THE BIG TUNNEL.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 121, 22 May 1908, Page 2

THE BIG TUNNEL.

INTERESTING PROGRESS REPORT.

[Br Telegraph. — Bpsciai to' The Post J GREYMOUTH, This Day. The erection of necessary machinery for driving the reck borers is only a question of three or four weeks, when all will be in readiness to start driving by machinory. A large 50 horse-power boiler is on the ground, while other parts of the plant are being transported daily. , A bridge to connect the Rolleston structure and tip at the tunnel mouih is completed, and the rails laid. -This greatly facilitates transportation. The "foundations for the compressors are beftik laid, and when all is completed there will be power sufficient to drive three Ingersoll Sergeant machines. This will allow of ' heading being pushed ahead with great speed until the permanent force from Holt's Creek is available. s | Until these temporary air-com-\pressors . are ready 'operations underr 'ound will not bo pushed to any extent. The machines are being unpacked and put together in a big shed. Holt's Creek pipe line is preceding apace ; one tunnel is nearly completed, but the second struck harder country, and in consequence progress is retarded. In, a conversation which a Grey Star representative had with Mr. Murdoch M'OQean the other evening, that gentleman informed the ' writer that it is his intention to prosecute the work froni now on with the utmost vigour, and he outlined the intention of nis firm for future, operations. ->The contract for tho supply ,of pipes for Holt's^ Creek and Punch Bowl have been practically placed, and immediately one former route is ready will be placed in position. Tho site for a power-house has been selected, and a start will be immediately made with building the tramway now being laid to it for the carriage of machinery and pipes for Holt's Creek electrical jAiwer-house, which is to be built besido the cement shed, where' will also be placed a stone-crusher and other machinery until Buch time as 'the main power is ready on the Bealey side, said Mr. M'Lean. The small tunnel is finished, but the longer one of twelve chains will, of course, take longer to drive. There are practically two tunnels, though it has generally been called one, the break between them being so short. Mr. A. Dinnie, electrical and mechanical engineer, is now in Otira, and has assumed full charge., Lately he liad charge of the electrical and compressing plant for driving a tunnel with shields in the east end of London for the Tilbury Dredging Company. Mr. M'Lean purchased the machines he used here after' long and careful consideration- They are admitted in the mining world to be the very best procurable. They are substantially built, and will stand a lot of roughing, and when plac- , ed< in position will bore a hole at any angle with astonishing rapidity. They have a cylinder 3Jjin in diameter, and a stroke of Bin, and bore a hole 2£in at the mouth and lj}in at the finish. The balance of the machinery to tho sum of £20,000 worth/ has been purchased in England, while tlio two receivers for tho air-compressing plant are being manufactured by the Dispatch ■Foundry, of Greymoutli. From personal observation, both in England and dn the Continent, Mr. 'M'Lean is firmly of the opinion that New Zealand has nothing to learn from the older countries regarding the" actual taking out of the ground or of timbering, etc. It is in the application of machinery for the boring of\ tunnels that the Continent, stands ahead. The 'Continental methods are, to say the least, 'decidedly expensive.. He further .added that while in Europe .fuse was used in firing the shots ; his firm intended using the electrical exploder so that the danger and risk attendant on aiisg-fires ' would be altogether 1 /eliminated. It is expected that under ordinary conditions a distance of from 18 to 20 fee.t per 24 hours will be maintained. Mr. M'Lean has left for Wellington and Auckland', and will be absent for some three weeks.