THE OTIRA TUNNEL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 12956, 15 January 1913, Page 4

THE OTIRA TUNNEL.

WORK PROCEEDS SATISFAC TORILY;

CHRISTCHURCH, last night. Work Avas resumed on the Otira tunnel on January 6th in all departments. Very feAV men are offering, and at present the shifts are not. half manned; but there is lahvays a shortage of labor at this time of the year, OAVing to harvest- ■ ing find grass seeding being in full SAvi'ng. Work inside the tunnel is at prsfcnt confined to th«3 Avails and lining. The face at the bottom heading is not bsing i Avorked, nor is the face in No. 7 breakdown. Tlie bottom heading is about twenty-five chains ahead of the breakdoAvn up to the face, and thence on to Avork on the American system of topheading. No rock, tunnel in New Zealand has yet been put through- on tins system, and the departure Avill be watched Avith -interest. „ The Lrcttelton , Times correspondent writes thai it is expected that ais jsoon as the management has things shipshape inside, all the driving; and boring will be done by contract with, it is expected, better results. Mr Gavin is in full charge of the railway Avork here, and it. is reported that he has to take over the Midland railway from the Class to the Bealey flat end," Mr C. W. Dickson, resident engineer at Cass, having been promoted to Christchurch. ■ There have been no recent changes in the staff, and eA-erything is running alonry smoothly. During the Christmas holidays a good deal of repair work Avas done to the plant, Avhich is now in good order.