7

D.—1a

Opunake Branch Railway. (Length, 23 miles.) On 31st March, 1920, the formation on this line had been practically completed as far as Kapuni Station yard, a distance of 6 miles 74 chains. Beyond Kapuni a further length of 2§ miles was well in hand, but platelaying and ballasting had not commenced, and a considerable amount of bridging had yet to be done on the sections mentioned. Since then the line has been completed to Opunake, a distance of 23 miles, and was handed over to the Railway Department on 12th July, 1926. On this section one of the most important works was the construction of the Waingongoro Bridge, 312 ft. in length, made up of a series of five concrete arches. In addition to this, there are 1,910 ft. of bridging, mostly consisting of steel girders on concrete piers. The cost of construction was £451,699. Midland Railway. (Length, 7 miles 68 chains.) For some time prior to 1920 work on this railway had been suspended ; the line had been handed over to Glenhope, and about 2| miles of formation towards Kawatiri was almost completed. Work was renewed in 1920, and has been carried on steadily since. In June, 1926, a length of 3 miles 73 chains was completed and handed over to the Railway Department. From Kawatiri to the Gowan Bridge, a distance of 3 miles 75 chains, the formation is practically completed, the platelaying, ballasting, and erection of the station buildings at the Gowan Bridge being the only work yet to do. The expenditure from 31st March, 1920, to 31st October, 1928, has been £196,519, and the estimated cost to complete to the Gowan is £20,000. Arthur's Pass Tunnel and Approaches. (Length, 8 miles -14 chains.) Of the total length of 8 miles 14 chains, the tunnel itself comprises 5 miles 554 yards, and on 31st March, 1920, although the headings had actually been holed through in August, 1918, there still remained approximately 50 chains of enlarging and concreting to complete. On 16th September, 1920, a contract was let for the electrification of the tunnel and the adjoining station-yards. The erection of the large powerhouse and the installation of the steam plant was carried out by the Department. The whole section was handed over to the Railway Department on 26th May, 1924. Total expenditure, including station-yards, £1,527,393. Expenditure since 31st March, 1920, £738,108. Greymouth - Point Elizabeth Railway. (3 miles 45 chains to 6 miles 10 chains. Length, 2 miles 45 chains.) The extension of the Greymouth - Point Elizabeth Railway from the existing terminus at 3 miles 45 chains to the new terminus at Rapahoe (6 miles 10 chains) was commenced in 1920, and was completed and handed over to the Railway Department on 3rd September, 1923. In addition to the railway proper, it was necessary to construct 32 chains of line from the main line to the beach for the purpose of obtaining ballast. The line terminates at Rapahoe, where the station-yard was constructed and bins erected for the handling of coal from the State mine. Cost of construction was £74,139. Lawrence-Roxburgh Railway. (34 miles 69 chains to 58 miles 69 chains. Length, 24 miles.) In 1920 permanent surveys were completed for the formation beyond Beaumont, and work was commenced on the Beaumont-Miller's Flat Section in 1921 to provide relief work, and was carried on under these conditions until September, 1924, when relief-work rates of pay were abolished and construction carried on under normal conditions.