ARTHUR'S PASS TUNNEL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 502, 8 May 1909, Page 14

ARTHUR'S PASS TUNNEL.

THE BONUS SYSTEM. (or TEtEGOAPn—SPECIAL OOEEE3PONHENT.) „ : Christohurch; May- 6. : ■v Mr . Murdoch M'Lean, of John M'Lear and, Sons, liiinited 'contractors'\lor-' ''ArtKur't Pass -tunnel,-was in'town to-day, and gave a neWspaper representative some information .rogarding;the j.tbat; great -undertaking.'- ' . At the : Otira end the work is going on favourably, and the . workers-.are . satisfied with' existing'.^conditions.A start' .Has beer made to widen out the tunnel, and a large number' of additional workers have been engaged. \Already, four or five chains on widening" out have been- done,and -it ,is oxpccted that good progress will be-made with 1 this 1 work:• The 1 block-making i planl has been installed, and the work of making blocks wherewith the tunnel: is to, bt lined hi commenced.; As soon'as the blocki ore. sufficiently set to allow of _ their being placed in position, a start, will. be.. made with the' lining of the wide'ned-out ? portior of the tunnel. Great progress is being made with the heading, between 41 42 chains having been driven ;to date. This week il is hoped that the total distance driven wil be: between, 78 and 80' feet, in which ■ case the 26 or 28 men engaged on tho work wil! receive between them, as bonus, £12 or £14, The men. are perfectly satisfied with the bonus system; Whoa thov ground driven through is exceptionally hard, they.,are noi able to advanco more than 60fti or 66ft. ii a week, though working with equal zeal. When ground .is • good , they can advance a( the rate l of 70ft. or 80ft. -per/week, and foi all in addition to 66ft. they receive a bonus By this means they get the full benefit o: the good ground. ; If the nature of the ground does not permit them to do 66ft. ; | thev do not reoeive loss in wages. In Mr M'Lean'a opinion, the men, even if -thes did iwt get the bonus, would do just at much work, as. they are a good class ol men. -' 1 ■' ~ "It has'been stated by labour agitators/' continued Mr. M'Lean. "that those men, bj their exertions,;; and by doing extra work, are robbing other men of employment, butj as a matter of fact, as far as this particular'instance is concerned, it. would be impossible to employ mbro jmori; than are eui; ployed, - owing to tho . Space being confined.'; Kegarding the' hydro-electrical installation at the Otira end,' Mr. M'Lean said that ii is working very, successfully,'. and there has ntft.been a hitch since.it started. A good deal 1 of work lias -been done at the Besley, end of tho tunnel. - The pipes are laid to the mouths of tunnels on tho top of the rise, and the flunring through the tunnels, which is to convey tho water tc the pjpe-hoad, is almost completed. Hie cables are all fised_ in position on tho. poles between the power-house and tho comprcssoi houso. Generators, pel ton wheels, and compressors are in position, and it is hopod, in a fortnight's time, to start work at .the