PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 209, 11 December 1879, Page 2

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

The Public Works Statement was deliv.rod in the Hon-m on Tuesday. As the whole of it w.m'd be too lengthy for our columns, we extiact-a portion relating to Canterbury from the Lyttelton Times : Tenders were lately called for the RBcaia Gorge bridge. This structure consists of an iron trussed girder ISO- span, with masonry and concrete abutments. The contemplated alterations and'■additions to the Rangitata road bridge, we hear, will be put in hand by the Public Works department as soon as material arrives from England.

Among the miscellaneous works in hand we notice a contra t fox' the Timaru new post office which .has been let to Messrs Tubb and Fargose for £6790, and we understand will soon be completed. The new Court-house for Waimnte, contracted for by Mr H. C. M'Oormick, we expect shortly to be ready -for, occupation The contract' price is £3647 The new Christchurch Court-house, Mr -Walter Jones Williams contractor, at a price of £2872, is approaching completion. Mr Reece’s contract for £10,690 for a new wing to the Snnnyside Asylum is also in a forward state. Messrs. Anderson are now in full work at their new yards at Addington with their contract for building 180 waggons for the Public Works Department. :■-The amount of 'this contract is £13,371. Various contracts also are in course of execution, comprising additions to the gaols of Lyttelton and Addington, to the Burnham Industrial School, a gun bind ammunition shed for Lyttelton, new st'ong room for Lands and Deeds Registry, &c., Oui’ireaders will perceive from this list that a large number of important works arc being carried on, tending materially to.promote the opening up and progress of this Provincial district. Further south we so . that another contract for 10 miles of formation and perm;v ent way from Tinwald towards Mt. Somers, on the Ashburton branch Railway l as been let to Mr Fraser, of Malvern, for £9858. This work is approaching completion, and we bear that it is intended shortly to let -another length.. Messrs Henderson and Fergus of Dunedin have in hand a contract for the Temnka Bridge on . the interior ma n line. This bridge 964 ft long, in 23 spans of 40ft, and 4 spans of lift, chesses the Temnka river about 1|- miles from Tern uka station; the ; contract price is L 4318. Another similar bridge, 1222 ft in length, with 30 spans of lift, crossing the Opawa river on the„Albnry branch line, is being constructed by Mr Pa sley of Dune' in; the contract price is L 7878, and inqludes about T£ miles of formation.

This completes the list of railway work in course'- of construction, but trial survej’s are being made for the completion of the Oxford and Temukn line, for a line from Fairlie Creek,, over Burke’s Pass into th<> M'Keozie Country ; also for the LittleRiver and Akaroa Railway.