THE OTIRA TUNNEL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXIII, Issue 16060, 15 October 1912, Page 9

THE OTIRA TUNNEL.

NOTES FROM THE WORKS. [Fiiom Our Coef.espondent.] OTIRA, October 14. During the past month work has been going along smootlily at the Ouiru wild or tuo Arthur's Pass tunnel, but tho progress of.the great undertaking is greatly hampered by the lack of gecu practical men. machine men cannot be got for 12s (id per day. The faces is at present three, chains short of two miles from the portals at this end, and is dry and fairly hard, the " shooting," however, being fairly easy No. 7 break-up is a long way behind tho face, and there is room for another break-up if tho labour wero available for it. It is very wet all along under No. 7. In places where it is exceptionally wet, the water coming out of the rock in a stream as from a hose, sheets of corrugated iron havo been put in to save tho truckers from the worst of it, foi no matter how good oilskins may be. it is impossible for the men to hec].: dry while working under these water jets. The lining or completed work i. now a mile and a half in, and is right up to the walls and footing. Some very bad ground has just been gone through, necessitating double luring, which, of course, takes more time. The run in on the electric motor takes ten minutes, and coming out everything depends on tho brake, as tho grade is 1 in 33, and tho rails are wet. and the speed that is gained during that short c|istanco of one mile and a half makes the novice wonder what would happen if tho brake should fail. Elaborate precautions are taken to prevent runaway trucks. Runaway points havo been.installed which aro intended to throw runaways clear of the main lino. Red lights are always put at these points. Smco doing away with the horses, everything inside tho tunnel is handled by machinery. The electric motor runs the empty trucks up as far as the lining, where they are hooked on \o a wire rope connected to tho big winch at the face. When ready to start, the truckor connects the two wires by hanging his lamp on them, thus completing the circuit. Then by ringing an electric bell at tho winch, he gives tho signal to haul up. All the blocks aro hauled up to the arch by means of a small winch stationed on one side. At present everyone is waiting for the verdict of the Select Committee s decision to soe how matters aro going to go as regards tho tunnel contract, and tho opinion is gaining ground locally that Messrs John M'Lean and Sons 'will still carry on the contract. Tho weather during the past month has been very wet, tho rainfall for September being 29 inches, tho wettest month recorded for some time.