The Gisborne times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, APRIL 10, 1902. NORTH TRUNK RAILWAY.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 386, 10 April 1902, Page 2

The Gisborne times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, APRIL 10, 1902. NORTH TRUNK RAILWAY.

Kiom information supplied U! e representative of the Auckland Siai, it is safe to assume that however poor]'/ Gisborne’s railway may fare, Ministers arc determined push on the North Trunk railway. The Makohine viaduct is - practically completed. There are seventy-eight metiers on idle viaduct giving the limshmg townes. The rail girders will lie all on and the rails down on the viaduct by Monday next. The wooden rails foi the side are all ready to Ax, Ihe first truqk will go over about Monday. Theie are a few bolts in scattered parts of the structure to be, fixed, and these will be completed by Monday night. On the north side of the viadiK(j .the rails are laid lt° m Man§a-

wtka to one hundred yards ol the viaduct. Mr Napier, M.I-1.R., had a two hours’ interview with the Minis-tc-i lor Public Works on the subject oi the North Island Trunk Railway -Mr Napier urged that as upwards of £o?n (100 would be available from the fiisu of April operations on the line ovdo to be vigorously pushed on, and tilt number of workmen increased to one tnousand. He pointed out 'that me law authorised not only normal expci diture under last year s estimate out the assets under the original .s . t.i Island Trunk Railway Act were available, and advantage ought to be taken to utilise the money to proceed with the construction at a apid pace. Mr Napier also drew Mr Hall-Jones’ attention to the-emphatic pledge given by Sir Joseph Ward lately to the Auckland deputation that the line would he completed by June, 19U-1. He strongly urged the completion of the line from the North to Taumarnimi, so enabling tourists to travel south via the Wanganui River by next spring. The Minister said that no one was more anxious than himself for

the speedy completion of the Trunk line so long as the money was available. He twitted Mr Napier > with being “ too soon on the job,” but said the senior member’s vigorous personal reminder would not fail to produce beneficial results. An additional number of men would be placed on works next week, and be hoped for a satisfactory rate of progress until the meeting of Parliament. Mr Napier drew the Minister’s attention to a statement in the New Zealand Times regarding the pending purchase of the Wellington-Manawatu line for nearly a million sterling, and expressed the hope that before that was completed sufficient funds would be available For the completion of the North Island main line. r Hie completion of the Trunk Line was more important than the transfer or a private line to the State Mr Napier expresses satisfaction with the result of the interview, believing that the Minister can be relied upon to finish the work at the due date, if the Cabinet give him fail nlav regarding finance. The heaviest work to be done is south of where the line crosses the Wanganui River and full discretion ought to be allowed the Minister to spend most- money where he thinks the longest delay is likely to occur. When the rails are laid from the north to the Wanganui river, Mr Napier says, the great Wainiaruio totara forest will be virtually tapped, logs being drawn to the river by bullocks, and thence railed to Auckland. We have no objection to offer to the n US hing on of the Trunk Railway, but b is evident that there must be activity in this district if the Karaka railway is to be pushed on expeditiously. _____