EAST COAST LINES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 15956, 18 October 1922, Page 5

EAST COAST LINES.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT,

WELLINGTON, last night. V . The following reference to railways W. was . contained in the Public Works Statement presented to -the House tonight:— EAST COAST MAIN TRUNK KAILWAY. Waihi-Taneatua (including Mount Branch.) Athenree section.—Formation is practically complete. Several cuttings and banks having been completed. Athenree station yard has been widened, and tilling around abutment "A" of Manga - toetoe bridge is in hand. Seven bridges are being in various stages of construction'. Adams street sub-way is well advanced, and sub-way at 8 miles 62 chains has been completed. Katikati section.—Formation, cujvertbuilding, line clearing and fencing have proceeded steadily along several miles of' this section. Permanent survey has been completed to the Wairoa river, and plans are in course of preparation. Tauranga westwards. —Work on this section was practically suspended last February. One overbridge was completed- ■ Another similar structure, including' the approach and the road to Taurajnja railway station, are in hand. Matapeihl 'section.—Satisfactory progress has been made with the Tauranga harbor bridge. The completed work during the year consisted of concreting and reinforcing 106 lineal feet of cylinders', 155 ft. of cylinder-sinking, while six piers were sealed and are in readiness for filling in. Cylinder L has been filled in, and core-rods placed in position. The Matapeihi embankment was completed, and a loading platform erected for delivery of stone for the Tauranga waterfront works. Mount-Matata section.—Several banks have sunk, but have been efficiently maintained throughout the year. The passenger and goods railway service Ikis been continued. Rangitaiki section.—Cuttings have been widened, over a milo of drains cut, and'the approach road to the Rangitaiki station put in hand. Three steamshovels were 'hv operation at different times at Awakaponga, the spoil being deposited in the several banks along the line. Many culvert have been built, and lone bridge completed. Awaken ection.—Little work has been undertaken on this line, except 15 chains .of drain-cutting and about two miles of fencing. Taneatua section.—lo 6 chains of formation Have been completed during the year, culverts erected, and necessary drains cut. A "Marion" steam-shovel commenced work in May last, and an '"Osgood" is in course of erection. A departmental telephone line five miles loiig was erected, and a small amount of : platelaying done. The railhead is a'o"ir's2 miles from Tauranga. Mount workshop.—A large quantity of immaterial for use in the erection of the Tauranga bridge has been prepared, consisting of cylinder core-rods, reinforcing for piers, transoms (straight and curved), extension stringers, sway and diagonal bracing, cutting and drilling top chord and wind brace gussets and cover and stiffening plates. The fabrication' of structural steel for numerous bridges throughout the -Dominion,, as well as "the structural'steel for boiler and engine roof-trusses for Otira powerhouses have been completed. GISBORNE-NAPIER RAILWAY. Eskdale section.—The. river gap at 0 mile* 32, chains still remains to be tilled; in-the meantime a .temporary bridge has been provided to allow platelaying to proceed. The Harbor Board has completed the filling on the main ' line at 0 miles 55 chains, but still has the completion of the port line to attend to.. Both this and the gap at 0 miles 32 chains are dependent upon the completion of the river • channel by the llarbor Board. l'latelaybg was commenced and completed almost to the Westshore station yard, and", it is anticipated .that the rails will reach P'etane'in October. Two more platelayers' cottages of concrete blocks have been erected, and the staI ionmaster's house in similar material is almost.complete. Platform and loading banks Have been finished at Eskdale station „ward. #..... Tutifa section.—Fair progress has been made in various cuttings, especially where the "Thew" steam-shovel has operated. Formation is now practically complete to 14 miles 47 chains. Concrete piles for the bridges at 11 miles 41 chains and 13 miles 35 chains have been made, and abutment D at the former has been completed. Ngatapa section.—A passenger and goods service has been operated during •the year. The Ngatapa station yard and formation (where necessary) have been raised above flood level. The formation at Repongaere station yard "was brought up to corrfct level. Bridges have been maintained, Vulverts lengthened, and the'third lift of ballast spread from 9 miles 40'chains to Ngatapa , station. The Waipaoa ballast-pit UnViias been taken up and shipped to Wairoa. . ; -- Waikura section.—The cutting at 11 miles 65 chains gave much trouble by slipping. The slips, however, have been removed and used for raising Ngatapa station yard above flood-level. Several cuttings have been completed, and formation is now roughly complete to 13 miles. . " Rails are laid to 11 miles 55 chains, the first lift of ballast to 11 miles 50 ■ chains, the second lift to 10 miles oO chains, and the third to 10 mdes 45 chains. , , A "Marion" steam-shovel has been • worked between 11 miles 65 chains and 11 miles 75 chains throughout the year. WAIROA-WAIKOKOPU. •

*- Nuhaka section.—Tho formation over 1 tlie whole section is sufficiently completed to admit of rails being laid throughout Three miles of rails have been laid . at the Wairoa end, and a further oU chains of wharf-siding to the Wairoa river 'Platetaying material was unloaded at Waikokopu harbor and carted to Nuhaka, where permanent rails were laid from 17 miles 47 chains back to 13 inilea 62 chains. .. ' ~;«, V line to ballast-pit near the 15-mile „r.; has been .laid. From this pit practically all tho N ballast for this line will be obtained. \ stationmaster's and three platelavevs' cottages have been erected at Wairoa, and two platelayers' cottages at Nuhaka." ' Waikokopu section.—The heavy formation from Nuhaka to Waikokopu has \ been steadily pushed forward despite the very ' unfavorable weather experienced lb is anticipated the formation will be sufficiently advanced to admit of rails being laid right.through by Januirv next'. A double number of men are employed, and some of tho cuttings are being, worked with double shifts to ex pedite'. conjpletion. Three steam-shovels are : now in operation on this line.