RAILWAY WORKS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 15735, 28 January 1922, Page 7

RAILWAY WORKS.

TIIE POLICY OF CONCENTRATION

HALT TO BE CALLED ON NGATAPA SECTION.

WORK TO Blv STOPPED AT THE NAPIER END.

WELLINGTON, this day

In the Public Works Statement submitted to the House last night by the Minister of Public Works, the following reference was made to railway works:

Last year I announced, a policy of concentration in regard to railway works. A perusal of this Statement will reveal that this principle has been followed, though not as far as I had hoped. It will be adhered to in future ; and 1 again emphasise tho necessity and wisdom of such a course. It was not possible or reasonable during the year to discontinue work on many lines; the Kaihu Valley line, the Waiuku branch line, the lahpra section of the Stratford main trunk line, arid the Otago central line, for instance, were so nearly finished that common-sense demanded their completion. The Waipu branch was discontinued for a time, though certain work was afterwards done there. No .work has been or will be commented on the Waikokowai or Waipa gravel pit access lines. The Waihi eastwards will bo suspended when Athenree is reached, but possibly financial considerations will necessitate an earlier cessation. Work from Tauranga westwards had been suspended, except in the vicinity of the wharves and station. Work on the WairoaGisborne section has been stopped, and a halt will be ealled at an early date on the Ngatapa. section of the GisborneWairoa line, except in regard to (maintenance and preliminary work on the tunnels. No further work has been opened up on the Napier end of the East Coast railway, but efforts have been directed to finishing the first length so that work on this line also can be stopped. Work on the Waimate branch railway was discontinued. Otago Central railway was completed to Cromwell and discontinued. Thus, in accordance with the policy of concentration, work on five lines has been suspended, while on four construction was so far advanced as to enable them to be completed this year. With due regard to the money likely to be available for 1921-22, it was necessary to suspend operations on eight additional lines, though in order to make provision for possible unemployment sums will be allocated for certain works distributed over the Dominion. The works upon which effort will be concentrated will be the Midland line, North Auckland connection, and the East Coast Main Trunk; but financial provision will also be necessary for the completion of the Waikokopu branch '(the excavation work being now nearly finished) and for the Stratford Main Trunk as far as Matiere.

Three sections of completely constructed lines were handed over to the New Zealand Railways Department for ordinary traffic daring the year, viz. : Huarati to Maungaturoto, 2 miles 5 chains; Maungaturoto to Ranganui, 4 miles 25 chains; Kioreroa to Portland. 5 miles 23 chains; total 11 miles 53 cliains. Several other sections were sufficiently advanced to admit of goods and passengers being carried, a convenience that lias been greatly appreciated not only by settlers but by the travelling public. This is particularly the case at Tauranga, where both passenger and goods traffic are carried to a regular time-table on a length of over 40 miles. The total net expenditure on construction, improvement, and maintenance for the year amounted to £1,428,544, as follows: Construction of new lines, £944,150; addition to open lines, £421,316; Railways Improvement Authorisation Act, 1914, account £63,078; total £1,428,544. Brief summary of the progress made on each line is given. KAIHU RAILWAY, EXTENSION. A goods service has been in operation since September last between Tarawhati and Aranga, and recently it was extended to Donnelly's Crossing. With the exception of the station buildings, this line should be in order for handing ovei to the Railways Department before next winter. NORTH AUCKLAND MAIN TRUNK. Ngapuhi Northwards: O'kaihau sec tion.—The last mile of formation on this section lias been completed, but slips have caused much concern. Over 22,000 cubic yards have been removed, but further slips and subsidences have since occurred, which will be attended to during the drier weather. It is hoped to put the tirst lift of ballast on the section between Kaikoho and O'kaihau as early as possible, in order to admit of the carriage of passengers and goods. This connection will save at least 25 miles of the present circuitous coach route to Uokianga and Mongonui counties. Its completion depends' upon the Government's ability to finance it. O'koro section. —Very little work has been done daring the year, and operations have now ceased altogether. It is not proposed, to do anything further oa this luie for some time, and, in view of this, substantial provision has this year been made 10 improve tne road trom Ukaihau to Hore»e. Uaiotua Northwards.—Only u small amount of work has been done owing to the removal of men lor concentration on the Waiotira Southwards sect fun. An endeavor will ue made during iiie current year to give effect to iiie Royal Commission's recommendation regarding the completion of the kiripoiiui-.>langa-kahia and the Mangakahia-Kaikohe roads. When this section of railway is completed, probably within 'the next few years, to Kirikopuni on the Wairoa river, the settlers northward of this point will have properly constructed access roads over which produce can be transported to the end of the finished line.

