TUNNELLING WORK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 146, 22 June 1937, Page 8

TUNNELLING WORK.

SOUTH ISLAND RAILWAY. OPERATIONS COMMENCED(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

OHRISTCHURCH, Monday. Tunnelling operations on the southern .section of the South Island Main Trunk railway construction works have been started, and other work is proceeding along the whole of the section from Parnassus to the Kahautara River, - a few miles south of Kaikoura. The commencement of tunnelling operations was held up for some time while the price submitted by the Public Works Department for co-operative contract work was discussed by the mfen, and no agreement had been reached at the end of last month. Since then, however, the co-operative party has decided to begin the job and the work is now in hand. During tlie period from April 27 to May 24' two small camps were erected on the north side of the Conway River, where there are several cuttings still to be completed. No work had previously been done on these cuttings since operations had been recommenced. Further work waS also opened up at the northern end of the section near the Kahautara River. TJie mechanical plant now being used in ; the Hawkswood cutting comprises two large steam-operated drag lines, each with a bucket capacity of one arid a half cubic yards, and four Diesel maciuipa, two drag lines and two shovels. Good progress is being made with the construction' of the bridge over the Leader River, arid it is expected that it will be completed in August, enabling work trains to be run up to Hawkeswood -euttkig* •*'