D.—l

During the year the following progress was made : — Cascade Bridge : Five 80 ft. and one 40 ft. steel-plate-girder spans were completed. Redmond Creek Bridge : Three 40 ft. girder spans and one 85 ft. arch span in reinforced concrete is now approaching completion. Stable Creek Bridge: Ten 40 ft. and one 20 ft. reinforced-concrete-girder spans are under construction. Buller River Bridge: Six 100 ft., one 45 ft., and one 30 ft. steel-plate-girder spans in reinforced-concrete cylinder piers. The piers are almost completed, and the steel superstructure is now arriving on the site. Inangahua River Bridge : Nine 60 ft. steel-plate-girder spans. The piers are constructed, and the steel girders have been delivered on the site, erection is proceeding, and two spans have been completed. Considerable progress has been made in the completion of the two remaining tunnels at 13 m. The longer tunnel, 13 ch. long, has been excavated, and 5| eh. have been lined. The shorter tunnel, 2-4 ch. long, is in hand, and If ch. of the bottom heading is completed. Seventeen culverts were completed during the year, three of which were of considerable magnitude. The earthwork has been completed throughout except for a four-mile section between 20 m. and 24 m., where some large block cuttings and fillings are being constructed by modern plant consisting of Diesel shovels, and locomotives and carry-all power-scrapers. The work on the bridges and culverts has been hampered to some extent by lack of skilled tradesmen, but the difficulty is being overcome and construction work is proceeding more rapidly. During the year a Y.M.C.A. hut was erected at Inangahua Junction, and electric light was installed in the main camps at Tiroroa and Inangahua Junction. RAILWAYS: IMPROVEMENTS AND ADDITIONS TO OPEN LINES. The net expenditure out of the Public Works Fund under the above heading for the year ended 31st March, 1938, was £1,292,772. This amount was expended on the various works shown in the following statement: £ Wellington new station and yard .. .. 215,332 Wellington-Paekakariki electrification .. .. 18,039 Wellington-John son ville electrification .. .. 29,493 Christchurch new station and yard rearrangement . . 19,660 Papakura-Horotiu duplication .. .. .. 77,179 Plimmerton-Paekakariki duplication .. .. 20,127 Sawyer's Bay - St. Leonards duplication . . . . 16,407 Turakina-Okoia deviation .. . . . . 111, 943 Scroggy Hill deviation . . . . . . . . 8,997 Grade easements .. .. .. .. 17,780 Elimination of level crossings . . . . . . 95,426 Oamaru foreshore protection . . . . . . 15,000 Stratford-Okahukura safety appliances and tabletworking . . . . .. . . . . 19,284 Dwellings .. . . .. .. . . 8,962 Rolling-stock . . . . . . . . . . 662,032 Workshops buildings and machinery .. .. 49,097 Road services .. .. .. .. .. 31,779 Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. .. Or. 123,765 £1,292,772 The Wellington new station building was completed early in the year and was officially opened on 19th June, 1937. The layout of the new yard was also sufficiently advanced to allow of the satisfactory working of the new station. The Tawa Flat deviation which, had been used for goods traffic for some time was brought into full use as from 19th June, 1937. The electrification of the WellingtonJohnsonville section was proceeded with .throughout the year, arid the electric

XX