26

D.—l

The small crashing plant at 104 m. 4 oh. has turned out 12,000 cubic yards of metal for various purposes. The permanent rails have been laid from 106 m. to 104 m. 26 eh., and the temporary track is being gradually replaced with permanent line. A light service line has been put in from 104 m. fi oh. to 102 m. 20 eh. in order to get materials to Mareretu Tunnel. Ballasting has been in hand between 106 m. 60 oil., and fair progress was made. Between 104 m. and 102 m. 30 eh. 1 \ miles of road has been metalled and 4| miles of fencing erected. The Stationmaster's house at Waiotira station-yard has been completed. Difficulty was experienced during the year in obtaining timber for the construction of workmen's huts and other buildings, while a shortage of carpenters delayed, erection. The opening of the sawmill has, however, eased matters considerably, 268,000 ft. of timber for huts, temporary sleepers, and tunnel-work having been supplied ; 105 single huts, fifteen married men's houses, and three cookhouses have been built; and, although each individual has not been provided with a hut, still a great improvement has been effected in the housing of workmen. A survey of a deviation from the Mareretu station-yard to 99 m. has been completed, and as soon as a steam-shovel is available it will be transferred to the cuttings on this portion. Kirikopuni Section (107 m. 28 eh. to 121 m. 40 eh. ; length, 14 miles 12 chains).— Comparatively little work has been carried out on the southern end of this section, as operations were stopped in January in order to concentrate on the "Waiotira Southwards Section. A Bucyrus steam-shovel was in operation for five months, and dug 9,600 cubic yards to bank. On the northern end of this section a tramway has been constructed from the Wairoa River to the Omana Tunnel, a distance of 2 miles 60 chains. A limestone-quarry has been opened up, and it is intended to lightly ballast this tramway in order to allow a locomotive to be operated between the river and the tunnel. The northern approach to this tunnel has been commenced, and a new Osgood shovel will be started in here very shortly. 140 chains of permanent fencing were erected. Waiuku Branch Railway. Glenbrook Section (5 m. to 8 m. ; length, 3 miles).—Platelaying, and the first and second lift of ballast, have been completed on this section. Cattle-stops and road-crossings have been completed, and the station buildings at Glenbrook erected. The completed portion between Patumahoe and Mauku Station has been maintained, and the goods service has been extended to Glenbrook. Waiuku Section (8 m. to 12 m. 15 eh. ; length, 4 miles 15 chains).--Formation work and platelaying have been completed, also the first lift of ballast to the end of the section, and the second lift to" 10 m. Ballasting operations have been greatly hampered by the uncertainty of supplies from the Railway Department, who have only been able to supply at irregular and infrequent intervals. Concrete overbridge at 10 m. 74 eh. has been completed, and that at 11 m. 30 eh. is well in hand. Station buildings at Pukeoware and Fernleigh, as well as the Stationmaster's house at Waiuku, are finished, while the goods-shed and platelayers' cottages at Waiuku are Hearing completaion. HUNTLY-AWAROA RAILWAY. (7 m. 20 eh. to 10 m. ; length, 2 miles 60 chains.) Formation work is in hand between 7m. 26 eh. and Bm. 62 eh. Ten culverts have been built, and the fencing has been commenced. Road-widening on the right-hand side between Bm. 22 eh. and Bm. 34 eh., as well as access road at Bm. 46 eh., has been completed. Further surveys in order to provide for station-yard and mine sidings have been made, and permanent line relocated and pegged. East Coast Main Trunk Railway. Waihi Eastwards - Athenree Section (0 m. to Bm. 68 eh. ; length, 8 miles 68 chains).—Practically all the formation on this section has been completed with the exception of a few very minor works such as the completion of several bridge approaches. The erection of the Mangatoetoe Bridge was commenced in June, and nine pier excavations have been finished, of which three have been concreted to ground-level. This work necessitated the removal and re-erection of the public footbridge over the Mangatoetoe Creek. Katikati Section (8 m. 68 eh. onwards). —Fair progress has been made with the formation and culverting, and this is now complete from 8 m. 71 eh. to 10 m., with the exception of a small block in cutting at 9m. 18 eh. The formation is also complete between 11 m. 65 eh. and 12 m. Tawanga Westwards - Tauranga Section (36 m. to 41 m. 5 eh. ; length, 5 miles 5 chains).—About 1$ miles of formation, together with fencing and drainage, have been completed between 36 m. and 39 m. 55 eh. The toes of banks between 35 m. 50 eh. and 36 m, 10 eh., where abutting on tidal water, have been protected with fascines, and a quarry has been opened up on the Wairoa River about 3 miles above the traffic-bridge, in order to supply stone ■ for facing banks on this section. The erection of three platelayers' cottages in the Tauranga station-yard has been commenced. Tauranga Eastwards ~ Matapihi Section (41 m. 5 eh. to 45 m. ; length, 3 miles 75 chains).—Good progress has been made on the bank between 41 m, 27 eh. and 41 m. 74 oh. : this has been extended about 4 ft. below formation-level to 41 m. 38 eh. and stone-pitched to the same point. The stone riprap wall has been carried out to the Tauranga Bridge pier. All cylinders for the Tauranga Bridge have been completed, and twenty-four have been sunk to the proper depths. Staging has been erected for seven piers, and a total of 442 ft. of reinforced cylinder constructed, of which 386 ft. has been sunk. Considerable extra work was entailed in the sinking of the cylinders owing to the very soft material met with, thus entailing extra lengths of cylinder over and above that anticipated. However, with the exception of abutment P all cylinders are now on a satisfactory bottom.