TUNNEL THROUGH RANGES

Southland Times, Issue 23646, 22 October 1938, Page 8

TUNNEL THROUGH RANGES

Preparatory Survey To Start DRIVING RAH, HEAD UNDER RIMUTAKAS (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 21. The intention of the Government to make an immediate start with a surveyover the Rimutaka range as an essential preliminary undertaking to the construction of the tunnel through the range was announced by the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple) in an : interview today. He said that after the completion of the survey, funnelling would be commenced in earnest. The most modem tunnelling appliances would be used. “We already know the route of the tunnel but a survey has to be made over the Rimutaka range so that we can fix the position of the concrete standard ranging pegs,” said Mr Semple. “These pegs will be used to keep centres during the construction of the tunnel and they will also be to see that the alignment of the tunnel is correct. We are going to make this survey right away. We have been waiting for the good weather before making a start. Such a job could not possibly be tackled in winter time and bad weather, in the ranges has held the work up till now. As soon as we know all about the alignment of the tunnel and everything has been checked mathematically, the actual tunnelling work will go ahead with all possible speed. “Modern appliances' will be used and on a conservative estimate they will increase the speed of construction by 35 per cent; as compared with the time taken on the Otira tunnel. With the Otira tunnel, it took 12 years to construct the bottom head. The Rimutaka tunnel will be practically the same length as the' Otira, tunnel and with the modem equipment we propose to use, the bottom head can be put through in five years. New tunnelling methods should cut the time taken on the job in half.”