ARTHUR'S PASS TUNNEL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13523, 22 August 1907, Page 6

ARTHUR'S PASS TUNNEL.

WATER POWER FOR MACHINERY. [BY TELEGRAPH. OWN" CORRESPONDENT.] '. Christchurch, Wednesday. The contractors for the Arthur's Pass tunnel (Messrs. M. and N. McLean) arrived in Christchurch to-day, en route for tho scene of their great undertaking. Speaking to a Press reporter Mr. Murdoch McLean stated that the principal .object of their visit is to ascertain as definitely as possible the amount of water power available in the vicinity of the tunnel, as it is proposed to utilise it as far as possible to drive [the machinery. ' It was anticipated that considerable power would be secured from the Rolieston. and other streams. -'

As he had not personally visited the site he was naturally* curious to mspect the locality which will be the base of the firm's operations.on, one of the largest engineering contracts ever let south of the line. In order to obtain the latest machinery used in tunnel construction Mr. ; M. McLean proposes to visit England and Switzerland. He will leave Auckland on September 9 and proceed to 'London, and after doing business there he will visit Switzerland. The Swiss, Mr. McLean . says, have, a reputation for tunnel construction, and the machinery used by them ia highly spoken of by practical men. Mr. McLean expects to be back' in New Zealand some time in February next with the machinery. Mr. McLean estimates that he will spend from £10,000 to £50,000 on boring machinery, but he pointed out that it was extremely problematical whether the first instalment would be all that was necessary for the completion of the work. ■• Everything would depend on the nature of the material to he excavated, ' on which point very little information was available. Work will probably be commenced in earnest within a month, or .six weeks, but until Mr. McLeans return from the Old Country operations will he confined to the making of cuttings 'and bankr, for the approaches. The tunnel itself will not 1 be started until his return with the boring machinery. At present no staff is engaged" and Mr. McLean did not care to hazard an estimate of how many men would ultimately be employed. '..