THE OTAGO CENTRAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1751, 13 June 1885, Page 13

THE OTAGO CENTRAL.

The nuufoecs of the workmen employed upon the 'evuril contracts at present are, as near aa may be, aj follows : - Whltakor's platolaylßg contract . . . . 20 watorcouwo near Mullocky (Qovernmenn em.loyts) .. .. •■ ..2 0 res tunnel (4) .. .. ..SO M» he ou's Hltd .n contract .. .. l'-O Mil'er and Smollio's Doup Sfcreim contract .. £60 Mciklu and Co \j NeuUiorn contract . . . . * «>' 622 The two Government employes noted above are, so far as I am aware, tho only hands Up^n tho n..0 employed di ect by tu-j Public Worts Dspwmsnt, irtoapeoiivo of tho wngineerlug and inßpeciou st-Si I give special mention to tho fact, aa it has beetj rumoured fora niino that too '■unemplnjed" aro to fini'h the fomution of the i-findi • contract unde. Uovornmens employ, if so, I p r eaume that theaa two individuals represent the "Government somkesnoen," who are to cit, p ete th-. format! >n of one mlo iag linkß over some 13 inilea of the line Ireni the end ot il'Vckorizie'M comriiCt to the Deep Stream, and it so, 1 jfive them 50 yeate to periotm tho work, aad thta it v*U not be done. I< the Public Works JJep-'-rtmerit re lly do intend performing this work it v full tiaio th vt a start were made in earnest, aa otherwise wo Bh«U have a repetition o( the laissezfaiie patchwotk want of system style o' d > ng- things whuh apparently oharactonscs the constructive department ot out Public Works Otflce, jud«ing by my experience of tho Oiago Central. Way, here we have a gap of a. milo uijcontractod Jor beyond Whittaket'a plateiasitg s.etion; and acain, Matho3t,ns contract only covers about oi-e bell the distance included in the Umdon o>unemployed aection, for which full working plans wore origina'ly prepared and printed. Second plans hive fince been prepared and printed, showing the cuttingß and bluflu contracted for by the Mest.ro Mfttheaon Brothsrß, whose work appears to have bseu laid out without the lea9t atteinpa at Bj'Btein iv vhu must arbitrary manner conceivable. Tueir contiact iucludea a portion on'y of m ny extunßivo rocky outt:nga, the rc-iiiai der of which is eft unt 'uciiea, aud x pio-ume i hat Workinc: Plans No 3, for tho balance of this contract, are now boiug [ rapared and pdaied, to bo te»dei'ecl for iv due course should the vi,iee of public opiuicn ouoceet' in putting a stopp s upon the abaurd idea of cumpleniuc tue formation by vmetnployed labour, ilad Mathisjn'a contract been tendered for to include the compleSii-n uf the uo(luiaheA portions tf the line, acco/diuir to the origin tl pi'i/iH, tome thousands aS least w iuld have boun aaya.i to the country, a< whl c .at work on a rocic cutrins; a. contractor can "aff >rd to fim'sa tho wo k much chaapur while drays, materials, toaly, anilblaoka.nith'a shop a:o on the ground, a. id the lundd oacamped near by. Wny, it to k rtOvsrs llaihesou Bcother^ tcamo a w-ek to reach He^acty'a crotsiog Ho n DatitdJU by Mn.loclsy Qullj, while to reach Ohrhtinjs Creek iha te>.mj had to c mo down tte sledge irauk

