THE OTIRA TUNNEL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2509, 24 May 1909, Page 5

THE OTIRA TUNNEL.

PROGRESS OF THE WORK.

VIEWS OF THE HON. J. A. MILLAR.

Tlie great Otira tunnel, which is to be five and a quarter miles in length, with a grade of one toot in thirty-three, rising from the Otira end, is now driven forty-two chains from Otira end. A length of five chains has been widened out to full tunnel dimensions. The concrete blocks are in readiness for the arch lining, and as soon as they are sufficiently hardened this part of the work will be put in hand, and should be in full swing in two months’ time. The motive power for the drills and other plant, which includes fitting shops carpenter’s shop, concrete mixer elevator, stone crusher and various othor machinery, is supplied by electric motors worked by two compressors which are connected with the powerhouse. The spoil from the tunnel heading is carried away in _ trucks and used for railway formation or to reclaim ground from the riverbed of the Rolleston in order to give necessary room for the tunnel, stores. RATE OF PROGRESS.

The average rate of progress in the tunnel heading is thirteen feet a day, three shifts of eight hours being worked. A bonus of £1 per foot is paid for every foot over 132 feet completed per fortnight, and the contractors have already paid several of these bonuses. The last amount paid on this account was £l9, divided amoung twenty-four men at the Bealey end. There is a hydroelectric plant' which is practical identical with that at Otira, and it is anticipated that drilling and opening up Avill commence within a fortnight. About 150 men arc employed on the tunnel construction at Otira and about twenty at Bealey. The latter number will be considerably augumented in the near future. HON. MR. MILLAR'S ANTICIPATIONS. The Minister of Railways (Flon. J. A. Millar) inspected the tunnel works on Saturday. In the course of an interview he" gave his impressions of the huge undertaking and the country generally. “After observing the works at both ends,” he said, “one is struck with the magnitude of the undertaking. Apparently the construction is being gone about in a most systematic manner, and the plant installed is obviously of the latest t-ne. The amount of work which has been done during the past twelve months rather surprised me. It was a very big undertaking to bring the water down from the Punch Bowl and Holt’s Creek, but from what I learned it will repay the contractors the heavy expense to which tliev have gone to get the power. I was very pleased, indeed, to see the length which had been driven at the Otira end, and I fancy that if the contractors do not meet any unknown difficulties at Bealey and make the same progress at that end there is a reasonable hope of tfie tunnel being through about the timo anticipated.” TIMBER AND COAL TRAFFIC. Mr. Miliar was not greatly impressed with the 'appearance ot the country on the Canterbury side irom-Broken River westward. “I look for the bulk of the traffic to be from timber and coal from the Vest Coast.” He said, “When the timber is cleared away according to the opinion of those who know—a very large portion of the land will make splendid dairying country. This seems to be borne out by the fact that when you do come across cattle they seem to be in very good condition. It is quite possible'that the Canterbury land traversed by the line is not a fair sample of the country further back. Whether it will ever be suitable for closer settlement I am not expert enough to judge, but I certainly think it would be capable of carrying a considerably larger population than at present. However, there must be enormous timber traffic from the West Coast for years to come. So far as the South Island is concerned I think it almost certain that the better condition in which coal will be handled in addition to the fact that it will go right through to Christchurch, will compensate for the increased rate which will be charged on the railways as compared with steamer carriage. THE STEAMER TRADE. “I do not think that the steamer trade to Lyttelton will be affected, as there will still be a demand for coal for steamers lying there. Large quantities of coal will be carried by steamer to Lyttelton at any rate until the canal is completed.” As to the construction works from Broken river to the Cass River the Minister said that very fair progress was being made, and if the Slovens Creek bridge were further advanced it would only take a short time to complete the platelaying in the section. The formation works appeared to be nearly completed.