15

D.—l

North Island Trunk Railway Works as a tvliole. —Taking the North Island Trunk Eailway works as a whole, including departmental expenditure, purchase of Native lands, and charges and expenses of raising loans, &c, the amount required to be voted this year is ,£135,711; and for next year about £2,150, which will leave 50384,139 for future appropriation. Woodville-Palmerston. On the Woodville-Palmerston Eailway, the total length to be constructed from Woodville to Terrace End, lj miles from Palmerston Station, is 15 miles. Of this length, 4J miles of formation in the Manawatu Gorge is under contract, and expected to be finished in July next. The works, which include heavy cuttings, bridging, and tunnelling, are making fair progress. Tenders have been invited for the erection of the Pohangina Bridge, and if a satisfactory tender is received it is proposed to accept it forthwith. The vote which we now propose to ask for for this railway is £50,000, leaving £77,201 for future appropriation. Wellington-Wood ville . The Wellington-Woodville Eailway is completed and open for traffic from Wellington to Mangamahoe, a distance of 82 miles, and a combined road and railway-bridge has been constructed over the Manawatu Eiver at Awapurua, near Woodville. From Mangamahoe to Bketahuna, length 6 miles, a contract for formation and platelaying is in progress. Although somewhat retarded by adverse weather and other difficulties the works have been carried on vigorously, and they are expected to be finished in October next. The completion of the railway to Eketahuna will leave a gap of only 27 miles in the whole distance between Wellington and Woodville, 115 miles. A contract has just been entered into for protective works at the Awapurua Bridge, the encroachment of the river having made it necessary to protect the banks and extend the approach on the southern side. The completion of the works thus in hand will practically exhaust the present loan allocation, so it is not contemplated to undertake any further works on this line at present. The vote required, in order to meet existing liabilities which will probably accrue this year, is £24,000, and for next year about £4,000, leaving £4,844 for appropriation in succeeding years. Blenheim-Awatebe . On the Blenheim-Awatere Eailway, the formation is finished to the end of the Dashwood section, 8 miles from Blenheim. It is not proposed to enter upon any further works for the present. The vote now required for this railway, in order to meet existing liabilities, which will all probably fall due during the current year, is £6,000, leaving £23,340 for appropriation in succeeding years. Greymouth-Brunnerton. On the Greymouth-Brunnerton Eailway, but out of Harbour Board funds, considerable additions have been made to the shipping facilities at Greymouth. The wharf has been extended 650 feet, and two 8-ton hydraulic cranes have been provided for loading coal. Greymouth-Hokitika. On the Hokitika-Greymouth Eailway, at the Hokitika end, the line is finished from the Hokitika Wharf to near the Arahura Eiver, 4 miles, and between that point and the Kapitea Creek, 7 miles, the formation is nearly all done, and the Arahura Eiver is bridged. At the Greymouth end, the rails are laid for 1J miles, and the formation partly made to the Teremakau Eiver 7J miles further. Tenders were received some time since for the completion of the Greymouth-Teremakau section, but