ARTHUR'S PASS TUNNEL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13728, 20 April 1908, Page 6

ARTHUR'S PASS TUNNEL.

MR. MURDOCH M,-LEAN'S TRIP. Mr. Murdoch McLean, of the firm of McLean Brothers, the contractors for the Arthur's Pass tonne!, which will connect West land with Canterbury and the rest of the South Island, arrived in Auckland by the Victoria yesterday from a. tourabroad in search of ideas'and machinery for the (hive through the Southern Alps. In a tew days' time lie will go South and join bis brother in Canterbury. "' There is not much that is new in connection with our contract."' said Mr. McLean bust evening, "except that we are lauding by the tonic at Wellington this week two steam-driven compressors for the tunnel, so that they can be set. up quickly and the work commenced in earnest. We should be able to make a start with them within a month at the latest. These will necessarily only be a temporary ammo*. ment. and will merely fill in ihe time until the permanent compressors, dynamos, and motors are in position, and' our water power is harnessed up. Both the compressors to. be installed now will be 50horse power.

"A good deal of the machinery for the work has now been landed, and'is down at the tunnel mouth," continued Mr. McLean. "The balance is all on the water, this including the Pelton wheels and Ihe pumping plant, amongst other material." Most of Mr. McLean's time during his absence from New Zealand was spent in England, but he travelled over Europe and saw the methods employed in the driving of several new tunnels "through the Alps. Compared even with these great works, the Arthur's Pass funnel is by no means a small undertaking, Mr. McLean says. Amongst other works in progress he was an interested visitor at- the Laetchbourg tunnel in the Swiss Alps, and the Tavern tunnel in the Austrian Alps, both undertakings of great magnitude, 'being eight and six miles in length respectively, while each are of the double line order.' Mr. McLean says that the work at Arthur's Pass will be similar to that on these Continental contracts. [BY TELEGRAPH. PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Christcht/rch, Sunday. The Prime Minister states that the opening ceremony in connection with Arthur's Pass tunnel on the Midland railway, will probably take place on the 29th" Inst., though it is likely that the function will be postponed till May 5.