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Culverden-Waiau Railway. This railway is 13 miles in length. Formation, including widening for station-yards, is completed to 12 m. 70 eh., the remaining length being about half-finished. A few minor works elsewhere remain to be done. Platelaying has been completed at 12 m. 76 eh., including all sidings at Achray (5 m. 15 eh.) and Rotherham (7 m.) station-yards, and one siding at Waiau. First lift of ballast is completed to the rail-head, including all sidings; second lift on main line only from sm. to 7m. 20 eh. Fencing is practically completed, also private crossings, with one exception. All culverts are completed, also steel-girder bridges at om. 20 eh., 9m. 32 eh., and llm. 42 eh. Timber bridges at om. 73 eh. and 3m. 55 eh. are nearing completion. A telephoneline has been erected throughout. Stockyards, with holding-yards, have been constructed at Rotherham, also a loading-bank; and the approach road from Rotherham Township has been formed. Loading-races for permanent stockyards at Waiau arc nearing completion. Since October, 1916, goods have been carried for the public over a portion of the line, and the service was extended to Waiau on the 28th February last. The delay in the completion of this railway is due entirety to acute shortage of labour, which still continues. Waimatb Branch Railway Extension. Length, J,, miles 60 chains. —No further work has been done on this section during the year. Otago Central Railway. Cromwell Section (J 52 eh. to 57 m,., α-pproso.). —Formation was continued from 54 m. 77 eh. to the terminus, about 1 mile 14 chains being completed during the year, leaving some 30 chains to complete. Formation of Cromwell Station yard is in progress, also road-deviations and widening. A 10 ft. concrete arch culvert was completed at 56 m. 32 eh. Concrete bridges at Leaning Rock Creek and Sonora Creek were completed, and the Nine-mile Creek Bridge nearly so. Platelaying was extended from 50 m. 55 eh. to 55 m. 2ch., a distance of 4 miles 27 chains. Ballasting was completed for about the same distance, first lift to 55 m. and second lift to 54 m. A goods service was maintained between Clyde and Half-way House, fruit and grain being the principal items carried. A thunderstorm in November, 1916, caused considerable damage to the railway and road. This will considerably delay the opening of the line, as bridges will be required at several washouts. Okepuki-Waiau Railway Extension. Construction-work on this extension ceased in November, 1915, but a few men were retained to complete the stumping on about 73 chains, and to burn off the felled timber. A settler's house was removed clear of the railway reserve. In January, 1917, bush fires destroyed the Department's store-sheds, with some tools and material, also the records of a good deal of survey-work. Fortunately, however, the bulk of this had been plotted and filed in Head Office. Sandy Bay Tramway. This tramway, which has been built for the purpose of obtaining access to a quarry of stone for the new Parliamentary Buildings, Wellington, was completed during the year, and has since been in constant use. SURVEYS OF RAILWAYS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, NEW LINES OF RAILWAYS, LAND-PLANS, ETC. Kawakawa-Hokianga Railway. The permanent line has been pegged during the year from 28 m. to 37 m., and the plans are nearly completed. A trial line has been run from 38 m. to near Tio Point (43 m. 50 eh.), where the line touches deep water on Hokianga Harbour. North Auckland Main Trunk Railway. A contract was let for a land-plan survey from 107 m. 25 eh. to 111 m.. 25 eh. Alterations have been made in the permanent-line survey near 112 m., and at Waiotira, the junction with the branch line to Whangarei. Waiuicu Branch Railway. A land-plan survey from 3m. 75 eh. to 12 m. 15 eh. has been completed, and the plans have been approved by the Survey Department. HUNTLY—AWAROA RAILWAY. A .contract has been let for the survey of land required for this railway from 7 m. 25 eh. to 8 m., also for the Waitawhara Road. East Coast Main Trunk Railway. Land-plan surveys for the first four miles of the Athenree Section, also for the Paengaroa Section, were completed by the Department's staff. The survey of the permanent line of railway beyond Matata has been continued as opportunity permitted, but little progress has been made. A great deal of detailed survey work is required on this swamp section. On the Motu Section two small areas were surveyed for a road-deviation and a station water-supply. On the line southward of Gisborne the Wharekopae deviation was surveyed from 14 m. to 22 m. 47 eh., and plans completed. Further survey work was carried out in connection with the location of the

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