RAILWAY WORKS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22708, 22 October 1935, Page 10

RAILWAY WORKS

AN EXTENSIVE PROGRAMME EMPLOYMENT FOR LARGE NUMBER (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, October 21. Extensive railway works to be carried out by tbe Railways Board in conjunction with the Unemployment Board were announced to-night by the Minister of Railways, Mr 6. W. Forbes. The most important of these, the easement of the steep grade on the Marton-New Plymouth main line, is estimated to cost £005,000. A grade on the North Island Main Trunk between Greatford and Kakariki will be eased at a cost of approximately £2(5,000. Many minor grades on the lines in both islands will bo- improved. One hundred and ten railway houses will have hot water services installed, and the Wel-lington-Johnsonville line will be electrified when suitable arrangements can be made.

Mr Forbes also stated that the Wellington station and terminal yards now in course of construction would be ready for use early in 1937, and that work would be pushed ahead with this object in view.

Mr Forbes explained that these works, including the Turakina-Okoia grade easement, a work of considerable magnitude, had been designed by the Railways Board in conjunction with the Inter-depart-rnental Committee on Public Works as the board’s contribution to the programme for the relief of unemployment recently decided on. The plan would absorb a large number of unemployed workers for a long period, and the improvements to the railways service would constitute a work of national importance.