GISBORNE-SOUTHWARDS LINE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 12754, 4 May 1912, Page 5

GISBORNE-SOUTHWARDS LINE.

PROGRESS AT GISBORNE END. Reports from Napier indicate that the energetic member for that district is keeping the matter of the construction of the East Coast railway prominently before the public eye. Construction work, it is satisfactory to record, is also being pushed on steadily at the Gisborne end, and a forward movement is now being made. For the past ,week the thirty or forty men employed have been working forwards*Patutahi, and. another few days should see the which is very light at this point, extended pretty well to the proposed Patutahi station site. The permanent survey has beert extended to about Ngatapa, and it is understood that m accordance with the wishes of the Miriister of Public Works^ the Hon. W. D. S* Mac Donald, the work .is to be pushed on vigorously; It is to be hoped that this energetic policy will be pursued,*- so that a section of the line may be available for use by this time next, year, especially as everything points to the railway being, a most profitable undertaking. The workhien are being extended over the line to within about a 'mile of Ngatapa. . The construction right up to Ngatapa is of an easy nature. A quantity of rails is being sent out to be used m the heavier cuttings, but j hand-carts and wheelbarrows are being j used- on long shallbw banks where it does not pay to put down rails owing to the heavy cartage. It is understood that plough and scoop work is to be freely employed, oh suitable sections. The survey, party, under Mr Thorpe [has been recently working on the resurvey of the Makaraka deviation, as I promised by the Minister, and it is understood they will' shortly be moving lon to Ngatapa, 'where- tney commence work on the rising ' grade lip to the summit of the watershed. Pending the Minister's decision respecting the question of Makaraka v King's Road- junction, „ nothing, of course, can be, done regarding the Waipaoa'railway bridge, and it is to be hoped . that immediately the junction is located no tiriie will be lost m calling for tenders for the structure, which will take probably six months to erect.