PUBLIC WORKS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4459, 5 July 1875, Page 3

PUBLIC WORKS.

Por some time past the workmen at Mills’s foundry have been engaged in the manufacture of three locomotives for the Manawatu tramway. One of them being completed it was set in motion on'June 22, and found to work smoothly in all its parts, the body of the engine being raised from the ground to permit the wheels to revolve. The locomotive weighs six tons, and is of 20-horse power, with a capacity to work up to lOOlbs. to the square inch. At considerably under this pressure a speed of fifteen miles an hour could be attained, but as the engine will have to travel along wooden sleepers, laid longitudinally, such a rate of speed would neither be possible nor safe. In regard to the workmanship, there can be no two opinions as to its character. Mr. Seager, the manager of the Lion Foundry, seems to have been aware that in a work of the hind the reputation of the foundry was involved, and the result is an engine that would do credit jjn-any engineering firm in the old country.. In point of solidity, it apparently combines a tower of strength, while the journals and all the brass work show a finish and completeness for which we were unprepared. Mr. Blackett, and several other gentlemen interested in engineering works, inspected the locomotive on June 23, and expressed great satisfaction at the manner in which the work had been turned out. Eacb of the three locomotives ■will cost £6OO. The one tested yesterday will be forwarded to the Manawatu in the Napier in a few days. A correspondent kindly sends us the following re the progress of our railway works : ■‘The first tunnel on the Mungaroa section is situated and begins at 21 miles 8 chains, and is 132 yards in length. There are eight chains of approach cuttings now completed up to face of tunnel, which is being fairly started, and from the energy evinced by all interested in the prosecution- of the work, doubtless every effort will be mado to complete the work as speedily as possible. The various cuttings and embankments between the above mileage and Upper Hutt station are of late being pushed on with considerable energy, and despite the copious rains we have had uncomfortably to endure, yet work goes on almost unceasingly. Higher up the Mungaroa section works are being pushed on_ as well, but owing to the present miserably Inclement condition of the weather anything like appreciable progress is out of the question. Numerous small cottages are fast springing into existence around this locality, and a few of the knowing ones have already secured desirable lots for the erection of large stores, so that there need not be any great surprise to see a smiling and thriving township ■here shortly.”

Captain Johnson has returned from his visit to the proposed site of the lighthouse to be erected on the north head of the entrance to Tory Channel. To decide the site of the first lighthouse presented no difficulty whatever, blit as two lights are to be placed bn the headland to facilitate the navigation- of vessels through tho Channel at night time, to determine the position of the second light was not so easy a matter. The strength and direction of the current varies very much at the entrance. The object therefore is to place the two lights in line, and at such points as are likely to ensure a minimum of donaer, by making allowance for strength of tide-set, &c. Like doctors, mariners differ sometimes, and it has been deemed expedient for the present to erect beacons on the headland, so that pi-ac-tical opinions may be obtained from captains of vessels which pass through the channel frequently. The beacons have already been placed and tested by Captain Johnson, but the lighthouse will not be erected until concurrent opinion agrees as to the position to be adopted’ The return of traffic on the Napier and Waipukurau railway for four weeks ending May 22, 1875, is given in last evenipg’s Gazette, from which it appeal's the number of passengers was 5404, yielding a revenue of £4OO 2s. 9d.; parcels, &0., £0 6s. 9d.; goods (816 tons), £273105. 9d. Total revenue, £6BO os. 31. There are 114 immigrants’ cottages, built at provincial expense, in Otago. They are distributed as follows ;—26 at Kensington ; 3 at Reidstowu ; 3 at Waiheme ; 16 in Oamaru ; 3 at Palmerston ; 4 at Waihola ; 12 at Invercargill ; 5 at Riverton ; 5 at Wallacetown ; 5at Otantau; 5 at Oreti Crossing ; 4at Greytown ; and the rest at Moeraki, Oamaru, and the western districts.