THE MOORHOUSE TUNNEL.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14975, 23 May 1914, Page 8

THE MOORHOUSE TUNNEL.

HOW IT WAS MADE.

ANXIVEESARY BETBOSPECT.

To-morrow is the 47th anniversary of the date of opfcning the Lyttelton Tunnel. The following account of the history and construction -of this undertaking, taken from the Sonthcm Provincoa Almanac of 3868, should be read with interest, especially in view of the promise of the Government to duplicate the tunnel: —

At 6.30 a.m. on Friday, May 24th, 1867. communication was established bet-Ween the- two drives in the tunnel, by the miners on tho Port &kle breaking into a drill.liole sunk some days previously in the face of tho Heathcoto drive. After a few minutes epent in enlarging tho opening, an iron rod was passed through from drivo to drive, tho distance between the two iacos< being fourteen feet. The alignment and tho levels were thus proved to have been perfectly correct, and the tunnel was practically completed.

To trrite an intelligible account of the Moorhouso Tunnel, it is necessary to go back to tho earliest records in the history of Canterbury. For, out of tho geographical difficulty of communication between the Port and the Plains which met the first settlers on their landing, and ivhich. has over since sori-

ously impeded tho progress of the province, arose the conception of the great work which may now be snid to be virtually completed. There are many still among us "who can recall the feelings ptf dismay and disappointment with which the lofty hills surrounding Lyttelton -wore first regarded. Beyond, lay an almost interminable plain, which, even to the unpractised eye of tho newcomer, gave promise of lull return for tho labour that might bo expended upon it. But before this could be reached a barrier of formidable dimensions interposed in tho shape of lofty abrupt hills, and no availablo means existed of overcoming the difficulty. It must have required all tho courage and resolution with which, the early settlers were so amply endowed, to have faced this serious and unexpected difficulty. The records of that dato prove that it was universally felt to bo tho one drawback to the progress of tho settlement, and that it caused great anxiety and disappointment to all tho settlers. Many of tho earliest pilgrims had bceu led to believe that they would find a. practicable road leading to the Plains, and their chagrin was proportionately great on finding their anticipations incorrect. From the first, then, we tind one of the chief subjects of public interest to havo been tho discussion of tho best means of communication botweon tho Port and the Plains. ACCESS TO THE PLAINS.' When the first ships arrived with settlors there were but two ways of reaching the Plains. One by scrambling over tho hill, either by the lino of the prosent bridle path or by vjass's Bay €o Riverlaw, the other by taking boat and going round by Sumner and up tho Avon to the Bricks Wharf, .nearly opposite the Cemetery. At that time the Heathcpte was considered not to be navigable. A lino of road via Sumner had indeed been surveyed by Captain Thomas, but it was found impossible to proceed with it for want of funds. The incomers, as a rule, looted tho hill ■while their goods went round by Sumner, ■ and not unfrequently came to grief, for at that time the bar was imperfectly known, and decked river crafts were hardly to be obtained. In a ehorb time a tolerable bridle path over the hill was 'finished, which has been widened and improved from time to time, and is still the principal medium of communication tor foot and horse passengers. The completion of a cart road from tho foot of the hill on the Hoathcote side to the river, the establishment of a ferry there, and tho construction of a road to Christchurch, followed within the hrst year, and greatly promoted tho convenience of travellers. About the same time the Heatncote was found to be navigable,and Christchurch quay on the new road was opened. But the grand desideratum of a cart road to tao plains was not yet to be accomplished. In .December, 1851, a meeting of the Society of'land purchasers was held to consider the report of a select committee of their body upon the best means of communication. Tho report recommended that a sum of £30,000 should be borrowed to carry ont tho Sumner road. Public meetings were held both in Lyttelton and Christchurch, endorsing tho views of the Society. It is curious to obeervo that so far back as this the subject of a railway tunnel was discussed, and only put aside as being considered premature. Appaxeritly it was easier in those" days to pass a resolution in favour of borrowing than to obtain the money, for nothing appears to have been done towards, pushing on the Sumner road till tho first Provincial Government took up the subject, and appointed a Commission, consisting of Messrs Bray, Cridland, Dobson, Harman, and Jollio, to report on the eeveral modes of communication between the Port and the Plains. These gentlemen issued a report in April, 1854, in which they recommended the Government to make a railway via Sumner, with a tunnel, below Evans's i'ass to Gollan's Bay, or, if that scheme proved beyond the resources of the province, to construct a cart road via Sumner with a tunnel through the top of Evans's Pass. This work was to be accompanied with certain improvements,to the bar at Sumner. The present line of tunnel and railway was considered in the report, and though the cost was estimated only afc. £155,00U, the scheme was considered by the Commissioners to.be beyond the resources of the province." Another lino was pointed out as worthy of consideration, in which tho road was made to wind up the spurs at the back of Lyttelton to a tunnel 600 yards in length at tho head of the gully, descending into Dampier's Bay at au elevation of 520 feet above those 3.