•r the ui'v.ntain abi-ve Hindon camp, beyond which they had to cu r . a road to the Tuieri R ver. Following the river bad for eomo ctiaia ice d >wn siraam the river was ensjod. the opposite alure hUggdd cloee to the bank, and byai aitarnata cour. c over river bed and back Ohristinaß Crejk wns reached a.i last, a fortnight or so after leaviig Uuu din. It vv ill be a much uioro dilliculs task to take the dray?, up Mount Hindon, in face, this wouid u>3t more than they are wocib, and if ever they leave Chrisimns Greek, I expect ii will be by rail s jbij years banco, meanwhile they c.-.nnot be convened to other portions ot the contract, and so far aa I can soo, now that the n.iafcake his been made of calling te-iderß for potiiorib only of the Hindon section, the beot thing that Cun be done Ib to arrange with Messrs Whittakei' aud MAtheHin to compltt'j iho formation, tha former to the Mullocky viaduct and tho latter to Deep Stream. If this is not done, much valuable time a^d money will bd lost, and already onre than enough ht.s been squandered upan the line through miemana^ement, in uli conscience. TUNKELS. The tunnels laid cuo uyon the Ofcago Central number ntne m all— viz : Section. Lingth. Contractors. Wingttui, No. 1 . . Id chains M'K«czie Do No. 2.. 23 „ M'Ko.zio Mulloehy Gully ..152 yards (lineal) Gore Duck Point .. 127 „ Gore Mou r, Alan .. 154 „ Uoro Rosa Point (near Talerißiidgc)-- 72 „ Gore M 'Chine O'eek .. 4C „ Oora u^ep S ream .. 77 „ Miller and SmilHo lflati'tream .. 99 „ Miller and l^miilie The two tunnels on the V/ingitul section ara flmshod, and Mr WhiMaker'a platclijing eoutruct pa c seH through and beyond both for & -hort d'nt.in 0, elding a f . <i mile- 65 chau r, the terminal i-oint of Me^sr3 M Kenzio B-os.' ori^in^l contract. For a mo tiinfl pas', a n-arulftr a.rocm of wat'-r b.ts flnvod aionu; ttnrallvsay fosm^ion for som« di-stance bsyond tiio end of the aecon 1 tunnel inlo a ai.jne cnlvt.rt, which then crosoos thp line; and ia order to divert ihi« witer-chumol off tho Una an open alone course iw b 'ii(» f -rrned alon(t-ido by the two sole emp'oyei of the t'ubhc Department baro or f jrred to. The fttnl'ocky tunnel had been pioroa I on th 1 we -tern side for a dist&oco of 2 ihwos 48fo by tie contractor^, oa day lahjur, a'jtf littlo more than a fair btart uas made at tho oast rly opsaing when, on Miy H. a sub contract for the w irk waa (u;-;on by Meaira Griffiths Hore, and Tiffin, who havo ninoo pushed tho work ah^ad from the easterly « ud akne, Qndirg that the He of the rock favours work from that quir'er. The inspector measured up the work done on tho 23; h alt . when the headinir wai in 2 cusius 28ft and the lift 2 chain o9lt, giving 5 chiina IU aa then pierqed, Having only 41 yds of the lift; and 33 yds of tha lieaiin» to be done an that date. A good run of compa/atjvely Boft muterial had been met wiih, but the rock was again hardening ; however, there should be no difficulty iv providing an opoa way for tae pissige of the viaduct material t-hould the p.atelaying be pushed ahead thun far, and aa the Mo3irs Qoro would be equally benefited in getting their tunnel material r.iile<i, no doubt they would cheerfully forward matteiaif the Government would only do their duty in expediting thlnga as suggested in my last. In answer to my inquiries I was sorry fo lesrn from Mr Griffl'hs, the experienced "boaa" of the works, that Mackiey'a blasting powder has not Btroogth enough to be profitably emp'oyed, although be would otherwise most willingly givo the pretorence to the local article, none of which, I am sorry to say, is being used upon the Otago Central, where the demand shuuld be sufficient to keep the Catlio'e River mills pretty well going Mr Griffiths h^s ussd all sorts of powder and dynamite during bis extensive blaatiuf. j operationo of a lifetime, end flndo the powder of German manufacture and Ilhenish dynamite the moßt profitable and powerful for tunnel v/ork. The Bhonish dynamite ia h?»rd, and does not roqu>re to bo softened by the u;e of -warming puna, covering over by 6table manure, or the other artifi ial meam usoi. Nobel's dynairito, which is always soft, has therefoie to bo T>f od in fixing the c»p and f.ii-e Tho fume-i of dvnamito cause racki lg ho dachng to tho worktnin iv tho tnnneli). Powder ii thoref <ro prjfer ed whe" possible but in hard solid t-trata dyaimite pfivoi m iat effi^eut, and ia therefore uee 1. Mr QdfS h' c-rried two broken jrieca 1 ? of dynnraiti Wt?ly iv his ti-Buieiß potket f r a week, thr> renulb of v/hich ui,oti tbo svfttem waa that his wlinlo body broko out in small b' -i*i hes or plrap'od. He s^f^sred f^arlul heudariK; aaro a the tu»jpli>B, and Irw »-o wish to t; pe.t tbo v x; erv,m. n .as hia v;holc si.til^-o. a.mGAr dto be V' lUriou-ly aQected £or tV.p time thiough tho aeiiu^ of the djnamiOß nn r,(-e' blood