Waiotira Southwards: Waikiekie section.—The programme of operations was the concentration of men on tho completion of Waikiekie tunnel, rail connection with, and the early commencement of, the Mareretu tunnel. It is hoped to complete the Mareretu tunnel by next April. liridgo oonstruetion over the Mangawai river and Kikowhiti stream is progressing satisfactorily; a fair amount of plateiaying and ballasting has been done. ' Ranganui Northwards. All earthworks were practically completed some time ago. iluarau tunnel was completed about the end of January. This tunnel gave great trouble, tho ground pierced being most treacherous. Mareretu-section. Tho permanent survey lias been finished, and formation is complete to 93 miles 53 chains, and in hand as far as 95 miles 24 chains. Platelaying and first lift of ballast is complete to 93 miles 41 chains. Eight steam shovels and nine locomotives are employed on the incomplete section between Portland, on the Whangarei branch line, and Huarau, on the iNorth Auckland main line, and it is hoped witJi this plant to effect a temporary rail connection between Auckland and Whangarei before tho end of next year. WHANGAREI BRANCH. Oakliegh section. —With the exception of 30 chains of deviation the whole line to Portland has been laid, and covered with the second lift of ballast. Tauraroa section.—Work on this seclion has been contined chiefly to maintenance (removal of slips). Waiotira section. —The principal operations have been the removal of slips and tho completion of two small deviations. WAIPU BRANCH. Ruakaka section.—A steam-shovel has been commissioned to complete the

banks across the mud-fliAs. The rest of the earthworks have been completed. Waipu section. —Nearly all the formation over the first two miles has been completed. NORTH TSLAND MAIN TRUNK. Waiuku Branch. —Glenbrook section : Platelaying has been completed, and the second lift of ballast laid. A good service was extended to Glenbrook on Mav 16. Waiuku section: —formation has been completed, rails and first lift of ballast have been laid, and the second lift com menccd. It is hoped to hand this line over for regular working early in the new year. Huntlv branch. —Earthwork formation, culvert-building, fencing, and ac-cess-road construction are progressing satisfactorily. Waikokowai branch.—The permanent survey 8 miles 21 chains in length has been 'completed. EAST COAST MAIN TRUNK. WAIHI EASTWARDS.

Athenree section.— Practically all earthwork has been completed, except fillings around abutments of bridges, and minor works at the Athenree station yard. There are still several bridges to erect.

Katikati section. —Earthwork has proceeded at a satisfactory rate, fencing erected, culverts built, and drains opened up over a length of 3 miles. Landplan surveys completed from 4 miles to 12 miles. Considerable trial surveys were made between 15 miles and 18 miles, and one ]jermanent deviation ged between 14 and 15 miles. While it is hoped that finances will permit oi the completion of this line to Katikati before a temporary halt is called, it may be necessary, in order to provide money for more urgent works, to discontinue work temporarily. TAURANGA WESTWARDS.

Tauranga 'section.—A commencement lias been made with the erection of three platelayers' cottages at Tauranga station, and a quarry opened up on the Wairoa river to supply stone for facing banks. Formation is in hand over a length of 4 miles, and 150 chains of fencing has been erected. Land-plan survey completed from 36 miles 32 chains to 39 miles 27 chains. Permanent location has now been decided, and permanent-line survey completed from 35 miles back to 31 miles. No .work is proposed on this section at present. TAURANGA EASTWARDS.

