ARTHUR'S PASS TUNNEL STARTED.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13108, 6 May 1908, Page 9

ARTHUR'S PASS TUNNEL STARTED.

A GREAT NATIONAL WORK. FIRST BLAST FIRED BY THE PRIME MINISTER. AN ENTHUSIASTIC CEREMONY.

(by ojtb. stbcial kbfobtexs.)

OTIRA, May 5. To-day's function β-t thr> western mouth of the Arthur's Pass tuwnel marked an epoch in tho history of tire provincial districts of Canterbury and Westland, as well as in the history of tho Dominion. The firing of the first blast in the opening of the ragged mountain eide, at tho uottom of which tho Roikston dashes impetuouely on to join the Otira and ultimately the broad Teremakau, was sun indication of the approaching realisation of that great project for connecting Canterbury and tho West Coast by rail, which has agitated the minds of public men and of the public generally on 'both sides of the range for the past fifty years. To fittingly celebrate an even* fraught with so many potenitialitoes for both districts, the public bodies in Canterbury and o» the West i Coast had united, and had drawn up a programme for a ceremony that would have don© justice to such a memorable occasion. Fate, in the form of a heavy downpour of rain, on Monday might, intervened, and cut off on© portion/ of thctse who intended partdcipaiing in to-day'e ceremony, and by flooding the Waimukariri at the BeaJev. : prevented the Canterbury contingent from effocting a junction with the represeatativee of the West Coast. The best was made of matters, however, and despit© /the regretted absence of the Canterbury representatives and the contrnuons downfall of rain, 'the function wae eotbusiaetic in character, and was carried through with tibet disregard to the elements which characterises the average West Coaster. c THE VALUE OF PRESSING ON. Commenting on the unfortunate cironmstanoee which resulted in i>ne Canterbury visitors being weather-oonnd at the Beaiey, Mr John ONHa-Uoram recalled tho advice that warn giv«n to travellers to the West/Coast in the early days, which wae to prose on. In the present instance Mr O'HaUoran and the represewtatives of the Cbrbfcclrarch •newspapers did, well to follow that admonition. It wee da© to the anxiety of Messrs Murdoch and Neil McLean,, two of the contractors, to roach Otira on Monday night to ccc that all arrangements were properly in train for the following day's proceedings, that the opportunity of journeying -through to Otira presented itself. It was. necessary that a eufficient namber should elect to goon, so tibat the arrangemente for the transport of the othere dhould not be. interfered with, and that number was duly forthcoming. The party corosprised: —Mr and Mrs Neil McLean. Mr Murdoch Mfc Lean, Messrs T. A. Perterkdn, J. OHialloran., J. Hbglund <j9pring&eld), and four reportcre. THE OTIRA BY NIGHT. Those who have ondy travelled by coach down the'Otira Gorge in daylight have but a faint idea of the eerie. feelings thait the saane joumney arouses when done in prtdhy darkness. In one sense tJhc nieht journey is perhaps leas exciting. ~ The kindly, darkness conceais or softens the yawning abysses, tho sheer descents, the acote angles, and the towering heights -that at places appear to overhang the road. From, another eepeet "the drive in the dark calls for the exorcise of explicit faith in driver and horses—a faith' that wae certainSy mot misplaced on Monday night, when tho team under Joe Searle'e guidainee behaved ednmr'ahly. Driver and horses appeared to know intimatdly every inoß of *he road, tall«its roue(hnesaes and all ,rta steep ascents and sudden , descents. From the inside of tho coach comparatively little could too seep. The Jighto of the coach gave occasional glimpses of bush-clad bills or -rugged rodky outcrops ; now and then the lights for a moment discovered darknesses 'wihdch indicated tne odge of precipices. Without hitch the'distance between tho Beaiey and Otira was. covered, heavy rain "being run into j net before the Otira river "was crossed. INAUSPICIOUS WEATHER. All through Monday niight the rain fell with what appeared to 'be misapplied persistency. The trorninig brought no change,"and the valley of tho Otira was shut in by thick mist. a reputation for rainfall, and all the day it laboured with complete success in upholding that reputation. When the news arrived ■early in tho momdnig thait the Waima'kariri was impassable, tuml that the Canterbury ipaxty would bo unaible to get through, the feelings of those at Otira were far from joyful. ARRIVAL OF VISITORS. At a quarter to eleven the first train fram Greymouth. arrived with aifaout fifty or sixty on board. Some were clad , as if determined to withstand the most violent atitecks of "wind 1 and rain. Those who had deckled to get right to the tunneTe mouth came outwardiy clothed in oilskins, with gum-boots for a basis. The second train, with the Ministerial party, arrived half* an hour later. Accompanying Sir Joseph Ward and Lady Ward were a number of representative men from all parts of the West coast, from Westport in the north to Ross in the south. The Legislature was represented by the Hon. A. R. Guionese, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mt T. E. Y. Sodden, M.P. for WestJand, and tiio Horns. James Marshall and James Holmes. Local bodies were represented by Messrs EL L. Michel (Hokftika), T. W. Bruoo (Ross), also chairman of the Westland Comity Council, J. A. Mirrdooh. (Samara), and R. Alison (Brurcner). Mr Mclnroe (Grey County Chairman), Mr Scajrtie'buTy (Inangaihua County Chair-, man), Mt A. D. Bay field (Chairman Westport Chamber of Commerce), several mombers of the Grey County Council, Mr Joseph McLean (Greymouth Bcoough Council), Dean Carew (Greymouth), Mr M. Phillips, and Mr J. Higgins, clerk and engineer respectively to the Grey County Council, MtH. B. Burnett (Secretary oi the Greymouth Harbour Board), Mr D. J. Evens (Clerk to tho Wcatland; County Council and Secretary of tie WesUiarod Railway League), and Mrs Morice (nee Louie Sodden) were amongst ■the , large number that were