lir vy. 4. Qora has r>a -uwed pevonal oommand of thu tunnel contract-) of tho firm, and 10 ideH in an rfijco built midway between tho Mullocky and Duck P -int tunnels. Mr Pcfu-r M»"k»yhas again lesumad chars e of the Duck Poinis tunnel, tbo piercing of which is going ahead satisfactorily under hla extentiv« practical exporloncs. The lifb is now in over 8J

ihainß. and tho atone in hardening so OWi timiwi'ls ca'i 1 ow l>- dlspe-ißod 'viili. By the-bve, >be Wu bcky lunnel id bogiuuinv? tu ti tkt), a id is 'B thoi^ ;bt will n .w hav-i to ba lined throughout ; paria will a s:> iiuve to bs)iDauertjJ.

iour I J , J. Ss no "featherbed ' reoor or, but like

•he war correßpoident* of m dern titvio , in to bo foui d in Ihj " thick ot the fi^ht," s.:id 1 cx.ojt it reqiiirea bbotr. aa /much nervo to lake iu> a po ilion in 1110 he'cSi'ijj o! a tuuuol whilo (he 'lift" ii >tinK o.aitou as to watch tho b*t 1 ) Jrom a dimac, and if I do mane mistakes it i< not from reici'.ii)^ news ao -oojnd hand eh t it Is In my pow-jt to vtr.U '.v por--outii obsbxyAtion. The Duck Pjiiio Sunise wjt.k-1 iemmd oiio of p.cau'o'i of mlcintf teener iuudbnti.opl r.iio leiding mines of the wor d, <vhicb 1 h^ve So. n i < books or pdnorauilc vicwa Darkii'-ai lvi/ ii jlu h eino, a«d aa you atand in ir int. ol tho " lift ' Hio lisncs from a scora o' candlea sci:U;rod at tho vanow beighta ail around, render '-d^rkucsß visible," wui'.e »ha 0 &utor of pickd, liatutuorH, .aid i.vills, 'th^uMiiK uf barrowd, and loudiug of trucks, resemblea iboecraco presented by tho living hivueot rnlutin- iutimiry lv Oor'iwall, or the coal regions cf i>.un!and and Scotland.

