D —1A

8

The formation, platelaying, and ballasting were completed, and the section handed over to the Railway Department on 16th December, 1925, the principal work apart from general formation, being the construction of five bridges, of a total length of 480 ft., and station buildings at Miller's Flat. A goods service was run on the section for some little time prior to the handingover. In July, 1926, formation work was commenced on the further section to Roxburgh at 58 miles 69 chains, a length of 9 miles 10 chains. This section was completed and handed over to the Railway Department on 19th April, 1928. In addition to earthwork, platelaying, and ballasting, 370 ft. of bridging was carried out, and station buildings erected at Teviot and Roxburgh. The cost of construction from Miller's Flat to Roxburgh was £135,845, and from Beaumont to Miller's Flat £273,030. Orepuki-Waiau Extension. (Length, 8 miles 18 chains.) This section extends from 48 miles 23 chains to 56 miles 41 chains, and construction, which had ceased for some time on this section, was resumed in October, 1919. The work was, however, prosecuted only on a small scale, and the section was finally completed and handed over to the Railway Department on 20th. October, 1925. There is a total of 580 ft. of bridging, but construction work generally was not heavy. The cost of construction was £112,378. Otago Central Railway—Cromwell Section. (44 miles 52 chains to 52 miles 6 chains. Length, 12 miles 34 chains.) Work on this railway was practically completed at 31st March, 1920, the actual work still to complete being the construction of five bridges and the final trimming-up and ballasting throughout. In addition, it was found necessary to construct a number of concrete floodchannels at some of the bridges and culverts to cope with cloudbursts, which are of comparatively frequent occurrence on this section. The line was handed over to the Railway Department on 9th July, 1921, goods and passenger service having been carried on by the Department for some time prior to that date. Trial surveys of the route from Cromwell northwards have been made via Lowburn, crossing the Clutha River, Cromwell, and Bendigo ; also, alternative routes and bridge sites have been surveyed at the gorge in Cromwell. These surveys have been completed to 71 miles. Cost of construction was £152,683. Westport-Inangahua Railway. Prior to 1920 the majority of the heavy formation work on the section beyond Tekuha had been completed, and all construction work had ceased about 1915. When it was decided to recommence work in 1926 the completion of formation, the erection of bridges, platelaying, and ballasting were the main items yet to do. Since then a section of 3 miles 8 chains from Te Ivuha to Cascade Creek has been completed, and the Railway Department are operating trains over it in connection with the Cascade Coal-mining Co.'s mine. From this point, at 8 miles 78 chains, work is in hand to 13 miles, bushfelling and clearing being completed, and the formation for the first 2 miles being almost complete. The survey to Inangahua Junction, at 27 miles, has been completed, but the final estimates for the completion have not yet been prepared. The formation of this line is very heavy, both for the portion completed and for the greater part of that vet to do, as it runs through the Buller Gorge and involves very heavy rock excavation. The expenditure since 31st March, 1920, is £106,194, and the provisional estimated cost to complete is £602,800.