In the following address, delivered to the Napier Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Trevor Smith (acting resident Engineer of the Public Works Department, Napier) reviews the progress of construction work on the East Coast Railway.

In giving a most interesting address on the progress of the work on the East Coast railway to members of the Napier Chamber of Commerce recently, Mr. Trevor Smith, acting-resident engineer of the Public Works Department, said that it was not generally realised by Hawkes Bay people what was going on in the construction of that great undertaking (says the “Hawkes Bay Tribune”).

The Department, said Mr. Smith, had taken on an enormous job in the Napier and Gisborne

Drowning Parliament!
The great Mohaka Viaduct now under construction on the North Island East Coast Railway, is 913ft long × 315ft high. It will be the largest on the New Zealand Railway System. Drawn to scale it is seen to overpeer by more than 260ft the Parliamentary Buildings (shown in the drawing) in Wellington. The viaduct will require 1850 tons of steel besides many tons of cement for its construction.

railway; most of the work at present was in progress between Napier and Wairoa. Mr. Smith then proceeded to outline the work being done between Eskdale and Wairoa. He briefly referred to the line through the Esk Valley—one of the heaviest stretches along the route—and to Waipunga, a section which had been completed for some time. At Waikoau the station had been well located for the settlers and he felt that it would be most convenient to page 33 them in railing stock and produce and receiving manure.

Just beyond the station was the Waikoau viaduct. This structure, which is 483 feet long and 240 feet high, was completed at the beginning of the present year. One of the features of the construction was the trestle work that had first to be erected. It somewhat resembles a Meccano work, he said. The four miles of round timber, thousands of feet of sawn timber, and 16 tons of bolts used for the trestle work had now been dismantled, and were being reassembled for use at the Matahoura viaduct some distance further on.

Several Viaducts.

The railhead had now reached Tutira station and settlers were already taking advantage of it. At Sandy Creek, between Waikoau and Matahoura, a temporary trestle had been erected for the rails, which work was necessary owing to non-arrival of the steel.

In regard to the Matahoura viaduct, travellers now on the Wairoa road in the next few weeks will see an imposing structure in course of erection. The trestle work was almost finished, and shortly steel would be creeping out. It was expected that the structure would be completed by January next, and then the rails would be laid to Putorino.

At Waikari another viaduct of an entirely different type would be necessary. From Waikoau to this point the line is comparatively easily constructed, the formation not being a big work. Over the Waikari River it was a different proposition. Several enormous cuttings had to be tackled, some of which would take 18 months to complete. In order to get to the tunnels some of these had been in hand for some time. For the Katemaori tunnel two steam shovels are at work on the approaches, and as soon as the days grow longer double shifts will be employed. Before the Mohaka River is reached two other tunnels (15 chains and 18 chains) are required, but both are nearly finished.

N.I. East Coast Railway.
The First Train to cross over the Waikoau Viaduct.
The same viaduct to-day. (The centre span of the viaduct measures 250ft.

The Mohaka viaduct, the largest on the line, said Mr. Smith, would be 913 feet long and 315 feet high, requiring 1850 tons of steel besides a great quantity of cement. Some difficulty was being experienced in getting suitable foundations, and, in consequence, was causing the designing engineers much trouble. The work of erection would differ entirely from that of the Waikoau and Matahoura viaducts, where trestles were put up before the steel was placed in position. For the Mohaka viaduct a cantilever crane would be used, which would gradually work out as the viaduct was built. Once the concrete work was finished and a start made with the steel the work would not take long to complete.

Nearing Wairoa.

Mohaka station was just over the river and then came the Mohaka tunnel (30 chains) which was now in hand, 10 chains having already been completed. Then followed about three miles of very heavy work through Te Kumi Valley. Following on, the line would pass through Waihua, which was a good farming area, and better than that along some of the other sections. A bridge over the Waihua River would have to be built, and the Waihua tunnel (16 chains) was nearing completion. Approaching Wairoa work was in hand on the Wairoa River bridge, which would be 450 feet long and 50 feet high and consist of four spans. The spans would be carried on large concrete cylinders, two of which had already been sunk.

Mr. Smith then referred to the plant necessary for the construction of the undertaking, stating that ten steam-shovels were at work and dealing with some heavy country. On account of their great weight difficulty was sometimes experienced in getting them into position to operate.

In conclusion, Mr. Smith considered that the line had a great future. There were thousands of acres between Eskdale and Wairoa which would respond readily to manures and result in a greatly increased production—an end that could only be achieved by a railway. He suggested that the people of Hawkes Bay should take a greater interest in the line and inspect it. To the man in town the work might seem slow but he did not realise what had to be done or the great difficulties that had to be overcome. The Government had not adopted a go-slow policy with the work. Indeed, for a very long time about 500 men had been employed on the job.

In The Southern Lakes District, New Zealand
“… The trav'ller stops and gazes round and round,
O'er all the scenes that animate his heart.”
—Bruce.
A glimpse of Lake Wakatipu (South Island, New Zealand), showing the Remarkables in the background.