NORTH OF WAIOTIRA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18388, 2 May 1923, Page 10

NORTH OF WAIOTIRA.

GOOD PROGRESS ON RAILWAY.

150 MEN AT OMANA TUNNEL.

WORK NEAR WAIROA" RIVER.

[BY ':■■; TELEGRAPH.— CORRESPONDENT.] WHANGABEI. Tuesday. , Good progress ;is being made with the Omana tunnel, on the section of the North Auckland Main Trunk /railway,; south of the Wairoa River, states a' report by tho commissioner;; - for .'; the; North :; Auckland Progressive League, Mr. F. L. Cubltt, who recently paid a ivisit to the .district. The advance made.in the last 'nine months was, he states, surprising. ':'.; Five chain's at the north end of the tunnel, facing *the river, has been pierced and finished. Owing; to the treacherous nature of the country, 37ift.; of reinforcing had to be used. At ; the south end the approach ;ha3 been taken out; and a ? start; made..;. to : pierce "i the ; tunnel. ; : At this end about'soft. of reinforcing ;in>concrete ; will have to be used. However, it is hoped that the country on both sides will 'improve as the work advances. ; : ;.; ';:= There are »no; 150 l mem; working; at Omana?- and there are 70 single huts and 12* married men's quarters.;; The " jig" over the hill to serve the tunnel is in goOd working 1 order. About two miles south of the tunnel more i (huts ■- are >: beingbuilt to accommodate construction workers on ; the line;- and; at : this point a start has:been made with the line,;:and about half-a-mile of : permanent /fencing has been completed. The waterfront at Pukehuia is a scene of : great activity. Here it is that - the coal, cement, sand, timber, etc., - required: for - the ; tunnel,: is landed, and railed ;. to the tunnel. About ;15 ; huts have ; been erected a*t this point beside the overseer's house, while carpenters', fitting, and blacksmiths' -shops are in course of erection. The new; wharf (will bo completed in about a week's time. ; ;; A : locomotive. is 'in; use running between the tunnel. and ' the ; wharf for transport purposes. - The men«are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Y.M.C.A., as at present there is no place of amusement. ; - At * the - Toka ■ Toka ; tunnel, ; north, ; of Waiotira, two shifts are* working, and good progress is being made.