PIERCING OF TUNNEL AT TEKAPO

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 October 1948, Page 3

PIERCING OF TUNNEL AT TEKAPO

(P A ) WELLINGTON, October 17. “I ’regard this work as one of which New Zealand can be justly proud, as it was designed, constructed and operated by our own engineers and employeesof the Ministry of Works, said the Minister of Works (Mr R. Semple) today. He was referring to the piercing on Friday of a heading between the tunnel shields on the Tekapo hydro--electric scheme. . Mr Semple said the work on the mile long tunnel had been proceeding steadily during the last y ear, and when the shields were about 25 feet a P ar t they were stopped to enable a chamber to be built between them, m which space the shields themselves would be dismantled. , . ~ . . „ “The Tekapo tunnel is the only tunnel in New Zealand that has been nierced by shield methods,” Mr Semple said. “Shields 23 feet in diameter were designed and built in this country. They were necessary because of the nature of the country .which is glacial moraine, and they provided a safe and efficient method in which excavation and lining could proceed under cover. Mr Semple paid a tribute to the engineers who designed and supervised the work, the artisans who constructed and erected the shields, and to all others associated with the projgct.