OHAI RAILWAY BOARD

Southland Times, Issue 19098, 16 November 1923, Page 2

OHAI RAILWAY BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING. The Ohai Railway Board held its monthly meeting at Otautau on Friday last, when there were present Messrs W. Rodger (chairman), George S. Edie, W. Excell, W. J. A. McGregor and D. D, Macdonald. Leave of absence was granted to Messrs J. King and W. Crawford. The chairman stated that he had interviewed in Wellington the chief mechanical Railway Engineer, and the question of the Department’s charges to the board for overhauling locomotive, was now under review, With a view to modification. The Board’s Engineer had, with himself, instituted inquiries regarding the material required to complete the line to Birchwood. He hoped later to have some satisfactory proposals to bring before the board. The chairman further explained that nearly all the necessary permits had been obtained, for the portion of the line to Black Diamond Siding. Most of the land had been secured by satisfactory mutual arrangement. He was authorised by the board to negotiate with Mr W. Reed to acquire the property of Messrs Wesney and Reed in Morley Village. The engineer reported that satisfactory progress had been made during the month. The work on the block cutting was proceeding at both ends, and there appeared to be better conditions in the ground here, and no signs of slips were apparent. He was authorised to negotiate with the Wairaki and Linton Coal Companies about some necessary alterations on their properties. It was reported that the plate-laying gang had been increased and the work ,waa progressing satisfactorily, but the ballast contractor was not keeping the special ballast train fully employed, and needed speeding up. A shipment of over 2000 hardwood sleepers had just been landed, also 701 b rails, ex the lonic, were at Bluff. The manager reported on the line laid to Mossbank Siding, stating that the formation would receive the final coat of ballast within a week. About a hundred waggons of the Southland Electric Power Board poles had arrived and been discharged during the month by the Railway Board’s employees. ♦ The engineer was directed to submit to next meeting, plans, specifications and estimates of cost for a comprehensive water supply scheme at Ohai, to cover the needt of the board and the various coal mines also to submit specifications and estimates of cost of various coal sidings at Ohai, inclusive of formation work to further siding required later for Mossbank. It was also resolved to ask the board 8 solicitor to notify property owners adjacent to the board’s line to clear gorse, the board having already attended to its own property. . . Attention was drawn by the District Engineer to the need of replacement at Wain® yards of present turnouts, with heavier mar terial, and it was left in the managed hands to attend to.