Matapihi section. —All the cylinders for the Tauranga bridge have been completed, and, with the exception of six. .»re sunk to their proper levels. Much extra labor was entailed during sinking operations on account of the soft nature of the material encountered. This necessitated the manufacture of extra lengths of cylinders. A large amount of work in the preparation of material for this bridge, lias been done in the Mount workshops, such as cutting and drilling cleat angles, bracing, transome and cover plates, stiffener-angles, etc. Timber has been laid on which to erect a trial span, and a travelling gantry has been placed in position. Good progress has been made with the formation of the bank between the bridge abutment and Matapihi, and the stone protection work is practically complete to the bridge pier. MGUNT—M ATATA.

This length of line between the Mount and Matata embraces what are known as the Mount branch, Te Puke, Paengaroa, Pongakawa, Otamarakau, and Matata sections, over which an efficient passenger and goods service has been maintained throughout the year. In the early part of the year the service was really better than the amount of traffic warranted, which led to its curtailment. The new service has proved sufficient and economical. The whole length has been properly maintained. An extension of the Mount workshops yard has been made, and platelaying in the yard is in hand. A new mill and car-shop are almost complete, and several buildings have been erected to house additional machinery. The iwharf has been strengthened, and a new, water-service to supply the workshops and locomotives has been installed. Tho output from the Te Puke quarry was about 10,00 L cubic yards of broken metal, about one halt of which was sold to local bodies for. road-metalling> purposes. Subsidences of banks caused some trouble, but all have been brought up to standard level.

Rangitaiki, section.—Permanent rails have been laid over the whole section, although the formation is not- finally completed. Five miles of fencing were erected during the year. One permanent reinforced bridge is in hand, and temporary structures ov,er the Tarawera and Rangitaiki rivers for traffic have been built. The latter has been decked, and now also carries road traffic. This section i\vas opened for goods traffic in September last. Awakeri section.—Permanent-way has been laid over Hie full length, also in the siding of Awakeri station. This section was opened for goods traffic in September, 1920. The policy on this lino has been to extend it as rapidly as funds permit, from tho deep waterfront at Mount Maunganui into the fertile plains of the Bay of Plenty district. While it is recognised as very desirable that the Tauranga section of railway should be connected with the main North Island systems via Waihi, the need for concentration requires that one or other of these desirable works should halt. The construction programme is laid out with this in view, and to dissipate energy, in an effort to simultaneously effect a connection would involve a great loss of money. When the line reaches Taneatua the programme will again bo reviewed. Taneatua. section.—Earthwork has been completed on the first threo miles, and is in hand for another 1| miles. Service road bi-idges have been built and others repaired, and tho service road itself extended over the summit cutting. Land-plan survey has been made from 83 miles to 91 miles 20 chains. Permanent pegging of several deviations between 94 miles 40 chains and 97 miles 40 chains completed; total length, 1 mile 60 chains. The line is now permanently pegged to 97 miles 40 chains. Trial lines have been run from 98 miles to 99 miles 77 chains via upper crossing over W 7 hakatanc river. A further trial line through Waimana Gorge has been pegged and levelled from 100 miles 16 chains to 104 miles 66 chains. This work is still in hand. Whakatane branch railway.—Trial survey was completed to 7 miles 50 chains, while a length of 4 miles 10 chains was permanently pegged. GISBORNE-WAIROA. Ngatapa section. —Ballasting to the 94-mile peg has been completed, several culverts built, and Ngatapa station yard raised. This raising was necessitated by the general rising of the streams and land in the vicinity as a result of slips on the hills and heavy donundation. A passenger and goods service has been maintained throughout the year. Over 400 tons of lime from the Repongaere fpiarry were supplied to tho public during tiie year. Waikura section. —Fair progress has been made with the formation, as well as culverting, drain-cutting, streamclearing, willow-planting, platelaying, and ballasting. One steam shovel is constantly employed removing slips. All except maintenance work, and preliminary work towards tunnels, will be discontinued. WAIROA-GISBORNE. Two miles of formation has been prac tically completed. . The approach to the Wairoa station yard has been partly formed, and road deviation formed and metalled. The contractor for tho erection of tho" stationmaster's residence and three platelayers' cottages at Wairoa

station has been hampered by the difficulty of obtaining timber supplies. Two cottages, however, are now complete. Nothing is proposed to be done here at present. NAPIER-WAIROA. Eskdale section.—The first 49 chains of this section arc complete except tne river gap at 24-chains peg. From 49 chains to 1 mile 69 chains are under contract by the Napier Harbor Board, and are complete except river gap on main and port lines. The balance to 10 miles 51 chains is ready for trimming and platelaying. Une platelayer s cottage in concrete at Eskdulo yard is complete, and two others and a stationmaster's house are in hand.

