THAMES-WAIKATO RAILWAY. FIRST WAIKATO SECTION.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1202, 11 March 1880, Page 2

THAMES-WAIKATO RAILWAY. FIRST WAIKATO SECTION.

It is little over a month ago since the contractors (Messrs Hunt and White) commenced operations on the first section of the above line let at the Waikato end, and already a large amount of work has been done. There are four parties of men engaged on the different portions of the entire length of the section, which ex- | tends 13 miles from the river, and the greater portion of which is through swamp. The swamp portion has been sub-let in two sub-contracts — the one to Messrs J. and B. Coleman, and the other to Messrs Smith and Co. The men at present directly employed by the chief contractors are working in two gangs, the one at the station yards on Claude's farm, the other at the farther end of Mr Coates farm adjoining the swamp. Indeed, the line is now formed the entire distance between these two points, and the large quantity of earth being removed from the East Hamilton station yards ia being carted to form the heavy embankment, which is gradually being extended towards the river. Here there were yesterday no less than ten drays and teams, and more than double the number of men employed. The ground being levelled for the station yards is about three acres in extent, and even with the strong force now at work, and with continuous fine weather, it will take fully another month to level this piece of ground. By that time the embankment will probably have crossed the low ground towards the river, when another heavy cutting will be met which will give the necessary material to finish the filling in. From the station yard to the Hokonui road, and across that road again to the far end of Coates 1 farm —all tolerably level country — the line is formed a distance of one and a-half miles. In the second gang working under Messrs Hunt and White at this point, where the line runs into the swtimp on Mr Cumming's farm, there are about 40 men employed, chiefly at pick and shovel and barrow work. From this point there are about eleven miles of formation to be executed in purely swamp country. Messrs. Smith and Co.'s men are employed at a point about a mile beyond Coates farm, and there are some thirty men engaged in cutting the deep side drains and throwing the soil into the centre to form the line. Messrs J. and B. Coleman's party, of alxnit the same strength, are working at the other end of the section, and between the two gangs there is yet a distance of eight miles which has not yet been touched upon. In addition to these four working parties, the contractors have several fencers employed and drays at work conveying material. Altogether there are between 120 and 130 men employed upon the contract, and it is scarcely surprising that already the payment of so large a sum in wages has had a marked effect on business in the township. The contractors are making the most of the fine weather, and it will be a matregret it the railway authorities do not make an effort and get the second section on to Waitoa ready for contract as quickly as possible. The greatest hindrance, perhaps, is the fact, that for want of engineering assistance, the time of Mr D. N. Beere, the engineer in charge of the line is too much taken up with details of the first section to get on with the neccessary preparations for preparing the second one. Surely there can be no lack of engineering services procurable, and if so, it is a pity that the next three months of fine weather should be lost. Out of the thirteen miles, comprising the first section, we have then \i z miles formed between the station and the swamp, one mile nearly completed at this end of the swamp, and two miles completed in Messrs J. and B. Coleman's sub-contract, in the swamp, at the extreme end of the section; an amount of work for one month upon which the contractors may be complimented, and the public congratulated. What we would desire to see would be the line completed as speedily as possible between the East Hamilton Station and the Wahou River, so that in the mean time, while the bridge over the Waikato is being constructed at the one end. and the line continued at the other or towards Grahamstown, the piece of line thus completed between the two, would afford a considerable number of settlers and a large extent of valuable country facilities for transport, either to Hamilton at one end, or by steamer from the Waihou landing direct through to Grahamstown, and this is why we say it is a pity that time should be lost in getting the second section of the line from the end of the present one to the Waihou River ready for calling for tenders.