HOMER SADDLE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19825, 30 December 1938, Page 2

HOMER SADDLE

PROGRESS OP TUNHEL TROUBLE OVERCOME *By the middle of March the bottom heading tunnel which is being driven through the Homer Saddle in preparation for the full-sized 'tunnel which is to be undertaken later will have been pierced for half the total distance. This information was given in an interview ■in Dunedin by the district public works engineer, Mr. P, Keller, About a month ago some difficulty was experienced by the contractors for / the heading tunnel as a result of an unexpected inflow of. water being tapped, but this has now been overcome by the installation of additional pumping equipment. Mr. Keller said that the pump's were . now dealing adequately 'with the water. There had been only one very pronounced inflow of about 10,000 gallons an hour, 1 but it was now well m hand and no water was reaching the working face. The tunnel face-is now driven to approximately 25 chains and a half from the eastern portal, and when another five chains have been driven the heading tunnel will be half-way throug the total length of 4000 ft. Even when the heading, wn.on -s 12ft. by 9ft., is completed, however ithere will remain the larger o excavatin? to the full tunnel dimenof 24ft bv 20ft. The object of pushing forward with the smaller tunnel is to facilitate the haulage of spoil and drainage associated with tne wor.c on the full-sized tunnel.