Messrs Ma'.heaon Brothers hive aublut a natoboir of cby and rook outfciuga upon their cintima, th> &,o: of which ha 3 baau Ciiinrnenoed by a par y of five at Pig Gully. Mr David Kirkwjou, a wail ku iwu oid k entity contractor of fu.iodin aad cutruru, hai a suo cjiit«act ior the fcwn htavie^o rock outing on tno line, and ha 3 had 10 inon e^ploytd ao the aAilor'a Outtlug for two monthd paao, wi.eie he ;.as boou h aving over the r«c«B into iihe < aian R:v. r in gra.-id style, but tho atuff boiog required tjt tne railway bjkok, to whiuh it had to bo ort d he founu th s I would not pay, aud f It complied 10 give up , his contract, the conditions oi which !ad buen tnua dltjrbd. I ferret bUw, as I u--ed io admire tiie p uck wich which the old mnu and his faonn, accustomed ta city life, went :.t in thorou h eatnjsr., and with auoh elloob that I thou b 'hs tUoy we a co%.inga HUlopile. While his htnde, who hti followed aim fr m Uamaru wtro rooeivm^; t ip wa^es I hoar it hut, noB provt-d ' tuckef" cia in to hnvneif. Alt hAudst hjd lufi. the «rou id with him ai i piBJ-jd tho Two so eof vir MM k tneß>.n aro DO^ein^- clay ut.iuira near Mjuna Allan aud ijbri«tm« Or-es, wheru Mr Fin 'lay, (a'pontui ({rum W*h 1»), is aldo g,, g^r, havir g finished a rook c tSiug near iiouau -.lia-i a Bub-cotitravit >vajt< be bjjjun last weuk in ihe b'.ouk clay eutti g behind mx uu lDifjrd'a boirdiug-bou c at Oeap S;.eam. iioveral very stiii! rojk cattin>;s ha.i" already iieon linUheu on ilathaaon's contract, wbic iis well iv hand along the sigut or eaateru bank oi tho I'aien Kivor, bac tbo work :»croß3 the future Palo i Bridge la m yet unt uched, and hoio tho heavioat of their con tact will be found

i'ho piercing of the Mount) Allan tunnel hat b on undertaken as a &üb-< o itnuji by M • BHtti, who roB-dea i,l»9a by. Abaus a dozuu i'an'lt havo baen ea;il»ied t»v him in clearing the evssexlyface ia reactmeiiS f.>r n"u:int with the tunno), which was to be maJe ja.-ft week.

'Ihe Kosß Poiut tunnel has been similarly condiaciocl for by Me3sr3 Black (of Wdikouai.ij and Djuaid (ot tieacliff), who have aiaJ coauwted fur the Michi le Gfe» k tunnel, the easterly faco of which is reaJy ior a start bo boon aa ilioy rocoive tneir cent c from me engineer, for wiiiim 6li«y wero waiting a-j I paia^d tho B(A>b last week Thay do uot purple couirneiiuiag the Rwa Poina tunnel unt 1 tna iiLtohii.e Creek ona is well under way. a hugo 'audclip oi olden tiraoa h.B bsuu e'oircd by theiu from tho "Tveatern (aci of the lactdr tu'mul, au { a3 tho ground has bben .1 toe » chain and a half bick ioi lour 3 ear* paar, since tbe Krouad wjw ttf.it t'jucnei, I fe^.r that Ii in I.k«.!y • o provo oi serioua tiouble bi.f.re tno cannol ia ovor 70J concrete olouks, 18 x 1± by 10u>, hi.'/6 beeu u.auu{acturcd on the ground ia Jtea-ji ices for ihu ring o( cho a eh, and aa tiie gravel for tamo fiia to bo i-aried from tQo Xrtiari j^ivur, t • which a road has beau so mtd ns*r tha Dd> p )tre»m, c3:ißldor<»ble troab.o a d ÜboiK is involved in thuir luanufactuxu. It tho M ait Q<ite Bros led t.o euie u ( iuu i.hcao tunnel cout ac b from one idoa t ao a l>r k 'C fi;kl would tttui be opened up tor >h«ir Wi.ig-ttU' bdcdH, J fo.r they are doomed 10 d.s^'p jiniu.o n-, as, 3j far, ihuaa are ou.y boinjf used fjr ;bo a>cli o£ the i^uolc Pauf. Tuiiuei. aud «mo.'3 tho read <hr..u.;U Siessij Bj>d rSiroB 1 property, ir too pUti-iayin^ contiaj& to Mvi 1. cky uully aro pu-liod ad, tne ihaneod f^.r thsir bricic trade, I fear, are but i>luuaor i d .cd . i']S^n > AlE■lo Jotter.. June S.