D.—l

VI

Arrangements were made which enable the Railway Department to carry goods on the unopened line between Patumahoe and Mauku, and a weekly service is run in conjunction with the train from Paerata to Patumahoe. East Coast Main Trunk. Waihi Eastwards. Work is in hand as far as- the 10-mile peg, and fair progress has been made. Stone is being crushed for culvert-building, and two platelayers' cottages have been erected. The permanent survey of the line beyond the 10-mile peg has been carried on well in advance of formation requirements. Tauranga Westwards. Tauranga Section. —The only work done on. this section during the year was stone pitching along the Strand harbour-front. Construction work has been resumed since the end of the year. Tauranga Eastwards. Te Maunga Section. — Cylinders for piers C, D, E, and F of Tauranga Bridge have been constructed and partly sunk. Rangitaiki Section. — This line has been permanently pegged to 96 miles 40 chains, or within half a mile of the summit on the saddle between Waioho and Whakatane valleys. The survey of the drainage areas of the different drains of the Rangitaiki Swamp has been completed, also a traverse of the Rangitaiki River for stop-bank purposes. Mount Manganui - Te Puke - Malata Section. —This opened section for passengers and goods is 40 miles in length, and has carried a considerable amount of traffic during the year just closed —freight, fares, carriage of mails, &c. The whole line from the Mount to Matata, although not completed, has been efficiently maintained. Mount Branch. Only ordinary maintenance has been done on this section during the yearThe swamp banks have not given as much trouble as previously, owing partly to the exceptionally dry year experienced. Some of these, however, will require widening, and will be attended to when necessary. So far, however, a good runningsurface has been maintained. Napier-Gisborne . Gisborne-W airoa. Ngalapa Section. —Passenger and goods traffic has been working over this section, and the necessary maintenance to keep it in an efficient state has been attended to. Banks have been widened where necessary, and additional ballast deposited where required. N apier-W airoa. Eskdale Section {0 miles 0 chains to 10 miles 60 chains). —Construction work has been practically confined to the Inner Harbour embankment, which undertaking s in the hands of the Napier Harbour Board. Better progress than in previous years has been made. A quarry was opened at Pandora Point, two temporary bridges constructed over branches of the Tutaekuri River, and a service road constructed from the quarry. Towards the end of the year a commencement was made with further construction of the section. A strong survey party was engaged during the year, and 38|- miles of trial survey beyond this section was made. Opunake Branch. No work was undertaken on this line until the last month of the year, when the construction of the Waingongoro Bridge was resumed. It is proposed to push on this work, and provision is being made on the estimates accordingly.