THE RAILWAYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1189, 12 September 1874, Page 11

THE RAILWAYS.

The following are some items in regard to railway works :— The Port Chalmers contract of. the Moeraki Hail way, being tbe portion which commences at Sawyer's Bay, off the Port Chalmers E'lilway, and ends at the Deborah B\j tunnel, is now advertised, and to-morrow is the last day for receiving tendors. The length of the piece to be tendered for is two miles seventy chains. It passes through very, rough country, and is nothing but a seiies of curves, and will be a heavy undertaking. There is a largo amount of masonry work, retaining walls, &c The time given for the completion of the. work is twenty months, and operations must uetds be carried on vigorously in order to completion within that time. The General Government has some of the new arrivals employed in the vicinity of the Port Clialmcrs section, and the successful contractor will be bound to take them over with all tools and plant. There is a clause in the contract by which the Government can nominate 201) ira Migrants to be employed on the 'works The ground through which the Deborah Lay tunnel is hemp cut is dry. and so far the tunnel requires no brick Jiumc At the Chain HilJs tunnel, heavy timbering has to be done, and the brickwork h;is to be canied «>n cl so to the excavations: in fa;t, it may almost be said that as soon as the men take away a shovelful of earth, they have to put in a brick The material that is being met in this tiuinel consists of black clay and schist. Good progress is made in plate-laving from Waihola to Tokomairiro. From Mosgidl road to the Clulha the only hitch that; may occur will be delay on the Taieri and Waihola bridge* on account of the difficulty in gettinjj°nativo timber. The cyiin.ier-siuking at the Taieri bridges is completed, and the work of sinking cylinders at the Waihola bridge is progressing rapidly.