THE OTIRA TUNNEL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16454, 5 June 1919, Page 7

THE OTIRA TUNNEL.

■Westland resolutions. MEN MAKE £32 A MONTH. Per Press Association. HOKITIKA,' June 5. The Westland Chamber of Commerce discussed matters relating to the prosecution of the Otira Tunnel works more rapidly last night. The Hons. J. Grimmond and H. L. Michel and Mr. T. E. Y. Seddon, M.P., were among those present and taking an active part in the discussion. Several resolutions were carried, including the following: Bringing under the notice of the Minister of Public Works an improvement in the conditions of pay and housing at the works to attract additional suitable labour to expedite the completion; that the Minister be asked to publish forthwith what electrical scheme has been decided upon and that the installation of necessary electrical works be commenced forthwith; that the Minister be asked to publish monthly the number of men employed on the works, the average wages earned and the progress made with the undertaking. In the course of his remarks, the Hon. H. L. Michel stated that lie had reliable authority for stating that no man at the Arthur’s Pass end working on,a co-operative contract had earned less than £32 for the month of May. Hie opinion was expressed that efforts should be made to attract discharged members of the Tunnelling Corps to take up contracts at remunerative rates so as to assist in pushing on the work to completion. He stated that not less than £IOOO per week was the liability for interest on the coat of the work at present lying unproductive owing to the non-completion of the line. The Government was urged, in accordance with the report of the delegates who recently visited the works, to employ fully ah hundred men to complete the work within two years, which was half the estimate of the time required to complete it at the present rate of progress with the men available. The Chamber also considered the harmful effect on Westland of the timber regulations and the locking up of over 90,000 acres of timber lands as provisional State forests. The harmful effect on the district of the locking up of land by the Midland reservation was recalled as an example of the injury that could he done to a, district. _ A subcommitee was set up to go into the matter and report to a subsequent meeting-