D.-l

20

Abstract— continued.

Kaihu Valley Railway Extension. (19 m. 17 oh. to 23 m. 71 eh. ; length, 4 miles, 54 chains.) After the lapse of three years work was recommenced on this railway in January, 1919. Wash outs at 19 m. 30 eh., 19 in. 58 eh., and 20 in. 4 eh. have been repaired. A. stone wall at 19 m. 58 oh. has been renewed, thus completing the formation to 20 m. 70 oh. Work is now proceeding on the length 20 in. 70 eh. to the end. Sundry pipe culverts have been completed. Preparations have been made to install a stone-crushing plant at the ballast-quarry at 19 m. 48 eh. Platelaying has been completed from 19 m. 38 eh. to 19 m. 05 eh. Kawakawa-Hokianga Railway. Okaihau Section (16 m. 25 eh. to 24 m. 45 eh. ; length, 8 miles 20 chains). —Work has been proceeded with throughout the period, and, considering the number of men available, satisfactory progress lias been made. Between 16 m. 25 eh. and 19 m. 45 eh. 19,000 cubic yards of slips have been removed. Formation is complete from 16 m. 25 eh. to 19 m. 50 eh., and from 19 m. 70 eh. to 21 m. 53 eh. ; while from 23 m. 40 eh. to 24 in. 45 eh. it is Hearing completion. A. steam-navvy on this section has helped progress greatly. All pipes and concrete culverts have been completed. The formation of the approach road to Okaihau Station has been completed. The service road, between Kaikohe and Okaihau has been metalled for a length of I J miles, and the whole road has been maintained. The telephone-line has been erected from 19 m. to 19 m. 60 eh. A platelayer's cottage has been built at Okaihau Station. Olcoro Section (24 m. 4-5 eh. to 34 in. 18 oh., ; length, 9 miles 53 chains). —Work was commenced on this section during August, 1919. Formation between 24 m. 45 eh. and 25 m. is almost completed. A quarry has been opened up and a, crushing plant is in operation near.2s m., metal being carted ahead as required for culvert and road construction. Three pipe and. one 8 ft. concrete culverts have been completed. 63 chains of fencing have been erected. Whangarei - North Auckland Railway. Oakleigh Section (0 m. to 7 in. 60 eh.). —Owing to heavy subsidences in the banks the Railway Department was unwilling to take over the completed length from om.to 5 m. 21 eh. The Public Works Department has therefore maintained this portion, and has run goods traffic over it. Formation has been completed to sm. 61 eh., and is being continued to the end of the section. A second lift of ballast has been put in from 7 m. 40 eh. to 7 m. 60 eh. and under the Oakleigh Station and wharf sidings. The piers of the Katetoki Bridge at 7m. 30 eh. have been completed, and temporary stringers have been laid. Tauraroa Section (7 m. 60 eh. to 15 m. ; length, 7 miles 20 chains), —Slips and subsidences on this length have been troublesome, but are all well in hand. The third (final) lift of ballast has been put down from Bm. 50 eh. to 14 m. 67 eh., formation and ballasting being completed. An oil-engine pump for the Oakleigh Station water-supply, to pump water from the Tauraroa River, has been installed. The stone-crushing plant at Tauraroa has been running continuously, practically half of the output having been used for metalling roads. At Tauraroa station-yard the third platelayer's cottage has been completed, and a goods-shed has been erected. Waiotira Section (15 m. to junction at Waiotira with the North Auckland Main Trunk Railway at 19 m. 5 eh. ; .length, 4 miles 75 chains). —A steam-navvy employed on this section has given excellent results, completing cuttings at 16 m. 33 eh. and 17 in. With the exception of the cutting at 16 m, 60 eh. and bank at 17 m. 13 eh. the formation has been completed to Waiotira Bridge at 17 m. 73 oil. In the former case, however, a temporary line has been run round the cutting while in the latter trestles have been erected, thus enabling the platelaying to be pushed ahead. The balance of the formation is almost complete. Owing to the shortage of rails a temporary track only is being laid to Waiotira Junction Station. Platelaying has been completed from 15 m. to 16 in. 54 eh., and from 17 m. 19 eh. to 18 m. 50 eh. A temporary 40 lb. track has been laid from 16 m. 54 eh. to 17 m. 19 eh., and from 18 m. 50 eh. to 19 m. 25 eh, Two lifts of ballast have been put down from 15 m. to 16 m. 54 eh. Heavy slips have occurred in almost all the cuttings, thus causing delay with the ballasting. Eight concrete and five earthenware pipe culverts have been completed. A start has been made on the piers of the Waiotira Bridge. Overbridge at 16 m. 31 eh. has been completed. Fencing has been completed for a length of 1 mile 57 chains.

Name of Railway. Total Length of Railway or Section. Open for Traffic. [_ Expenditure to 31st March, 1919. Provincial Government Lines, etc. M. ch. M. ch. £ 731,759 372,522 4,975 *683,460 lanterbury (lengths included above) .. )tago and Southland iisborne to Ormond Tramway Midland Railway, valuation of works constructed by company .. Grand total 4,118 78 2,993 3 4,118 78 38,803,498 • includes value for £150,000 paid to debenture-holders under the ,ct, 1903. [idland Kailway Petitions Settler nent Act Amendment