THE WAIKATO RAILWAY.

Waikato Times, Volume IX, Issue 504, 12 August 1875, Page 2

THE WAIKATO RAILWAY.

The following extract from the reports appended to tho Public Wqrks Statement, will be interesting 1o Wutkato readers :—: —

Auckland to Mercsb was opened for publictrafß: on t he 20th Miy. Tho cost has exceeded Ihe estimate by £20,0 ! »0; or 5 8 per cent. Tho rolling stock has cost £38,000, the eaHmate having been fc'22 000. Permanent way in Eo^kaJ has cost £50,2^6, the original estimate having been £47,2*0, The liwuiiieiency. of the e3tiraite is co fi.ue-J to ihese two items. There is much more rolling sto-kon the line than was estimated for, but the greater traffic of the district has rendered tie increase necessary.

Mtrcer to Newcastle. — he first 10 miles are bunt; clone by contract, and fair progress baa ben nia le Ibe bridge work, which is also bsing d'jre by contract, is welt advance.l. The remaining 20 miles liav«* been nearly finished by the l^n^ineer Volunteer Militia. This force is now dubinded, and the completion of the work will be let by contract, Rails will be conveyed by steamer to Taapiri, where a wharf has been built, and plate laying will be very shortly begjun. The nuly bxll.iat obtain ble is at T.iupiri, and tie line will be ballasted in both directions from that place. At the same time, in order to hasten the work as much a* possible, plate-laying will bs carried on from Mercer en \ as anon as the tunnel and hiMvy cuttings at If ercer are through. The line from Mercer to the north bank of tie Waikat >at Newcastle may be expected to beopon by April neat.

Nevtcvstle South wabds.— The bridge over the YViukato consists of three spans of 120 feet, and alarm span of 30 feet ; it is in ciane of erection, and will be completed in Ma^cii n^xt. The earthwork and culverts are fini^h^d for 10 miles, and the rest of the distance t > Oliaupo 13 in hand This work has been done by the Engineer Mihtia From Nt-wcaatle to Hamilton he line may be ready for traffic by May next. The direction of |thi lrie bevonl Oh<m w> will c!e iond on whefc'ier the Waikato or Waipa Vh-'jj be followed. For 30 miles on the Waipa line there would be very little work, but beyond that is almost unk iown cojutry, wbickfor the present, at le^st cannot be explored.