OTIRA TUNNEL WORK.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 200, 23 August 1919, Page 12

OTIRA TUNNEL WORK.

TWO YEARS TO COMPLETE. (P.y Telegraph.—.Press Association.) ; CHRISTCIIfRCH, Friday. ! At a meeting of the Arthur's l':iss. Tunnel League, Mr. T. E. Y. Seddon.| M.P.. who has returned from a visit of: inspection, stated that a mile of laiing.: etc., remained to be done. It was tvti mated that the work would take two years, which, to hi n mind, was unduly i long. He criticised the housing cundi-j tions at Otira, and ativocated improve-1 ment, and the employment of another shift to hasten the completion of the ! work. He contended that by bettering the housing and iviw conditions the work would attract labour. The following re-'O.ut on- were carried:! "That the members of this meeting are , surprised and concerned to learn that miserable housing accommodation i-til! obtains at Otira, and that women and children are consequently i-uiTering. noi only in comfort, hut also in heiuth. and urges the Minister of Public Works to fulfil the promise made, and .it tniirc have ' I these conditions remedied.' , "That t:ii= meeting urges on the OovI crnmeut the necessity of increasing the ; wages of workers at the tunnel to a minimum of 20/ a shift." It was also agreed to ask the Minister of Public Health to st.iC.ou v medVal officer at the works, and to wait <m the! i Minister of Public Works. Sir William! Waser. in connection with tunnel conditions generally.