When tho second tram arrived., Ms T. W. Bruoe caUod for cheers tor Mr Joseph and Lady Ward, ™ d *™F"? were heartily given.. Th« party and those irately 'connected £rththo function then had a Uetjy lunch at the Otira Hotel, after /which they left in conveyances for the tunnel mouth. A ROCKY ROAD. From the townehip of Otnra to ti» mouth of the tunnel ie a distance of about two miles, 'but tho road is probjablr the. rockioso and roughest tljorougWaTo that was ever djgnifißd by tho'name.of road.. P^J^J , large numlber of these who attended the function travelled by foot, tine available conveyances being lnsufncaen* to accommodate all who wished _ to be transported. From the township to the coach crossing of the Otira River the road was fairly good, but the übiquitous Tra-tcr ipounng from, -uhe hiLlaidcs spread over tho roadway in places to such an extent that it was jwsit to impcesfMe to prevent feet getting wet. The philosophic soon gave up the attempt, and waded into and tlhrough, lie extensive puddles. Beyond the Otira crossing fhe way ineroased in roughness, and the diffitoulties to the overcome became more nuinorous and serious. Witih the laiudable idea of facilitating (progress, Mr Loslio . Reynolds., an behaii of tiie tunnel contractors, had had same of ifoe streams bridged with planks, and here end there there were jrJacte where pafch■»iaye of stones had been made. The lime of road could also be discerned, but the surface was a stream of floodwater, offering no obstacle to vehicles, but presenting a problem to pedestrians. I-n short,, "hbo road from the Ot-rra crossing to 4&e eajifehworke lead- . ing to the bridge over the RolLesbon wee a river-bed through, which in fine weaitiher tihe pedeetrian- could have made tie way with comparative comFort, btut in such a day ac tcwlay it ■ wae simply a coßeotnon of sbreame in ■wiich. the water was running w&fa considerable velocity. Some urn/bridged portions taxed the balancing powers of many, but were all (negotiated on safety. Arrived α-t "the eaartJhswork approach io the RjoQeston. 'bridge, the weyforers were oh comparatively dry ground. Over this earthwork tibe . Minasteriail party was oosnveyed. in an, improvised railway carriage. Thedeoking of the bridge •proved to be a welcome pdeoo of comparatire dryn«te in. a wiiderness of wetness. The eastern end of *he bridge is not yet completed up to the mouth of the ttuamEl, and the visitors descended a flight of stairs to the river-bed, and (then ascended to the tunnol mouth, and ,i>y another ftigiht of stairs to the pJatforon erected over the entnuice to itih© "hole in, the hill," wihore 'bhe day's ceremony toot place. SITE OF THE TUNNEL. The site of the tunnel mouth is pictttresquely rugged. The face has boon opened into a high heavily-wooded hall, and from either side small streams,. some of them no doubt oaJSed' cofao being by the heavy rainfall of the past twenty hours, were ( bursting. Above the face was a shingle outcrop, emd every few moments there descended from it miniature avakenchee of djay and small stones, making a peculiar rustling- and grinding noise, wbich' created more aiunn. among those grouped below than tihe magnitude of the occurrence warranted. The tumnel wili practically open on .to tho RoHeston River, usually a placid, purling stream, but this afternoon a turbulent, wibite, foaming torrent, breaking and splashing over boulders ooaeeleeely .atul noisily along with its burden of, shingle, and beating on tihe boulders 1 . like a heavy sea on a rocky shore. On the further bank of the Rofieston there rises a, heavily-timlbered anoaintam, which frowns down on the sbrcatm and shadows, into, insignificance the |4nny works of raan. Tho vista that will open before travellers Otira-warda through the tunnel as they emerge from the long tube is one that ehould inspire them -with no mean adinrira-. tion of tho breuties of this famous spot, even tliough by tihe new route they will miss tho marvellous igrandeur and exquisite scenic beauty which is opened up from the coach road now in uso. ON THE PIiATFORM. The Premier and Ministerial party, with a largo number of others interested, were accommodated: on an. improvieed tarpaiitin-shelterod platform, which had been erected exactly orer the mouth of the tunnel. Some twenty feet below, grouped on tko flat ground just in front of tihe, mouth, stood the gum-booted, oilskin-clad, ana proteoted crowd, who had- epQiaehed their'way out from Ofcira. It was in otter reapecte the -usual variegated gathering that assembles on such an occasion. Veterans of seventy &vxk over had "padded it" from Obira, disdaining any assistance. A number of ladies had done the same, amd "there was the inevitable small boy and small girl. Though the rain dropped with pere&sfcent heaviness, the crowd , "were" not incKned towards gloom or despondieaicy. They cheered the speeches, v.hioh were conimendably brief, with pattiotic fervouT, and did thoiV best to convince themselves and everyone .eke that they were enjoying a tbx>roughjy oongeninl outing. THE SPEECHES. Addressing the gatherine { the Chairman said that it gave him extreme gratification to he able to weloeane Sr Joseph and Lady Ward to the Otira on this auspicious occasion, and it only added to the warmth of their welcome when they considered the disadvantages of circumstances as fa.r as weather was concerned. Had it not iboen, for the persistency and consistency of the Government, this function could not have been held, and he considered that :t was due to the energy, wisdom, and ability of the Government that they were celebrating such an event. Hβ regretted the enforced absenoe of their Canterbury friends, but hoped to have the pleasure of celebrating vrikh them in the near future the opening of tho tunnel at the Beaiey end. The people of the West Coast were gratfeful to the memorj' of the Into Mr Seddon, rememibering, as they did, the iafluenoe he used for the good of the West Coast, the Dominion, <uid the Etnpirc. They recognised also in him a warm supporter of the construction of the tunnel. Tho Hon. A. R. Guinness, Speaker of the House of Representatives, «*ia that he regarded this «? one of tho bright*** <ky«!pf ' l *,i3?? , 2LS r tE; as tiie .constructs* of. the tnBMMM , one of hi* p!*#» when lie fin*«»P«» - A

