D.—l

62

Midland Railway. Nelson-Westland Section, North End. Tui (Manu) Station in. 38 eh. to Jβ m. 55 ch.J. —During the year earthworks have been completed. Tui Station yard has been completed, including approach roads and metalling. Platelaying and ballasting have been completed, und a quantity of materials for the erection of the Tui Station buildings have been delivered. Glenhope Section (1,9 tn. 55 eh. to Hope J unction). —The smaller cuttings are nearly completed, but the large cutting commencing at ~vl in. 1 eh. could not be commenced until the road had been diverted. This, however, is now being put in hand. A slight deviation of the line from 52 m. 24 eh. to 52 m. 45 eh. was necessary to enable a Btation-yard to be put in at Kaka. The main line is completed at this place, and widening-out for the station-yard is in progress. From this point up to the Tadmor Saddle good progress ha.s been made, nearly all the smaller cuttings and banks being completed. The drive through the large cutting at the saddle has been completed, and two shafts sunk to assist in getting the material out. The material met with has not turned out favourably for removal owing to the quantity of water to contend with, which has prevented good progress being made. Very little formation-work has been dona beyond the saddle, the total extent being about 30 chains of shallow earthwork in various places between 55 m. 50 eh. and 57 m. loch. The overbridge at the south end of Tui Station yard (49 m. 54 eh.), concrete abutments for the bridge at 50 m. 68 eh. (five 20 ft. spans), and staging have been completed. Erection of the bridge is now in hand. Bridge at 53 m. 16 eh. (one 40 ft. and five 22 ft. spans) : Gravel and cement for concrete piers have been carted. Foundations are excavated for four of the piers, and concreting commenced in three of them. The ironwork necessary for bridges at 53 m. 16 eh. and 55 m. 39 eh. has been delivered. Nine concrete culverts and twenty stoneware and concrete pipe drains have been put in. Platelaying was resumed in October, and rails have baen laid up to 50 m. 66 eh. Ballasting has been partly completed up to 50 m. 66 eh. A stone-crushing plant to provide material for ballast has been erected at the ballast-pit at Kiwi. A considerable quantity of fencing-posts have been split in readiness fur fencing. A platelayer's cottage has been erected at Kaka. A movable school for the children of workmen engaged on the line has been built. The telephone-line has been extended from Tui Station to 57 m. 40 eh. Nelson-Westland Section, South End. Cronadun—Landing Section (.',-'> m. £0 eh. to s£m.). —The earthwork on this section has been nearly completed during the year. Fencing has been nearly completed, and a telephone-line laid up to 54 m. 28 eh. Timber is now arriving for the small pile bridges. Platelaying has been commenced. About 30 chains of formation has been nearly completed beyond the end of the section. Canterbury-W estland Section, West End. Arthur's Pass Tunnel Contract (51m. 1,0 eh. to f>9 in. J/Och.). —During the year exactly half a mile of tunnel (both ends) has been completed. At the Otira end 37$ chains has been finished from the west portal at 52 m. 67 eh. to 53 m. 28 eh. The bottom heading has been advanced to 53 m. 61 eh., a distance of 64 chains from the mouth. Partial excavation for enlargement lias been done for 20 chains from the end of the finished work, and a considerable length is standing cm timber. At the Bealey end the bottom heading has been driven 11 chains, and the tunnel excavated and lined for 2i chains. An accident occurred in May whereby a chain of excavated, but not lined, tunnel caved in. This is now being picked up. In addition to the tunnel-work, the contractors erected the piers for the Bealey Bridge, which are now ready for the superstructure. Otira Section (60 m. -J9ch. to 61m. 1,0 eh.).— Formation of the line between Otira Station and commencement of the tunnel contract was finished last year, and the rails laid and ballasted. The groin protection up to 51m. 40 eh. has been completed during the year. Work was discontinued and the men dispensed with in August. Canterbury-W'esthin<l Section, East End. Cass Srr/itj/i (12m. 18ch. u> 27m. £och .). — Earthworks, tunnels, and retaining-walls have been completed. The viaduct at Sloven's Creek and the small pile bridges have also been finished. Delay in completion of the viaduct kept platelaying back somewhat, but rails are now laid over the full length of the section with exception of par! of the sidings at Avoca and Cranneburn Stations. A good ballast-pit is being worked at 24 m. with steam navvy. The first lift is completed from Broken River Station (12 in. l<Sch.) to 24 m., and in places to the Cass Station at 27 m. 40 eh. The second lift is now being proceeded with. Very little fencing has been done, but all necessary material is now on the ground. Cattle-stops have been put in throughout the section. Tenders are being invited fur the erect ion of station-buildings. This section should be ready for traffic next summer. Benhy Section (27 m. Iβ eh. to .',lm. 63 eh., the end of the Arthur', ]\, x .< Tunnel Contract) — Earthworks are in hand up to 35 1,1. They are largely in rocky country, and are fairly heavy in character. A considerable length is in the river-bed. The necessary protective works are well in hand. No bridge-work has as yet been started.