OTIRA TUNNEL.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 17016, 13 December 1920, Page 6

OTIRA TUNNEL.

CEMENT SHOJRTAGE CAUSES DELAY. Owing to the cement shortage work has again been held up at the Otira Tunnel. Mr P. R. Climie, organiser of the Canterbury Progress League, received a telegram on Saturday morning to the effect that because of the lack of cement the lining'of the tunnel had to be suspended and the men engaged on that particular part of the work put on to odd cleaning up jobs in order to keep them in employment. On receipt of tne telegram Mr Climie immediately telegraphed, to the Minister of Public Works pointing out the position and asking him wiiat steps he intended to take to get over the difficulty. In conversation with a representative of "The Press," Mr Climie stated that the trouble was by no means new; in fact it commenced about seven months ago and had been recurring at frequent intervals ever since. The men affected by the shortage naturally did not like to be transferred from concreting work even although it might be for only a few days, one reason beiifg that the rate of pay was fhereby Considerably decreased. • With a view to hastening on public works the Government is now advertising for tenders for cement and it is understood that several firms are tendering. _ If sufficient supplies are thus aor-ured, it is pointed out, it should enable large quantities of cement to be freed for private building purposes. The shortage ho had referred to, Mr Climie stated, had retarded the completion of the tunnel by about half a chain a week, and if it continued at a similar rate it would mean that instead of the tunnel being completed in another, eight i months as had been anticipated it would mean a difference of a year, as twenty j months would elapse. i