West Coast, and Nelson members had had great difficulty in bringing the matter to its present stage. The speaker referred to the early history pt the. railway and the agitation in favour of the tunnel, detailing the hopes and fears of those interested. TJie abandonment of a private contract; ~-d the slow progress made by the Government of; that day disheartened the supporters of tho scheme for a time, but at a.great gathering at Hokitika there was expressed on behalf of the Coast a consensus of opinion* that notrunft ehort of the letting of a contract tor tho tunnel would be eatisfectory. ders were invited by tthe present Ministry, a meeting of Canterbury and W«st Coast members was convened by himself, and Sir William Steward waited as a deputation on the 3hmster for Piiblic Works and the Premier, demanding that the contract sho Id be let even though the amount should be greatly. m «*ct*s of tho Government Engineers «*""***: They realised that the contract would boitrongly opposed m *"liament, where members were asking /or ™<»«£ for roads and bridges tor Wblodka settlers. But the Government, recogthe tunnel was a national work stood by the deputation rho contract had been let to a farm of abflttv, standing, and experience second to none in, tho Dominion. Ho thariked the Premier and Lady TUid for venturing into Otira on such an inclement day in order to take part iv the celebration of an epoch-marking OV 3Ir"T E Y. Seddon. M.P., in whose constituency Otira is situated, eaid that the event they were ceiobratnig wns one of the greatest in the of tho Dominion, ranking -next io the North Island Main Trunk. Before loin* they should be shaiking hands with Ota'go and CanXerlmry by means of the railway, over wbiclr there had been so much agitation. Tho Premier had not given a hint , that tho Government intended to accent a tender, but when h& announced it a thrill or joy went through the members who had fought so long and bo hard for it. The rallw-av would, contrary to the statement of opponents,* ODem up areas or timber and minerals, coal, grainite, and pastoral and agricultural lands. Tho hole in the hLll meant much for Westland. He thanked Sir Joseph and Lady Ward for attending, and called for three cheers for'them, which were heartily given. Mr J. O'Halloram, tho only member of the Cfliristckureh. party who went through to the Otira on Monday night, worthily represented his absent colleagues. He expressed his regret at the absence of so many promineinit Christehuroh and Canterbury- citizens, but he - assured the gathering that they were filled with joy at -tttie commencement of work on , the tunnel which was to linik up the East and West Coasts. Canterbury ipeople. recognising that the prosperity of their province was to a large extent bound up in tSiat of Westland, were ■ heart- and soul with Wosttand in putting "the hole through the Mil. 3, Ho and -others in Canterbury had feared that -when "the strength of Westland" passed atway, the chances of the hrifl being prierced had disappeared. They did not thiak that the new Government would have sufficient backbone to let the contract. TJie action of Sir Joseph Ward aaid his Government in accepting a tender he warmly admired and supported.. He hoped 43iat- the great occasion of tho ■ completion of the tunnel -would be celebrated at the Bealey ivt some future time, and invited tnenn all to be present, .and hoped that Sir Joseph and Lady Ward would aJso.grace the fumotiom -with their presence. (Cheers.).

