t>.-l

64

The earthwork between 23 m. 70 eh. and 28 m. 40 eh. is now completed, and made good after several slips. The portion to 29 m. 68 eh. is also nearing completion. Culverts with concrete foundations have been put in at sixteen places. An overhead biidge has been built across the cutting at 26 m. 3ch., and a subway put in at 27 in. 2 eh. A second platelayer's cottage has been ejected at Papatupu (27 m. 32 eh.). Platelaying has been completed to Blunder Creek at 28 m. 44 eh. Ballasting has been completed to 27 m. 44 eh., and the first lift only to 28 m. Fencing is complete on the left to 27 m. 40 eh., also on both sides to 29 m., with the exception of a few gaps which had to be left for the service tramway. Formation and clearing for service tramway are completed to 31 m., and rails laid and packed to 30 m. 60 eh. IT" nimahaka End. Tokanui Section (2b to. bS eh. to 32 m. 75 eh.). —Bushfelling is completed to the end of section. Clearing and grubbing is also completed with exception of a few isolated patches. Formation, on which most of the men have been employed, is now in hand up to and including Tokanui Station, at 82 m, 58 oh., and is completed to 29 m. 48 eh., excepting some additions required to banks which have become shrunken with rains. A few slips require removing. From 29 m. 48 eh. to 32 m. formation is two-thirds completed. From 32 in. to end of section it is one-third completed. In the way of water openings not much now remains to be completed, the principal uncompleted work being Tokanui Bridge a< 32 m. 42 eh., and some 12 in. and 18 in. pipe culverts. The year's work includes 259 lin. ft. of 12 in. piping, 173 yards of 18 in. piping, 45 yards of 3 ft. arched masonry culvert, 35 yards of 4 ft. arched masonry culvert, and about 26 chains of stone drain. Diversion of Tokanui Stream on left of 32 in. 44 eh. is done, and that on the left of 32 m. 50 eh. is two-thirds completed. Fencing has been done on both sides from Waimahaka to 28 m. 40 eh. : on the left, from 32 m. to 32 m. 41 eh. The service tramway has been extended to about 31 m. 30 eh. Trimming of formation is completed from 24 m. 48 eh. to 27 m. 65 eh. in readiness for platelaying. The rail-head has been extended from 24 m. 4788 eh. to 24 m. .j7' 12 eh. with the help of surplus material from Tuatapere. About 10 acres of land is Ijeing acquired opposite Titiroa Station, on the opened line, and a ballast-pit is being opened thereon. A water-supply to Te Peka Station (25 in. 78 eh.) is being obtained by gravitation from a creek at a point 49 chains distant. The work is about a quarter completed. Wet weather and other adverse circumstances have militated against the progress of work on this railway. Lawrence-Roxburgh Railway. Evans Flat Section (21 in. 76 eh. to 26 m. 35 eh.). —Platelaying on the main line and sidings was complete last year. Ballasting has now been completed. Siding into ballast-pit has been lifted, and the material stacked at Evans Flat Station. The necessary platforms, station-buildings, cattle-yards, and a platelayer's cottage at Evans Flat Station have been completed. Five cattle-stops and four private-crossing gates have been erected complete, and all approaches formed and gravelled. A traffic-bridge over Weatherstone Creek at Dei went Street, Lawrence, has been erected on pile piers. This was to replace a structure belonging to the Borough Council, injured by heavy carting in connection with railway-works. Wing fences and fencing generally on this section have been completed. Big 11 ill (25m. 35 eh. to 29 in. 33 eh.). —Earthwork is completed to 29 m. 35 eh. Watertables and catchwater drains have been cut. Four private crossings with gates and one with cattle-stops, also three public-crossing cattlestops, have been constructed, and all crossings formed and gravelled. Bowler's Creek and Big Hill Stations have been formed, and approaches put in complete. Formation-trimming is completed to 29 m. 33 eh., and platelaying on main line and sidings, also ballasting, completed to the same point. Station-buildings, platforms, loading-bank, and platelayer's cottages (two) have been completed at Bowler's Creek, and a gravel platform and shelter-shed have been erected at Big Hill. A telephone-line on ironbark poles has been erected over the whole length from Lawrence to Big Hill. Fencing has also been finished. The line to Big Hill being now completed, material along the line has been gathered up and stacked, and some of it transferred to Catlin's. The track being in good order, maintenance has been discontinued and all men paid off. Work in the Big Hill tunnel and beyond is in the same condition as reported last year, except that several sets of timbering have fallen, and rock from the roof has partly blocked the heading RIVERSDALE-SwiTZERS RAILWAY. Formation was continued from 13 m. 23 eh. to the terminus 13 m. 70 eh. Fencing was completed from 12 m. 4 oh., and platelaying from 12 m. 14 eh., and ballasting from 10 m 40 eh including Waikaia (Switzers) Station yard. Dome Creek Bridge was also finished a . Station-buildings Contract No. 1, for erection of buildings at Waipounamu, Plains, Keith, and Freshford, and two cottages at Riversdale, was completed. Contract No. 2, for the remainder of necessary buildings, has just been completed.