PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 13- 



Manning, Hastings, Wilson, Macleay, Nambucca, and 

 Bellinger (south arm and north arm), besides a number of 

 smaller streams. 



A new departure in the construction of the piers for 

 these bridges was introduced and successfully used by Mr. 

 W. Hutchinson, m. inst. c.b., the Chief Engineer for Railway 

 Construction; formerly it has been the practice to use cast 

 iron cylinders for sinking in the river beds to carry the 

 superstructure, but he adopted concrete without reinforce- 

 ment, except on the curb or cutting edge. Many of the 

 piers were sunk under air pressure, but even in those case& 

 concrete was the only material composing the cylinders; 

 the saving in cost that resulted from this method over that 

 hitherto adopted was considerable. 



Not only have the large bridges on the North Coast line 

 been iu excess of what is found on other lines in the State, 

 but the number of tunnels, mostly through solid rock, have 

 also been proportionately more numerous than on any por- 

 tion of the lines, except that from Hornsby to the Hawkes- 

 bury River, the ruling grade is 1 in 80 and the sharpest 

 curves 15 chains, the whole being laid with steel rails 

 weighing 80 fbs. per yard. 



With this exception, the construction of the various lines 

 has presented no engineering difficulties. 



The new Sydney Terminal Station, opened for use in 1906,. 

 soon proved too small for the growing requirements of the 

 city, and it is to be hoped that the City Railway will be 

 an accomplished fact as soon as conditions become such 

 that it can be constructed at reasonable cost. 



Although the extensions of the railways have not, with 

 the exception stated, been difficult, yet the alterations 

 that have been made to existing lines in consequence of 

 increase in traffic, or with a view to economy in working,. 



