour. The time limit imposed in the contract is three years from the date of signing up. Incidentally, it might be mentioned that the company will be among the tenderers lor tho Government hydro-electric works at Awapuni.