THE OTIRA TUNNEL

Otago Witness, Issue 3234, 8 March 1916, Page 4

THE OTIRA TUNNEL

WORK TO BE CONSIDERABLY REDUCED.

(Farm Oca Own Correspondent.!

WELLINGTON, March 1

Sorno anxiety exists amongst tho Otira tunnel workers as to the of the works being closed down, or considerably reduced in magnitude, and a deputation from the union waited upon tho Minister of Public Works (Mr Fraser) to-day to learn his intentions, and to urge that the impending retrenchment be postponed. The members of the deputation were Messrs R. Bcban and J. Nicholas, and they were accompanied by Mr J. Glover (of tho Federation of Labour).

j Tho deputation, who claimed to speak ' not only for the workers, but for storekeepers and other inhabitants of Otira, ! said they had heard that a very largo number of men would shortly be put off j the works, and, as practical men, thoy ' could see that the plan of operations had been altered in such a way that it would be impossible to'keep all the men on. The complaint against tho management at present was that tho breaking down work has been ceased, and that other workmen will do all that it is possible for them to do in about three weeks, and then the works would have to stop, except in one small place, " the bottom heading," which would occupy about 30 men. One reason ' urged against the closing of the works was that there were a very good lot of men on the job now, who were doing the work cheaply and well for the Government. If i these men were sent away now, and a lot ■ of men collected at some time in the future tho new.men would have to learn the work at the Government's expense. It was also argued that if only the bottom heading was to be worked, the Government would have to run all their electric plant and compressor plant, and keep all the hands in these departments, as well as clerks. "I want to tell you this," said Mr Fraser in reply, "that the Otira tunnel is about the only work in the dominion, or at any rate the only one of the Government works, on which there has eo far been no alteration at all. I have resisted a good deal of pressure from many parts of tho dominion to stop tho work altogether. I don't intend to do so. but I must be guided by what, our experts, the engineers,_ tell me. You have given me your opinion that the work can be done more economically in a certain way; but I must bo guided by tho opinions of others who know a great deal more about it than you can possiblv know. I can't give you any undertaking that the work is to be carried on at tho same rate and in the same way as in the past, because it is absolutely I necessary that there shall be general I economy in the expenditure on public works. I I have only a certain amount of money J at my disposal, and I have told the House , that it will last certainly until the end of 1 this year, and possibly until March, ]917. I j have already stopped work on seven railwny lines. The question of what must be I p-one on with at -Otira tunnel must bo coni sidered along with the question of what is to be done on all other works: but there never was any intention of stopping work altogether." Mr Fraser said that it was now moro than ever necessary that headings from both ends should bo driven in advance of other work. Tho tunnel had boon driven a considerable distance from Otira- and from Bealev, and it was necessary that they should know as soon as possible whether ' tho two drives would meet. The tunnel was nil on tho up grade from Otira. and when tho junction was made all ventilation and drainage problems would disappear. It would also bo possible to disoosc move ensilv of the spoil, and it would also b<"> cheaper to land all material for the tunnel moro cheaply from tho Bealey end. These woro some of the reasons why ho thought of altering the method of going on with the work. He could not admit the- claim that the works should bo kept going in the interests of tho men. Ho could not tell tho deputation definitely how many men

Iho would keep nt Otira. The heading I would be carried on. but if he "went on with the heading and nothing elso in the ! meantime, he would have to come to that I decision only after having the matter thoroughly thrashed out. lie sincerely hoped that circumstances would not comI pel him to stop the work altogether. It was only fair that some little notice should bo given of his intentions, for the sako of the storekeepers and the men themselves; and as soon .as he had looked into the matter he would make an announcement.