The Government, decided upon the road, and about a year after the date of. the report referred to, the work of making the Suraner road commenced. On August 24th, 1559. the road was formally opened by the Superintendent, Mr FitzGerald, who drove a dog-cart over it and arrived in Lyttelton without damage, to the surprise of many of who. doubted its capabilities* for traffic. It was some time after this before the road was opened for the heavy cart traffic, which from the time it commenced has gone on gradually increasing to the present date. TRAFFIC VTA StJMNER. While the Sumner road was.under discussion and in the course of construction, various efforts were being made to improve the river navigation. It is a singular fact that in those days the idea of using tho Heathcote river for the purposes of traffic was strongly oDposed by borne of the Lyttelton merchant*. On December 18th. 185-i. Cap-

tain Drury, of H.M.S. Pandora, reported upon the condition and capabilities of the Suniner bar. The general tenor of the report, was adverse to making any attempt to improve the navigation by altering the natural form of the bar.* The first attempt at introducing steam navigation on the river ended disastrously. The Alma, a small paddle boat, after running a 6ftort time, took the ground on the bar on January 6th, 1856. THo attempts to raise her ended in breaking her back, and her bones rest in the quicksand at the present moment. Some little time after this the course of the river was staked out by the Government, and leading marks put at the entrance. In the early part of 185S the steamer I'lanet commenced to run round to the river, and from that time the number of ooa-stinp steamers has steadily increased. The sailing craft employed on the river were in the first instance con- j fined to vessels of 15 or 20 tons, but in later years vessels of nearly ICO j tons register have entered the river and , discharged cargo alongside some of the various wharves which have sprung up j on the Heathcote. j DIRECT COMMUNICATION. From the earnest period it seems to have been coiisidered by the Government ot tho Province and the puuuc tiiat tho combined traffic facilities afforded by the road and the river were insufficient,'and that tho construction ot a more available and efficient means of communication between tho I'orfc and Plains was merely a question pt time and money. The public mirid was impressed with the idea that the best means of overcoming the hill difficulty was by tunnelling through it, and connecting tho capital city with the Port by railway. • Accordingly we find that a second Cdmniission was appointed by Government in .November, 1858, to consider the subject, consisting of Messrs Bray, Cass, Harman, Whitcombe, Wyldo, Dobson, and Oliivior. A short time before this -Mr Dobson had reported to the Government that tho tunnel would pass entirely through volcanic rock, and that the term of construction would be from five to seven years. The Commissioners In their report considered two leading schemes. One, that now executed, advocated by Mr Bray, the other via Suinner to Gollan's Bay, proposed by Mr Dobson on account of the greater depth of water at that place as compared with Lyttelton. At the same time a Commission was appointed in London, consisting of Messrs Cummins, Selfe. and I'itwGerald, with instructions to refer the question of route between Lyitelton and Christchurch to Mr It. Stephenson. The latter referred it m turn to Mr G. R. Stephenson, who decided, on August 10th, iSS9, in favour of tho present direct route. Previously to this decision, Mr FitzGerald, while in. England, had urged very etrongly upon the Government the propriety ot carrying a line of railway with sharp curves and eteep gradients along tho Sumner road. 'J'h.'s proposal was entirely negativfd by tho Commission as well as by Mr G. 11. Stephenson. Shortly after tni.s, the English Commissioners entered into a contract with Messrs Smith and Knight, of London, to execute tho works tor tho sura ot £235,000 (exclusive of stations), the work to bo completed in five years. The contia-1 was subject to determination either by tho Government or the com tractors at any time within four months after tho arrival of the contractors in Canterbury, if either the Government should be unablo to provide the money, or the contractors should find on examination that tno work could not be done for the. money. In either case the Government had to pay tho cost of making trial shafts to the extent of £3000, and to relieve the contractors from their engagements with the workmen sent out by them. Messrs McCandlish and Baines, agents for Smith and Knight, arrived in Canterbury, December 24th, 1859, and proceeded at once to sink tne shafts. In consequence of tho first Railway Bill passed by the Council having been disallowed by the Governor on January 26th, i860,, tho Provincial Government was • hot able to give an answer to the contractors on April 24th following, as to whether the money could be obtained for the line, and it was therefore agreed between the contracting parties that an extension of time, should bo allowed, the Government agreeing: to pay the cost of carrying on the works. In November the Government, having. obtained i- * necessary powers for constructing the line and raising the requisite funds, signified to the contractors their readiness to proceed, but Messrs Smith and Knight, through their agents, declined to ratify the contract/ and Messrs McCandiish and Baines : shortly after left Xew Zealand. Mr Dobson then proposed to. open out tho ends of the tnnnel with the labour available' in the colony, and to advertise for' tenders for the remainder of tho work. But tho Council declined to accept . the proposal: and a long. delay occurred, during which tho trial headings were" slowly- carried on by the working party sent out by Messrs Smith and Knight. CONSTRUCTION COMMENCED. In- May, 18*31, tho Government accepted a tender, from Messrs George Holmes and Co.,'of Melbourne, to complete tho line from Lyttelton to Christchurch, a distance of six miles, with, the exception of the stations, in five years, ending June Ist, 18tt6, for £240,500, the cost "of the tunnel, 2838 yards long, being fixed at £195,000. The first sod was cut in the ileathcote Valley on July 17th, 1861, and this may be said to have been the date of the commencement of tho tunnel' works, as up to this time nothing had been accomplished beyond sinking the trial shafts, and driving 96 yards of heading—viz.,, 30 at tho south, and G(i at the north end of the tunnel.

The plan adopted by the contractors was to mine the whole work from a wide bottom heading. To expedite the work three additional shafts were sunk, one close to each front and one in the clay cutting at the north end of the tunnel, whilst at the same time a gullet was driven up.tae cutting to meet the heading. Although the ground proved very wet in places, rendering it necessary to close pole a length of seven chains through day and.sand, this plan was perfectly successful, and the timbering remained in good order until the commencement of the brick lining, at the end of the following year. On Sopteinber 29th, 1862, Mrs Moorhouse laid the first stone at the north end of the tunnel, that of the couth being laid by Mr John riall, in April The works were at first carried on under great disadvantages. The Otago gold fever broke out soon after the commencement, and a great number of the men employed left for the new goldfield. The profitable nature of the trade botwen Melbourne and Ihinedin made it for a time difficult to induce shin-owners to take freight to Canterbury from Melbourne, whence all the plant and material for the work had to be procured, whilst the wreck of one of the mail steamers deranged the postal communications, and lastly, the amount of water met with at the Lyttelton end of the tunnel was co great that tbe inner heading had to be abandoned until the completion of the drive from the beach gave a natural drainage for the work.

VENTILATION AND WATER PROBLEMS. The ventilation, winch many people thought •would prove a great difficulty, has been most admirably arranged, in tho first- instance; air was driven in by fans worked by but this soon proved quite insufficient, and when the works had extended eomo distance much time was lost owing to the difficulty of getting rid of the smoke. To obviate this on the Lyttelton 6ide, the upper portion of the tunnel was partitioned off by a lloor or brattice, about nine feet above rail level, forming a smoke flua connected with one of

the shafts, at the bottom of which was piaceu a lurnace wnicu, t>y ramymg mc air, caused a steauy current up tno sualt, and drew the smoke away from tne lace of tno workings. A siuinar plan was adopted at- tue noftu euci, mc chimney of a toige oemg led nuo tno shatt and answering the purpose, of a iurnace, uut the brattice wa* only continued ior a snort distance beyond the upcast shaft.

On the Lyttelton side this system answered periectiy wcii, and the ventilation has continued good ever since; but on tho Heatncoto sido, where the work for the last quarter or a nnlo has been driven by a top heading (the temporary door being leiu a i>o.o vne permanent rail-level Jor drainage purposes,), tho ventilation ut tho clcoe of tho work became sluggish, and recourse was had to driving air on to the taco by moans of our .fans driven by an eight-horso eteam-enguio. Ihis proved perieetJy successful.

l'rom a comparatively early period moro or less uiliiculty lus been experienced trom tine quantity of water which has poured clown irom the roof and sides ot tne tunnel. Hut tho dimculties nave mvanaoiy been promptly met and overcome by tho ingenuity of tne- engineer aim contractors. At tiio iieathcote end inconvenience was caused solely by the tlilhcinty of getting rid of tho accumulation of water, on this side there were no springs rising from the floor, as at the end, and what fell irom the. roof was in tho first instance easily pumped wards. as tne level oi tne workings was raised, it was found necessary to adopt other means for keeping them from bein*; flooded. A syphon was employed for this purpose, wnich dischaiged tno water into tho railway ditches in tho Heathcote valley, at a distance of moro than six hundred yards. This simple contrivance drew tho water from a pump or well, to which the drainage from the inner workings was carried by a deep gutter. From tho time tho syphon was first introduced, it has worked succcusfully, /-tnd dufcliarged without cost of labour many millions of gallons of water. On the Port 6ide no difficulty was experienced in getting rid of vie water after the drives nad once been opened out, as tho drainage simply ran along the. floor into the sea. The real dithculty here lay in protecting the men from the constant downpour, which at times, extinguished the lights and rendered it almost impossible to continue the work. So wet was the ground for a long period that it became necessary to uso waterproof cartridges, and even then jnisfiros were continually occurring. lor a long time the work was carried on under an iron shield, which was supported on runners on each sido of tho drive, and in some measuro protected the men from tho water which fell continually from tho roof. After a short time the water ceased to fall, and both roof and sides are now perfectly dry, whilst the springs rising on the floor continue to run freely. This would seem to prove satisfactorily that the springs must bo artesian, because soon after they were tapped and diverted, the water which had- accumulated abovo the workings ceased to fait This view of the matter is further confirmed by the Fact that no water has been met with in tho shafts at more than forty i'eet above high--1 water level. It is worthy of remark that the principal spring tapped on tho Port side was of the temperature of 70 degrees Fah.

On the Port side a good deal of curiosity was at one time excited by the appearance of l.irae numbers of , eels and shoals of whitobnit m. the drains far up the tunnel. These have, however, disappeared, being unable probably to live in the water when it became fouled with smoke, grease, and other abominations. A fine specimen of the eels has been preserved, and is now in the possession of Dr. Haast. Rats abounded in the work, breeding in flio canities, and piHdng up an amnle livine from the workmen's menls, the candles, and horse feed. ■ A'number of white rats have long been residents in the tunnel. • , "A'REMARKABLE WORK." Ever since Messrs Holmes and Co. undertook the contract, the work has proceeded without interruption, and without pause, except tor the proper observance of Sunday. The public has not, as a matter of course, been allowed to .visit the works at their pleasure, otherwise we snould not nave been able to chronicle such a remarkable freedom from accidents; 'but Christmas and New Year's Days have always been kept as holidays, and on the latter the tunnel has been illuminated and thrown open to visitors. When the resources and population of Canterbury are considered, and it is remembered that for a period of six years the work of the tunnel has gone on day and night without ceasing, we think that, apart from scientific and engineering considerations, it must bo considered a very remarkable work, and commands the admiration of the outer world. . In a scientific point of view, and as an example of -engineering difficulties successfully overcome, tne work may fairly claim the attention of the profession. The present tunnel aifords, we believe, the first instance where a complete section of an extinct vol•cajiio has been opened out. The elaborr ate drawings prepared by Dr. Haast for exhibition in Paris will draw the attention of geologists to the fact, and doubtless afford tho greatest satisfaction to the scientific world. The rock in the tunnel may be described as a series of lava streams and beds of tufa, intersected by vertical dykes of phonolite. The lava streams generally consist of scoria, overlying a coarse pink trachyte, which passes gradually through shades of grey, purple, and blue, into a black, finely-grained dolorite, intensely hard and- tough; tne lightest and softest rock being at the top, and the densest and blackest at the bottom. Regarded from an enginering point of view, tho woik must bo considered eminently successful. Wherever difficulties have been met they have been quickly and successfully overcome. The syphon employed tor the drainage of the upper half of tho tunnel is probably the longest on record. Tho system of ventilation has proved perfectly adapted to the requirements of the case, and has been not only effective but simple and comparatively inexpensive. It is worthy of remark that tho engineers of the Mont Cenis tunnel have since found it necessary to adopt fiimilar means ot ventilation in that famous work. CORRECTNESS OF ALIGNMENT. 'Ihe system employed to secure the correctness of alignment of vie two ends of trie tunnel was very simple. A permanent uiaiji was iiicd in vie centre line of the tunnel, on a tower built on tho dividing ran»e, nearly midway between tno two ends. A transit instrument being piactd on tho meriuian of the tunnel as well as ol the tower on tho hill, it could be eeen at onco whether the ilamo of a canine placed in the ceutro line of the work inside the tunnel . was in a vertical plane with tho mark on tno tower, uut it was also dcoiriiDle, in case oi error, to havo the means not only of correcting but oi' calculating mo amount of soch error, and this could be readily done. Tho permanent mark on the central tower consisted of a batten six inches wide, with a black stripe one inch wide down the centre. The eyepiece of the transit instrument being famished with five vertical wir€6 placed at equal distances apart, the value of the 6pace between any two wires at- a distance equal to that of the mark on the tower can be ascertained by reference to the width of the batten, which thus givesa scale by which the error of position of a light placed in the tunnel under the tower can be rated with great exactness. It has been by this means that the alignment has been tested from time to- time, and the proof of the correctness o( tho system

has been established by the suits. ' "'■'-■ . FEW ACCIDENTS, g In spite ox ttio i - uiiitt er ot tne worK tae .neaiui oi. uaa Demi {jeiiernuy vciy t>oou. Acciueins nave been ot rare occurrence, ot coojfc , i"'"'.ivo umuipoi kiucu. ,yu, v Uvo lacai cases have occurred- duriuV ujo long term ot tno woiK.anu tin**© wo tear must witn justice t>e attributed io tne carelessness or tiie poor leuowg who pensiied—a carelessness against wmen no amount ot precaution com<j> fcavo availed. One of tho men died from internal hseniorrnago caused, by.a biow received trom tuo suduen igunwii oi a cnargo which had missea lire, ana \vnicu he was engaged in boring out without proper precaution. Tn o O ttier died from tne effects of burns received from a powder explosion, caused by throwing the snuff of a candle upou loose powder. Ine man was engaged at the tune in constructing cartriages loi the miners. In addition to these latal cases, there occurred one of loss ot sight, another of a broKen and a few cases of contusion and ou.v:r tritling hurts, which, under the'care of Dr. Rouse, of Lyttolton, who has attended the men througnout, were coon satisfactorily disposed ot. This singular freedom from accident may fairiy be attributed to careful arrangement generally, and to t t- _.. .perior character and ability of the foreman, Mr Edward "Walker and Mr Harry Smith. who have superintended tho work throughout. A great deal is also due to the general superior morale of the men themselves.

Throughout tho whole period thero have been no strikes or disturbances among tho men. Thoy nave been well treated by their employers, and have behaved well in' return. This pleasant understanding has probably been cemented by the interest taken by the engineer and the contractors in the men's amusements. Mainly through tho instrumentality of these gentlemen tho miners and others connected with tho railway works were encouraged to enrol themselves as a Volunteer Company. No. 8 C.R.V. soon became eminent for its band, and has gained, a doeerved reputation for good shooting. CONTRACTORS' TROUBLES. Mesais -LLLuiuea ana to. nave and to contend wun dimculties ijuuo bonous eiiotiga to jiave lu&ukbucu men loss ueterinmed and persevering than tuey nave proved tnem&eives to be. bcai'ceiy "nad tuey cowiuuuccu woik Deiore vue suuden aiscovery o: gold in uuigo upset all previous calculations as to tuo cost of labour, and toriousiy interfered with, tne snipping t>y wnich tney Hoped to receive tne axiix. of tiieir piant trom Melbourne. Jd.ar.uiy had tnis excitement quiepcd down before the Canterbury goldtields wore discovered, and tne warn road created a demand lor tixo special kind ot labour required in. the tunnel, thus depriving tne contractors of many ot their most practised hands. But liueso and numberless other minor dimcuitiejs have never inter! ered witii tne work, which, has been continued night and day, moro as if it had been carried on by mechanism than by tno labour -ot sentient human beings. To the contractors' steadiness and perseverance the province mainly owes tue tact tnat this weary, work has been brought to a successful issue. , .

And not to the contractors only, but to the engineer,. Mr Edward Dobson, is a debt equally due. ' Of him it may be fairly said that, latterly, his wiioie energies—his very being—have ; merged themselves into the tunnel. • Whatever the most unwearied care and the closest supervision could effect tor the benefit of the great work has been done by him. His name deserves to be, and doubtless will be, -brought prominently before his professional brethren in tho Old World as soon as. the successful result of this great experiment becomes known.

The total length of the tunnel, as nearly as can be ascertained at the present moment, is in round numbers 2870 ; yards, or about 30 ,yard 6 more than-tho contract measurement, and " the cost, according to the contract, is £195,000. ..; According to the design drawn in London, the tunnel would have entered Lyttelton at a slight curve. This part of the plan was altered, so as to give a straight run throughout. ENDS UNITED. . At a very early, hour on May 29th — somewliere about 3 a.m.—the miners on the Lyttelton: side succeeded in inaliing a practicable breach in tiie-tunnel'; whereupon they rusued thfougn, and after having paid. . a congratulatory visit to Mr Holmes at Green Hammerton, breakfasted -with their iellowworkmen in. the valley. As Boon as the contractors were maae aware of tne fact, they sent an impromptu invitation to his Honour the Superintendent, asking him to pass througn the tunnel, and afterwards lunch witn them in i/yttelton. A certain number of official friends of his Honour were included in this invitation,.and also several private friendsof. the contractors. A train containing the,following gentlemen left Christchurch at 12- p. m. .—His Honour the Superintendent",-and Messrs:Stewart, Williams, Duncan, Dobson, Ollivier, Davie, Aynsley, Keeves, Donald, Hamilton, Major, Coster, House, C. K. Blakiston, A. F. -Jj. Blakiston, Maude, Hennah, R. Holmes, and Dr.' Haast. At about 1 p.m. the party started on their journey through the tunnel, carried on two trollies. The miners' band, better known as that of No. 8 C.R.V., was stationed at the mouth of the tunnel, and played some appropriate airs on the arrival of the guests. The jour-' ney through the tunnel . occupied (including stoppages) about half an hour. At the junction of the two drives the travellers had to change carriages and pass through the aperture which had been made that morning. Ho thoroughly had the drive been opened out that the passengers had scarcely to stoop their heads in descending from one side of the tunnel to ; tbe other. It was particularly noticeable that a free current of air was passing through from the Lyttelton to the Heathcote eide* .

