Last tunnel shot near
(N.Z. Press Association) HAMILTON, Dec. 1. A break-through by Italian tunnellers is expected on Friday in the 10-mile tunnel from the Wanganui River to the Whakapapa tunnel, on the Tongariro power development project. The Minister of Works (Mr Allen) will fire the last shot of explosives three miles underground, to link the Wanganui River-Tawhipikuri section of the tunnel system to complete the excavation work underground.
Italian tunnellers from the firm Codelfa-Cogefar (New Zealand), Ltd, began the tunnel contract between Turangi and the Chateau Tongariro in November, 1967, at a cost of $22.5m. Extremely wet conditions underground in the four-mile Wanganui River-Tawhitikuri section has caused a few months delay in completion. A spokesman for the contractor said today that the tunnel system would take several more months to complete before water was able to travel through it. On Saturday, the tunnellers and their families will celebrate Santa Barbara’s Day, a traditional day of worship and celebration. Santa Barbara is patron saint of tunnellers and miners.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19711202.2.177
Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32779, 2 December 1971, Page 20
Word Count
168Last tunnel shot near Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32779, 2 December 1971, Page 20
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.