D.—l.

APPENDIX B,

ANNUAL REPORT ON PUBLIC WORKS BY THE ENGINEER-IN-CHIEF.

The Engineer-in-Chief to the Hon. the Minister op Public Works. I have the honour to submit the following report upon the various works under my control completed and in progress throughout the Dominion during the period from Ist July, 1934, to the 30th June, 1935. . n , ,i . Table No. 3 (pages 9-11) shows the expenditure on Government Railways m JNew Zealand up to the 31st March, 1935, and also the mileage opened for traffic.

RAILWAYS. North Auckland Main Trunk Railway.—Okaihau Northwards. No constructional work lias been carried out, but during the year surplus unused stores, plant, buildings, &c., were disposed of as opportunity offered. The fitters' shop was transferred to Whangarei, and is now a workshop for general repairs to plant, &c. Dargaville Branch Railway. The passenger and goods service between Tangowahine and Kirikopuni has been satisfactorily maintained. There were 4,876 passengers, 446,600 superficial feet timber, 550 bales of wool, 37,000 head of stock, and 5,000 tons of general goods carried during the year. Tauraroa Quarry. This quarry was in operation for the greater portion of the year, the average output per month was 2,750 cubic yards. The total yardage of metal crushed was 27,524. This material was distributed as follows : 7,910 cubic yards to roads and highways metalling, 4,188 cubic yards sold to local bodies, 14,198 cubic yards used on railways, and 1,228 cubic yards were sold to farmers in the adjoining district. Napier-Gisborne Railway.—Wairoa Section. No construction work has been done on this section, and maintenance has been confined to patch painting of structural steel bridges and keeping open water-tables and culverts. The Maungaturanga Viaduct painting was completed, and that of Waikare Viaduct and Mohaka Viaduct steel was well in hand when weather conditions brought cessation of this activity. Surplus material, workmen's accommodation, and plant were disposed of by sale or transfer as opportunity offered. Waikokopu Branch Railway. The Wairoa Freezing-works, which were destroyed by fire in February, 1931, resumed operations in November, 1934. In order to handle outward cargoes of frozen meat considerable repairs were carried out on meat-wagons, rolling-stock, railroad, and plant. The extra traffic was successfully handled, and a considerable increase in revenue resulted. Stratford - Main Trunk Railway. This railway was handed over to the Railway Department on 3rd September, 1933, for operation. Since that date a large quantity of plant, stores, and workers' accommodation buildings have been transferred to other works or disposed of by sale as opportunity offered. Westport—lnangahua Railway.—Te TCuha — Cascade Section. Works during the year has been confined to maintenance of this section and to the care of the plant and buildings remaining from the time the line was under construction. A washout early in the year was repaired by the Railway Department's staff, a timber trestle of two 20 ft. and one 27 ft. spans being built. This has proved sufficient to maintain a satisfactory service to Cascade Coal Co.'s bins.

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