THE OTIRA TUNNEL

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2127, 28 February 1908, Page 3

THE OTIRA TUNNEL

WORK IN FULL SAYING

Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 27. A start in connection with the Alid-

land railway tunnel lias been made •with the erection of tlie power-house at the termination of the Holts Creek pipe line. It will be a massive modern building, and will contain S. some of the most up-to-date machinery of its class found in the Southern Hemisphere. Air. Murdoch McLean, •who, it will be remembered, went ► Home some time ago in search of the necessary machinery and appliances, lian secured in tlie Old Land what is deemed the highest-class plant. - Part of it will be coming to hand shortly, and the balance is due with Mr. McLean, who leaves London for New Zealand oil March lOtli. On the pipe line, timber and debris have linen disposed of, and the work now, in consequence of tlie amount of solid rock to be blasted, progresses much more slowly than formerly. It will be necessary on this, as on the Punch Bowl Supply route, to bore a small drive through. Luckily it will be | much shorter than on the lino from the Punch Bowl supply, tlie hardness of the country rock drilling .-e a protracted operation, and a, chain K or two extra is not to be trifled with. ' Tho survey of the supply for the Bealey end is practically completed, and it has been found that the drive here, to bring the water through, will be eighteen chains in length. It is a matter for congratulation that this most dangerous work lias been successfully accomplished, with nothing more than a sprained ankle, ■which Air. Stavely was unfortunate enough to, sustain in jumping down some 12ft to endeavor to save one ol the staff who was iri difficulties. The tunnel face changes little from day to day, and it still comprises large rock and gravel, "but time will work wonders. Tlie first accident of any moment happened last Saturday evening on the Holts Creek pipe line. A large blast had been fired, and tlie men were returning to work and ivere climbing up the hillside fully 30ft away from the shot, when some tons of rock that had by the concussion become loosened, tumbled down, and striking a ledge of rock the mass hurst into a thousand pieces, the fragments flying in all direct-tons among the men. A man named Owen Kelly fared worst, being struck on the liead, hack, and foot. His foot ■was rather severely crushed, and his head badly cut about. He was attended to on tlie ground by his mZ mates, and then carried down to the river bed, where he was conveyed m a cart to the station, and on to the Grey mouth hospital. Three other men were more or less knocked about, but not seriously. “It seems almost a miracle,” said one of the men in course of conversation, “that we were not all killed, as the boulders fell like leaves in autumn around us.” The men are unanimous that it was one of those accidents that no one could foresee or endeavor to prevent. AlcLeanville had its first fire las! week, when one of the huts built to accommodate the workers was totally destroyed with its contents. Messrs Oliver and Kennedy were its occupants and lost absolutely everything, bar tho working clothes they wore. The origin of the fire is a mystery. The Road Department is erecting a bridge over tho Otira river up to the gorge, the other now in use for general traffic having passed beyond repair. It will be quite close to the present one, but will be at an angle much easier to negotiate, especially by a team of five and six horses. The first pile of the horse bridge lower down stream is being driven today, and the co-operative worker;, are busy with the big tank uf Government Cree'k, the finishing of the cutting near the Rolleston, and the construction of the groins to protect' works already completed.