THE POROTORA TUNNEL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7403, 11 August 1885, Page 5

THE POROTORA TUNNEL.

[FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Hamilton, Monday. Everyone was wondering why there was so much delay in accepting the tenders for the formation of the Porotoraa tunnel on the North Island Trunk Railway. The cat is now let out of the bag. Mr. Ballance's Wanganui proclivities are but too apparently at the bottom of this delay. The Native Minister has caused a road to be laid off from the Wanganui end of the tunnel to Tekoura, about twenty miles distant, 'the head of the navigation on the Wanganui River. Natives are to be employed upon the roadwork. A party of about 120 natives were got together, and £100 for a mile of formation was offered them, but they are holding out for a higher price. Meancime Mr. Rochfort has been ongaged in removing obstructions from the river, so as to make it more safe of navigation. Here at once, read by the light of the Honourable the Native Minister's proceedings iD the matter of gold prospecting in the King Country, is only too presumably a reason for the delay. Wanganui is to have the start for any advantages that are to bo gained from the expenditure on the Porotorau tunnel, even though the Government go to the expense of making twenty miles of road, which will be of no use except to enable the contractor to make Wanganui the base of his operations. But other less fortunate tenderers will even go so far as to ask, Was such an exceedingly low tender as that accepted induced by a knowledge beforehand that this road was to bo mado ?