37

£>.—1

AUCKLAND DISTRICT. Kawaicawa Eailway. Taumarere Contract (1 mile platelaying, &c.).—This contract was completed in May, 1883. No. 3 Contract (4 miles 11 chains, formation, permanent-way, wharf, &c). —This work, after much delay, has at last been completed, and, with the Taumarere Contract length, will be open for traffic and the shipping of coal on the 7th April. This portion has been included in length of lines opened for traffic shown above. The necessary buildings, with one or two exceptions, will all be completed by the same time. The rolling-stock on this line has been increased, and two steamcranes have been placed on the wharf. Whangaeei-Kamo Eailway. Sundry buildings have been erected at various stations on~this railway, having been found necessary to meet the increased traffic. Kaipaba-Waikato Eailway. Filling Contract, Auckland Passenger-station. —ln last year's report it was explained that the necessary material could not, as had been expected, be obtained from St. Barnabas Point; the contract was therefore determined, and an arrangement was entered into with the Auckland Harbour Board by which that body should have completed the work by the end of December, 1883. The works, however, are not yet completed; but, although a large quantity of filling yet remains to be done, it is expected that a sufficient area of filling will be finished by the end of June to allow of the building of the passenger station. Auckland Passenger-station. —A contract has been entered into for the supply and delivery of the totara piles for the foundation of this building, and in a short time tenders will be called for the erection of the building itself. Newmarket Workshops Contract. —This contract was let during March, 1883, and was satisfactorily completed on the 30th November of the same year. It includes engine-erecting shop, 168 feet by 50 feet; machine and fitting shop, 118 feet by 84 feet 6 inches; smiths' shop, 118 feet by 84 feet; pattern shop, two stories, 49 feet by 49 feet; storeroom, boiler-room, engine-room, and coal-stores, 121 feet by 49 feet; wood-working and machine-shop, 108 feet by 79 feet; and carriage shop, 108 feet by 99 feet. During the last few months steps have been taken to prepare the foundations for the machinery, and to erect the engines and necessary shafting for driving it. Newmarket Workshops Contract (No. 2).— This contract was let during March of this year, and the contractor is making fair progress. It includes carriage-painting shop, 81 feet by 58 feet; coppersmiths' shop, iron-store, and coal-store, 88 feet by 21 feet 6 inches. Additional excavation was required for the first-named building; this is now being proceeded with, and it is expected will be completed by the middle of May, so as to allow of the erection of the building. Coal-store and Water-Supply, Auckland Goods-station Yard. —This work was satisfactorily completed on the 20th March. Works on Opened Lines. —Sundry contracts for buildings have all been completed, viz.: Addition to tarpaulin-shed, 60 feet by 25 feet, at Newmarket; two fifth-class stationmasters' houses at Parnell; goods-shed, 30 feet by 20 feet, at Eukuhia Station; goods-shed, 40 feet by 30 feet at Onehunga Wharf ; goods-shed, 40 feet by 30 feet, at Taupiri Station; fourth-class passengerstation at Manurewa; and four fifth-class stationmasters' houses at Mercer for use of railway officials. Improvements in Stations. The increasing traffic has rendered necessary many_ improvements between Auckland and Ngaruawahia. At the Auckland goods-station the sidings have been laid into the new running engine-shed; the standing lines and goods-shed sidings have been relaid in proper position. New sidings for the coal traffic have been laid, and a large turn-table for locomotives placed in position. At Newmarket new sidings have been laid into the workshops and yard. At Onehunga Station and wharf, Mercer, Huntly, Taupiri, and other stations new sidings have been laid in ; and a three-ton steam-crane for working coal has been fitted up on Mercer Wharf. That part of the railway known as the " Pokeno curves " is now in process of being altered, by doing away with all the small curves and substituting one curve of large radius and one straight line of considerable length. The earthwork is now nearly completed, and a part of the permanent way is laid. It is expected that this improvement will do away with the necessity for the breakingup of heavy trains which now exists, and the consequent delay attending it. Between Auckland and Helensville have been erected some new station-buildings and fencing, and the line itself has been improved and ballasted on the old section between Kumeu Junction Station and Helensville. Waikato Thames Eailway. Hamilton /Railway-bridge Contract. —This work was completed on the 21st September, 1883, and locomotive engines with material trains are now running over it daily in connection with supplies for the Eureka Contract for platelaying and for the Cambridge Branch. The bridge is an iron structure 396 feet in length, in three spans of 132 feet each, supported by two cylindrical piers in the bed of the river and by concrete abutments on the banks, where there are, on each side, two approach-spans of 20 feeieaeh : the rail-level is about 99 feet above the bed of the river. Eureka Contract (16 miles 73 chains, permanent-way and ballasting).—This extends from Hamilton Bailway-station, 1 mile 7 chains, to the east end of Morrinsville Station at 18 miles. The contract was entered into on the sth December, 1883, and the contractors are making satisfactory