NORTH ISLAND MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2142, 18 March 1908, Page 1

NORTH ISLAND MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY.

HOW THE WORK STANDS,

Afte: <a (tour of tho North. Island railway works, Mr H. J. H. Blow, Under-sccretary for Public Works, has returned to Wellington. Tho final portion of his journey was made via the North Island Main Trunk railway route, and he had a lew words to say oil the subject to a Wellington reporter. Ho was, ho '’aid, somewhat disappointed at the slow progress being made with the construction of the Makatote viaduct. That work was being carried out by Messrs Anderson and Co., of Christchurch, at a contract price of £o!i,000, and the contract and time for completion was loth June. 1907. It would, ho added, be some little time yet before the work was finished. ALI the niers of the viaduct are finished '.and the girders and one of the 100 ft. spans are ready for fixing. It is expected that- they will ho placed in position this week. Then there are three more spans to be fixed. Even so. Mr Blow has ro doubt that the line will bo completed by the end of this year, although in consequence of certain delays, SO mo of the work has been thrown into the winter which might otherwise have been done in the 'summer. It must not be forgotten that between the north and south railheads there is only a gap of eighteen miles ; the rails are now laid for two and a half miles beyond Taumaruniu, and will bo laid another one and a half miles as far as Erua station, :n the course of another .month or to. That will mean tho reduction of the coacli iourney between tho rail heads by fourteen miles._ In fact, the eighteen miles section between Waimarino and Ohakune is full of difficulties, hut tliere appears no reason to doubt that with these out of the way, the last link howeon Auckland and Wellington will be completed by the end of the year.