Mr Murdoch McLean;, one of the contractors, said that the- firm felt, when considering the. question of tendering for the tunnel, that it was a great work, and they hesitated for quite a lorog time before putting in a tender. Their, tender, however, had been ac-' copted, and he had recently been to the Old Country and, Ahe Continorut with the object of purchasing, machinery for the work. When he arrived in the Old Country, ho' found very little tunnel construction work being carried on; so; ho visited Italy, Switzerland, and Austria in order to ascertain what was the hast machinery for tunnel construction. They expected to complete the construction in contract time. He had to ask Sir Joseph Ward to fire the first blast in the tunnel, and in commemora.tioni of the event he invited Mrs Neil McLean -to make a presentation to the Premier. ' A PRESENTATION. Mrs -McLean then handed a handsome silver» casket, appropriately inscribed, to the Premier, and Mr. McLean explained that it had been manufactured in New Zealand, nnd the workmanship was quite equal to that of the Old Country or anywhere else. THE PREMIER'S ADDRESS. Sir Joseph Ward, who was received with prolonged applause, said that in the first place he desired to express his deep regret that those of -their friends who were across th© Wairaakariri at tho Bealcv, had not been able to be present. was sure that to them it was a great disappointment and a disappointment to an present, but they all know that in such a great work time and tido waited for no man. Had it been possible -to postpone the function in order to allow them, to be present, it would have afforded the people of the West Coast much pleasure to have done so, and if thero had been any certainty that-the Canterbury people could have got throusrh on Wednesday, or the day af teri ho would have boon quite prepared to wait that time, and the responsible authorities would lhave agreed +o postpone the function. He expressed his warmest thanks to the-Messrs SMoLeaji for til*© "beautiful presentation. ■ they had, through 'Mrs McLean, done him the honour to ma-ke. It would serro as a reminder of a very important event, and would recall the unususl circumstances connected with "the occasion-