Tutira section.—Formation is proceed ing satisfactorily, stream diversions ana drains are being made where necessary, and culverts built. The service road is being formed and metalled. Permanent line survey has been completed from. miles to 30 miles, as well as various road surveys and trial lines. Tho programme at present is to complete the line to Eskdale, a distance of about 10 miles, before any forward move is made. The Napier-Wairoa-Gisborne main road has been extensively improved by the construction of a deviation and the metalling of same on what is known as the Waikare-Mohaka section, between Napier and Wairoa. Further extensive improvements have also been made between Wairoa and Gisborne over a bad piece of road known as Wharerata Hill. The expenditure on these works amounts to £44,000, and a further £60,810 is allocated for 1921-22. The object m view is to concentrate on the road. The reason for this is that owing to the length of line to be constructed, the character of the country to be traversed (involving as it does a number of very large viaducts), and the present financial situation, it will not be possible to make railway connection between Napier and Gisborne for a very considerable time, and it is felt that it is better to spend a substantial sum in making a through road connection available in all weathers, rather than to proceed slowly with the railway. WAIKOKOPU BRANCH. Nuhaka section.—The contractors for the large cutting at Te Uhi abandoned the work. Another contract was let, but the Department had to terminate this owing to the dangerous manner in which the Avork was being performed. It is now being done by day work under direct supervision of the Department. A steam shovel is utilised, with the result that cost is lower and progress greater. In July, 1920, 70 teams and scoops were engaged between the three-mile and nine-mile pegs, but the ground becoming too wet they were transferred to the sandhills (9-12 miles), where excellent progress was made. By September all the formation that could be worked between 9j miles and 17 miles had been completed. From September to November little could be done- beyond draining and planting marram grass. Scoop work, was resumed in November, and the whole formation on this section (17 miles) is now almost complete. Waikokopu section.—ln August a commencement was made on the higti bank beyond the Nuhaka river, but work was only carried on under great difficulties owing to repealed floodings of the river, and in October the men were removed. Labor was difficult to obtain, and very little work was done till Janu'ary ,when labor became more plentiful. By the end of March all the cuttings were fully manned up to the 21-mile P e g- ' , Stratford-Main Trunk.—The work on the various sections of this line and the Opunake branch was detailed. Midland.—r-The work generally was described. Arthur's Pass Tunnel—Otira end.— Day labor principle of employment obtained while some particularly bad ground was being encountered. About the middle of September tho ground improved and the co-operative contract system was reverted to; 21 2-3 chains of lining was completed, and tho top heading finished early in June. Bealey end.—With the exception of about two weeks, work has continued uninterruptedly till Julys when the co-operative contract was terminated to allow tho workers on the opposite end room to work through. The total, advance of lining in this end was 18 chains. The contractors for tho electrification havb commenced with the erection -of the 6000 cable racks in the tunnel. The manufacture of machinery in England was much delayed by the coal strike. It is expected that the cleaning-up of the bottom will be completed in December, 1921, the platelaying in February, 1922, and ballasting in March, 1922. OTHER SOUTHERN LINES. Tho work done on each line was detailed, those mentioned being Greymouth, Port Elizabeth, Waimate branch extension, Balclulha-Tuapcka Mouth, (Irepuki Waiau, and Lawrence-Roxburgh. ■ SURVEYS. A Hying survey of various routes be : I ween' Helensvillo and Shelly Beach, a distance of about 12 miles, was made to ascertain the possibility and probable cost of constructing a branch line _to Deepwatci}, at the southern end of Kaipara harbor. ADDITIONS TO OPEN LINES.

The expenditure under this heading amounted to £421,315. RAILWAYS IMPRO VEM ENT.

The expenditure under the Railways Improvement Authorisation Act, 1914. amounted to £63,078, for grade easements, additions to workshops, formation of new lines; signalling, intei'locking, and safety appliances; and extension of terminal facilities at Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch