THE MAIN TRUNK LINE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 113, 4 May 1908, Page 4

THE MAIN TRUNK LINE.

READY US CHRISTMAS. Tin: HON. w. hall-ion i;ss visit. DEVEI.i.f'ML.VI til-" SLTTLLMEYf.

"I am lo haw iiiv train through to Auckland .it the end' of the >ear!" -aid the 11.-.ii. \V. llal!-.l,.ne. i.Mini-lcr for Kailiva,., in reply lo a "I)..mini ,n : reporter on Thursday evening. The -Minister has just returned from hi- lir-t visit of iu>peetion of the Main Trunk line since hi- iriu to the "Id Country. "There is a great deal of work to lie >' me yet." he ,aid. -hut the staif are j ; in-; ahead -olidly, are keenly inteii'-l i. and ijilile pleased to he identified . Ith the completion of the line by i liristmas." THE CHIEF WORK. "The chief work." continued tli'.Minister, "now lies Mween Uakat. le and illi.ikune. with a little dealing up to he done in other pan*.' The .Minister bad railed the previous night from the •North to Makatole, and the public would now b t . aide to came to there for the South hv train. 1.a.-t month it was to Waiuiariim: this tuoiith it had liecu to F.roa; from today it will he at Makatote that they will fake the south coach. The ..lying the railway line will then stop until --ticli tinn> as the contractors have the Makatote viaduct ready for the rails. The contractor has his wire ropc„ anchored in tin- grounds, and these anchors hap|>cii to be in a part of the route of a cutting. It is not desired to delay the completion of the bridge, and the anchor, will U- allowed to remain there until the heavy workis finished. After this is done the Department will have some months' work in the cutting; and when that work is completed they will lie able to proceed with the rail-laying from the north fi ide of Makatote. FOUR WEEKS TODAY. The contractors have promised to have the bridge so far completed that they can remove their lifting gear and practically have the bridge ready for the rails in four weeks from to-day. After this the Department will liavc to make the cutting (where the anchor* now lie), which will mean another month's work.

SOUTH UF MAKATOTE. "South of Makatote." i,r.icee<led the Minister. "we have two other bridge* or viaducts, the Maiiganui-o-te-ao, about one mile smth. and the Maiigaturuturu. about three miles wrath of the Makatote. The latter should be finished this week. The other will take some time to complete, but will lpe well nut of hand by the time the rails reach there. This means that in two months' time—providing the contractors do their part---we shall be able to proceed with the laying of the rails from Makatote right down to Horopeko, which i* what is called the northern section of the line. THE .SOUTHERN END. "At the soutm-rn end the llapuawheiiua bridge, nearly a thousand i'eet long and about I Soft high, was ouly fctarted last August, hut is now emnphtc.l and th- ,ai|s arc being la-1 acro„ it." "That i- good work!" "it i- sph-n.lid «,„k. very! liolh in tin- bridge ami the Taouiti. a smaller structure, the Department has exci'llent work, iiolh bridges were .reeled in very short time, considering their magnitude, and .it very reasonable cost. "Beyond Jlapuawhenua," continued Mr. Hall-Jones, "there is a good deal of hiavy work yet to be done." But 1 am satisfied that the officer in charge is doing his beU>;ind will succeed in getting this work completed in time to lit in with my programme. df\ elopme.yt along the line. "Yes, the country along the line is locking very weil inueed. The settler.ill -eein to be iu good heart. 1 have no .ic;ibt with the opening of the line the development in the timber trade will be phenomenal. It is already more than showing signs that way." In reply to further questions, the Minister said there were no indications yet ot the fearful roads of the preceding winters. The main road used by the Public YA oiks Department was in capital order, and there was no fear of it becoming bad this winter. It would stand all proliabTe wear. Tin., coach po(tiuu of the present journey was grcatlv enjoyed by passengers, ' who seemed rather to look forward tip it, on account el its scenic beauty and its variations of hill and dale ami magnificent bush. "I have noticed a marvellous change hi the country along the line since iny l:i-t vi-it fifteen months ago. Svlticnuiit ha- gone ahead mo-t remarkably. KvryihiiiL' promises rvccdinglr well f"I the - - .-: the line.''