THE NORTH ISLAND MAIN

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2057, 7 December 1907, Page 3

THE NORTH ISLAND MAIN

GOOD PROGRESS BEING MADE. ONLY A SHORT LENGTH TO COMPLETE. (Special to Times). WELLINGTON, Dec. 6. Mr. Holmes. Kngineer-iii-Chargo of the Public AYorks Department, who has returned from an inspection of the North Island Alain Trunk line, has given a Post reporter some interesting details of the progress of. the works. . ■ Passenger trains are running train Auckland .to Taunianinui, and ballast trains between the hitter station and Raprimu (25 mile..;). Until ballasting operations are completed the section will not he taken over b.v the Railway Department. South oT Raiiriinu the rails are laid tor six miles, and being within one mile of Waimurino station, southern pasreuAlataroa (70 miles from Alarton). The rails are laid from Mntaron to OhaUinie (86 miles from Alarton). and the Public Works Department is miming passengers over this section. This leaves a gap n’f 19 miles between the rail-heads. Right down to Makatote viaduct work is so far completed that rail-laying will go on without interruption. On that length, owing to various causes, Messrs J. and .A. Anderson, of Christchurch, are several months behind with their contract for tho construction of tho viaduct, and Air. Holmes does not think that they can finish it. before tlio end of March. The firm has nearly manufactured the steelwork, and is just commencing the erection of .the staging. Tho Andersons have also two largo steel bridges in hand, and both will be completed in a little over contract time. The Department has completed the Toanui viaduct, and earth will bo run across it next week.

Good progress is" being made by tlio Department with the Hapuuwhemia viaduct. The excavating for the foundations is nearly finished, the concrete work is more than halfdone, and the erection of the steel work has been commenced. Upon tho completion of the earth work between 86 miles and 92 miles from Afarton will depend the opening of tho wliolo line for traffic.