CATLINS-TAHAKOPA RAILWAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2761, 13 February 1907, Page 34

CATLINS-TAHAKOPA RAILWAY.

PROGRESS OF THE WORK. At a meeting of the Catlins RailwayLeague en the sth the Secretary (Mr J. B. Waters) gave an interesting report on the progress of work in connection with the railway. He said that at New Year he went over the works in company with Mr Gwynn, the secretary of the Houipapabranch of the league, and he also met several other settlers in the district. The work on the line was well in hand, the whole of the earthwork be-ing completed, from Catlin's River Station to the Houipapa bridge site —that was, to the end of the present section. A portion of tho material for the Houipapa bridge was on the ground, and the representative of the contractors (Messrs Anderson and Go.) informed him that tho work would be pushed on with the utmost expedition. The ballasting and pl&telaying of the line was dependent on the erection of a stone-crusher, which the Publio Works Department in» tended putting in on the present section, for the supply of ballast along the line. The machine was daily expected, and as soon as it was working the ballasting andi platelaying would be at once gone on with. On ing to this delay the Houipapa section would not be opened in March as originally, intended, but would probably be ready foe traffic a few months later. Beyond Houipapa, on the next section, the work of clearing the line of route w»3 being proceeded with, and the settlers specially urged that the whole of the route, right up to Table Hill, should be cleared, as sucß a course would (rrcatlv facilitate the future progress of the work, Aa regards the prospects of tho line, Mr Waters was infoimed that at Dewar's siding, the next proposed station beyond Houipapa, there was a considerable amount of timber available, and that when the line reached Table Hill there was ample scope for about six mills within easy dieiance of the railwayline.