ORONGORONGO TUNNEL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 300, 13 September 1921, Page 6

ORONGORONGO TUNNEL

POWER FOR AIR DRILLS AVAILABLE NEXT MONTH OUTER TRACK NEARLY COMPLETED Thanks to tho fine weather which has prevailed for the past month, the lot of the co-operative workers on the Orongorongo tunnel contract has rot been nearly so arduous as it might have been. The formation of the track through the thick bush on the farther side of the Orongorongo Rango has been pushed forward with a will, and it is confidently anticipated that it will be completed right down to the stream by the end of the month. This will mean that during the comings spring afid summer work will proceed at both faces, of the tunnel. A big 2j-ton boiler and engine are now being erected on the flat below the Morton Dam. The boiler has been bricked in, and in about threg. weeks from now, power should be available to allow of the resumption of work at the tunnel face with the aid of drills driven by compressed air. At one time it was intended to erect the boiler and engine on the flat near the entrance to the funnel, but on reflection it was deemed better to concentrate all the power works on the one site Gust below the Morton Dam). The steam engine will be only a stand-by for the hydro-electric turbine, which is to be installed on the same spot and which will be driven by the overflow water from the big dam. lhe compressed air will be conducted from the engine to the tunnel face by means of a 4in. cast-iron pipe. Though nothing is definitely known the turbine is believed to be on the water lit the present time. In any case it is not likely to be of material service until the summer is over, owing to the overflow of the dam being light in December, , January, February, and March if the weather is at. all seasonable. This year tho winter and early spring have been very dry.