Sir Joseph then, "read the following telegrams he bad received from the BeaJey:— "Very disappointed unaHe to foe present owing to rivers being ironassa/bTe; heartily thank you and your Miiuistry for fulfilment of out hopes.—H. Quanfi " The other telegnm was :—'* Regret no * getting tlvrough.; β-ll the same wish the tunnel evexv success, and good luck to .all ooucerned. —Janio Seddon." A NATIONAL WORK. Sir Joseph went on to say that they had' assembled to celebrate an event of the greatest iurportance to tiho future welfare and development, not 6n3y of the "West Coast-, which was more immediately affected, but all paitte of the country in the South Island, where - the railway system would be connected when the tunnel link was completed. Hβ could not pass on to a hisiory of iihe Midland U-ail-Way without expressing bis own, amd he was sure their deep regret, that many vrho ihad been actively engaged, and had been earnestly anxious to see the Midland realway completed, had gone to their Jong jkome. It would have bean a great satisfaction to those present if they iiad all been present that day. However, that was not to bo. The name of his distinguished pred€cesEor,-the Rt. Hon. R_ J. Seddon, would .never 'be forgotten for the w pfk lie did in 'his official capacity, wca an furthering the making of the railway, and in this powerful protection, of tine interests of the Donrinaon wheat' troubles with tibej original camSfffil, < v^ de the P***' oll «ne of extreme mtbeuity nor should he overlook the |»d ■work done £ three engjneemiTj er of^ y r . partmont, which deserved tiie fullest recosnitjon Ho could not refer In -1 i° iilQ Prominent citizens of Ohnstehurdi and of tlie AV«jt Coast

wiho had been bo constant and faithful in their advocacy, of tho rajlwiy. tut he was sure tliat but for the recent death of one- cf the- • mest pui!>lie-s-piriu-d citizens of Canterbury—he'referred to the late- Mr Oeo. G*. Stead— he would have been among the number cf visiters from, that import-a.nt centre to take part in the proceedings connected with a work for which he had in his tdmo worked very hard. (Applause.) • THE HISTORY OF THE LINE. Dealing with the history of tho line' Sir Joseph stated that it extended over a period of nearly fifty years. The honour of the first endeavour to cstahli&h railway ootinan.unicatJoii between. East and West was duo to the foresiglrt of Nelson colonists, who in 1860, five years prior to the discoveries of gold, which drew an enterprising population to the West coast, discussed tho necessity for penetrating the country by means of a railway. In 1870, when, tho late Sir Julius Vogel unfolded his great public works policy, action wua taken in, th© Neison Provinciel Council, and an Inland Communication Committee, comprising all the principal citizens of Nelson, was formed to collect and distribute statistical information relating to the country to be traversed by the propped railway. Vogel's scheme was meanly limited, to construction by the ■Governmerut cf the main trunk lines in the North and South Islands, whik-t Nekon contemplated tho carrying on of the railway to the West coast by the aid of private capital and enterprise. It was therefore determined, to offer as a bonus to oiny edmpany undertaking the construction m the line tw;o million acres in the Brunnor and Mount Roohfort coalfields. Repeated" sanction was given to these proposals by Geveral Acts of the Gcnoral Assembly, and Parliament was satisfied, even at that early period of New ZoaJand's history, when tlieTe was only a mere fringe of European population—West-land's population on January Ist, 1884, was 10,198 make and C7OO females—that tho construction of a line to the West coast would prove, advantageous, not only to the districts immediately interested, but to tho country generally. J PROGRESS OF THE AGITATION. ' Sir Joseph went into brief details regarding tiho progress of tho agitation for the lino, referring tc- the formation of a company in 1870, and to t'he pause which eaisned consequent on the idea that the then Goveirnmen't had promised to mako the Nelson West coast railway a part of- the general scheme of main trunk raurways. In 1873 an Act. was paesed, in which the- Midland line (Nelson— West Coas<>—Canterbury) became, as it were, part of the groat public works policy of 1870. Reference was also made to tho great meeting in Christchurch in 1878, at which the late Hon. W. Rollestoni and the late Sir John Hall strongly urged the construction of the Canterbury-West Coast railway as a national work. On July 22nd in tho eauae year, a deputation of West Coast members urged the Government to construct the railway, and from that time onwards the three provincial districts, Canterbury, Nelson, and Westlamd, worked stremiously for the construction of tho Midland line. In the Hont James M-aeandrew's Public Works Statement of August, 1878, a line from Amberley to Brunnerton, and the continuation of the Brunnerton-Grey-iijduUi railway to Hokitika were iiveluded, and in. the Railway Construction Bill which followed, provision was made for these works.. Consequent upon a change of Government, the railway construction (policy was curtailed, and this led the people of Canterbury. Nelson, and W T estland to look for private capital to construct the lines. The Arthur's Pass route for tho line between Canterbury and the West Coast was recommended by -the second Royal Comxnaseion, wh-idh reported on July 27th, 1883. In tho same year Mr T. 0. Kclsey, of . Christchur.ch, left for England *w.vtth a yiiew to interesting Home capitalists in the railway project. . ■■■■'■ ■■"-• " :'■".'■■ POLITICIANS' OPINIONS OF THE LINE.

Sir Joseph brought the history of :the line down to th© present, and in the course of his resume toutfhed on the oolitical aspect of tho question of the construction of tho line. At the general elections'• of 1884, ho pointed out, all the Canterbury candidates declared in favour of the immediate construction of tiho East and West Coast railway. In 1885 three delegates — two from Canterbury and one from Nelson—left for London to further the project. In February, 1886, Sir Julius Vogel; in an address at Auckland, advocated the construction of the line, and towards the end of the sanis month Sir Geo. Grey, in addressing his constituents at Auckland, said that the construction of the East and West Coa&b railway woula >b© an immense gain to tho whole colony. On. 'May loth, 1886, all matters were satisfactorily settled in connection, with the syndicate which, intended to .undertake the work. Tli© subsequent history of the company, of the taking over of tho line by the Government, and the progress of the lines in the three, .provinces were fully outlined by tho Premier.

THE TUNNEL PROJECT. Coming to the engineering portion of the history of the East and West Coast line, Sir Joseph eaid that the Government's decision to adopt the Wajmakariri-Teremakau routeferooight up the question of crossing the Southern Alps, and surveys were made and completed in 1884, and a scheme entailing a summit tunnel witlh approaches on 1 in 50 grades was adopted, to the extent that the Midland Rail-way Company, when formed, was bound to those conditions. The adoption of the grade mentioned necessitated the lino being constructed high up on the sides of the mountains from the tunmeJ entrance in. the Otira Gorge to below Aitken's Station, b.nA fears for tho stability of the limy in sirahi a position from ghkigle slides and a vara nches induced tno ccunpajiy- to consider,osther schemes, tho principal one being a line over the summit on a grade of about 1 in 16, 'worked on the Albt system, with a rack rail; into which, "suitable wheels on the locomotives could bo geared- The collaipse of the company cusponded further consideration for seme time. Subsequently Messrs W. H. Hales, John Coom, P. S. Hay amd <J. Napier Bell recommended the construction of a long tunnel, so as to avoid constructing any part of the line an the dangerous hillsides, and the present tunn-el .under construction was the outcome of this j recommendation, with modifications recommended by Mr Virgil C. Bognc, a United States engineer of great experience. Ho advocated the construction of a long tunnel, slightly longer thaa that recommended by the Dominion's engineers, with an approach, on the "west of 1 in 28 grade. Mr Hay recommended that the western entrance should be moved from the Otira Gorge to the Rofleston Valley, and this and Mr Bogne's recomaiendations were adopted. The contract for the construction of the tunnel was lob. to Messrs John McLean amd Sons, a well-known and exoerienced firm of contractors, wXh h-eadquarters at Auckland, and it was signed in August last. The amount wae £599,794, and the stipulated time for completion- was five years from -the date of acceptance of tenders, viz.; Ist August. 1912. The actual length, of the tunnel -was 5 miles 25J chains, but the approach works ■ w-ero included in the contract, so that the length of country covered by the tunnel and approaches would be in all about eight miles. The tunnel would be straight throughout on a uniform grade of 1 in 5J3. It would *k» 15£ feet high, 14 feet wido at tjho rail level, and 15 feet at its widest point, which would ho 6ft 3in above the rail level. Thotunaiel would be lined with "rubble masonry,

concreto or brickwork, -with concrete blocks or brickwork in the By the time the tunnel was completed, the Government -would be in a position to 'utilise the electrical energy generated from the water power available in the neighbourhood for running trains through the tunnel, thus avoiding the inconvenience to passengers which would bo inseparable from a five-mile tunnel journey behind an ordinary steam locomotive, e-ven with modern devices for the abatement of the smoke nuisance. A NATIONAL SCENIC RESERVE. The locality in -which tho tunnel would bo built was a national ecenio reserve, and the contractors and their ■workmen would be compelled bo carry out tho work in such a way as to cause no damage to forest scenery or permanent disfigurement of the landscape. Provision had been made, also, for the care and housing of. the workmen employed, as tho winter climate at th-3 elevation of the tunnel was rather rigorous. A site for a village had been already set aside near the Otira entrance, and proper precautions were being taken for the laying out of the necessary residences and other buildings on convenient and sanitary lines. ENGINEERING DETAIL. The quantities of each work to b© carried out as calculated by the contractors were approximately as followe in cubk* yards:—E-vrthwork excavation 10,700, tunnel excavation 31"J,81U, brickwork 5223, concrete 50,000. masonry 400, stonework 800, rock facing 12*000, drain pipes teet) 1500. ' \RTHUR'S PASS AND OTHER TUNNELS. Ihe Arthur's Pass tunnel, Sir Joseph continued, would be tho fifth longest in the world, and compared with other long tunnels as follows:—Simplon (Swiss Alps) 124 miles, St. Gothard (Swiss Alps) 92 milee, Mont (Swiss Alps) 7J miles, Arlberg (iSwiss Alps) 6J miles, Tanern (Austrian Alps) 5i miles, Arthur's Pass oi miles. The upper end of the tunnel in Bealey Valley would be' about 2400 feet, and tho summit of Arthurs Pass was about 3000 feet above sea level. Tho greatest depth from the surface of the ground to the tunnel was 1150 feot, which occurred at a spur off Warnock's Knob, which was not sufficient to causo any apprehension of difficulties through great pressure due to the weight ot the overlying rock.

SHOULD THE CONTRACT HAVE BEEN LET. The question whether the work of constructing the tunnel should havo been undertaken by the Government did not, from a practical standpoint, require much consideration to enable any impartial person to arrive at a decision in the affirmative. Th© authority for proceeding with the railway •was given by Parliament -years before the Ward Government came into power..and th© acceptance by that Government of the tender—though the undertaking was admittedly a very largo and expensive one, was one that, as a matter of business, was justifiable from every standpoint. "Without the connecting link that the tunnel constituted, the whole »of the Midland system tcouM bo greatly deproaiatcd, nnd indeed in some respects would bo made of comparatively little value, nor could those who wished to be overfastidious ignore the fact that, apart from fcke present Government, of the late Mr Seddon's successive administrations advocated the carrying out of the Midland, system. Amongst the Prime Ministers of previous times who also advocated it were Sir George Grey, Sir Harry Atkinson a.nd Sir John Halt, aud the Hon. C. C. Bowen and the late Hon. W. Bolleston were also warm advocates, of the line. To suggest that after the country under various administrations bad committed itself to completing the railway, the present Government was to be expected to leave the tunnel "construction alone was practically to suggest throwing back the clock for 20 years. It was idle and futile for any one to find fault with his colleagues and himself for the responsibility they had undertaken, irrespective of the commitment mad© by previous Governments. He directed attention to the fact that it was entiiely incorrect—indeed grossly unfair —for some people to suggest that the, West Coast was going down, or not maintaining its fair rate of pro.greps. He was glad to say that the West Coast was increasing in population, increasing in the value of its land and improvements, in its output of coal, in its imports, and also in the area or land in occupation. Comparing thti years 1901 a,nd 1906, they would find that the population had increased by 2303, from 30,762 u t 32,965; capital value of land and improvements by £810,988, from £4,076,161 to £4,887,149; unimproved value of land by £584,265, from £2,573,606 to £3.157,871; output of coal by 283,788 tons, from 753,816 tone to 1,037,604 tons; imports by £32,364, from £117,837 to £150,201; the area in sown grass had increased by 20,366 acres, from 100,070 to 120,436; and the total area in cultivation by 20,841 acres, from 102,614 acres to 123,455 acres. The only things in which thero had been a decrease were the ordinary tiade exports and the value of the gold exported, but there were reasons for both. There was a larger home consumption of articles that were formerly exported, and goldiinining was being gradually replaced by other productive occupations, 'the development and settlemon.t that had taken place in connection with Crown lands in West-laud had been very satisfactory, and the total output of milling timber ob March 31st last was 51 million feet, an increase on the previous period of twelve months of 5,000,000 feet. The total timber available was 200,000,uvA) super, feet. This record of progress and development must, lie thought, convince even those who, without real justification, decried the possibilities of the West Coast, and though (the value of exports and tho valuo of the gold export showed , a decrease, there were all th© elements in the progress and development to more than compensate for the decrease in these items.

CONCLUDING REMARKS. • In concluding, Sir Joseph expressed his gratification- at the presence of such a largo and representetive gathering. The Hon. x\. R. Guinness, Speaker of the House, had always been a strong supporter; and advocate for the construction of the Midland line.*" It gave him great pleasure to refer to the presence of Mr T. E. Y. Seddon, member for West land, a worthy and esteemed successor of his late distinguished father. Though the ocoaeioii was tinged with sad memories, it must be a matter of great satisfaction to Mr Seddon to see the great work to •which the late R. J. Seddon had 6O strenuously and continuously devoted his utmost energies in order to prosecute it to its fulfilment, carried a further step forward. The Premier also eulogised the work done by Messrs JCoJvlm and R. MeKensie, M.P.'s, in advocating the line. His belief -was ' that.the natural resources of the West J Coasts with its great areas of timber and coaJ. must bring a very great business to the railway. The conversion of the timber and coal into money would of necessity brine the wherewithal which would enaole the" eons and daughters of tie people of to-day to become settlers on the land, which, when the bush wae cleared, would provide farms for happy families. He expressed the regret felt by the Hon. W. Hall-Jones, Minister for Public Works, at his inability to be present. "I express the hope," he said, in his concluding eentemcee, "that the eontractore may experience no unusual difficulties in penetrating; the recesses of the mountain, and that the great risk that they of: necessity hare to uudertake in>Bnch-a work may tura but

as profit ablo to them as they could wish. 1 sincerely Jjopo that the 4 workers engaged from time to time- in this great undertaking may on.joy complete immunity from acciden-t. I now have pleasurein declaring tho work of the Arthur's Pass tunnel commen-ced, and Ido so by firing the first shot;" (Applause.), FIRING THE FIUST, BLAST. The Premier then vigorousl' pushed down the luandle of the electrical injstallation connocted with the blast in the face of the tunnel. Immediately a great roarinc; noise was heard, giving evidence tWt the blast had been successfully fired. "I beheve that you will find my aim an. linerring one," laughingly said the Promior, "and that good will* follow it.' , (Applause.) Sir Joseph "Ward then, proposed a vote of thanks to Mr Bruce, and the carrying of the vote by acclamation concluded the ceremony at the mouth of the tunnel. ■