STRATFORD MAIN TRUNK IS SECOND ON LIST

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 41, 26 September 1928, Page 5

STRATFORD MAIN TRUNK IS SECOND ON LIST

DEFINITELY ENTERED ON PROGRAMME. £190,(100 PLACED ON ESTIMATES. COMPLETION IN 4 YEARS. The sum of £IOO,OOO is set down on the Public Woi’ks Estimates for Parliament to vote to bo expended on the construction of the Stratford-Main Trunk Railway during the year. The Minister anticipates that the line will be completed in 4 years. Last year the sum of £IBO,OOO was voted, of which £179,844 w T as spent. This year th e line ranks second in importance in construction works on the Estimates, lirst on. the list being the Napier-Gisborne line, with an estimated expenditure of £279,000. After the Taranaki line in order of importance come the North Auckland Main Trunk from Okaihau northwards (£133,000), and the Uargaville branch line (£130,000). In the case of all the other lines the estimated expenditure is under £IOO,000. The total estimated gross expenditure on the twelve lines under construction (including £BO,-* 000 estimated credits-in-aid) is £l,064,000, the estimated expenditure on the Stratford-Main Trunk line therefore accounting for almost onefifth of the total. Referring to the line, the Minister states: —■ The Stratford Main Trunk railway i s now located definitely, and a pregramme of works entered upon, as a result of which it is hoped to have a through connection completed in from four to five years. Of course, the actual rate cf progress will be governed by the amount of money ■which Parliament makes available; but even without' this restriction I do not think it would be economically possible to complete within

years. On the eastern end of the Stratford Main Trunk Railway a dailygoods and passenger service has been maintained between Okahukura and Ohura, and this has been of great service to the district. Construction work on this length, 19 miles, is now practically complete. Earthwork on the following (Tokirima) section has made good progress, and tunnelling is in hand, the Mangatatawa utnnel, Ti chains long, being complete, and a start made with bottom heading of the Mahova-

bora tunnel. On the western, end of this railway most of the work has been concentrated on the Hiao section. No. 1 tunnel, 301 chains long, was completed last March, and at No. 2 tunnel 541 chains long, a total lengtl of 52 chains is complete. A substantia! start has also boon made with the earthwork on the west c . £ this railway, and the work generally has been much lacihta c<, what is really difficult country, by the provision of power-operated inclines over the rough ridges, and by the provision of electric energy de-