On arriving at tho Lyttelton end of the tunnel, Mr G. Holmes congratulated his Honour upon the successful passage of the tunnel, to which Mr Moorhouse replied in a few appropriate words. The company then adjivuned to the Queen's Hotel, where a luncheon had been provided by the contractors, and where much kindly interchange ot •congratulatory feoling- took place. Shortly after the gentlemen passed through the tunnel, a party of adventurous ladies, including Mrs Moorhouso, Mrs Holmes, Mrs Richardson, Mrs Dobson, and a few others, success!ully accomplished the passage, to the great delight and gratification of the miners who conducted them. - Some disappointment was at first felt in Lyttelton because notice had not been mven to enable the loyal citizens of that town to turn out in form and do honour to the occasion. But as toon as it was clearly understood that the celebration was of a purely private character, and was in fact simply an invitation from tho contractors to the Superintendent and a few personal' friends, the feeling vanished. . A PUBLIC INSPECTION. On Whit-Monday the holiday-makers of Christchurch were invited to a promenade through the tunnel, free, of charge, and the day being extremely fine, nearly two thousand persons, availed themselves of the opportunity of inspecting this work of skill and labour, so creditable to tho Province of Canterbury. Messrs Holmes and Co. ran a train of nine carriages on the railway between Christchurch and Heathcote every hour, and aboufc noon a stream, of pedestrians was to be seen threading the ■ pleasant valley, far greater than has ever been "witnessed , since the first living freights of the Canterbury Association, for want of such a road as tins tunnel, scrambled up tho face of the hill and descended from CooDei's Knob into the Dlains-be-

low. On that occasion the pioneers of the settlement encountered nothing but the rugged grandeur ot Nature-, tno face of which they had come to «» te " and subdue by the resources of art. | Bat how changed the scone novr! mc ; human tide was turned. Men's eyes were again directed to the hills, aud they traversed a good road, with many signs of cultivation on both eides; tney passed a church and schoolhouse, and a multitude of neat cottages; and they saw a work which may have suggested itself to somo of the more enterprising, but which few could have hoped to see executed. FORMAL OPENING. On tho occasion of hia Honour the Superintendent formally opening tho Moorhouse Tunnel, he mad© a handsome present to the workmen, and in return they invited him to a dejeuner in the tunnel, wuich took place on Juno 29th. A section ot the tunnel, in the centre, extending for thirty yards, was fitted up with flags, banners, etc., forcibly reminding tne spectator of the old Moorish halls of tho Alliambra. At one end an impromptu orchestra had been erected, in which was stationed the band of No. 8 Company Canterbury Hiflo volunteers. Tho chair was occupied by Air E. Walker, foreman of works at tho juyttelton end, and tho vice-chair by Mr Smith, foreman at tho Heathcoto ond. At tho centre table were the following invited guests:—His Honour the Superintendent; Messrs F. E. Stewart, Provincial Secretary: G. Hart nnd J. S. Williams, members of the Executive; JS. Dobson, Railway Engineer: J. Ollivier, Provincial Auditor; G. Holmes and K. Richardson, the contractors for the railway works: and Drs. Donald and Rouse. The dinner, which comprised all tho delicacies of the season, was provided by Mr A. Cuff, of the Queen's Hotel, Lyttelton. After tho removal of the cloth, the usual loyal and patriotic toasts wore civen and duly honoured. In responding to the toast of the Superintendent, Mr Moorhouse paid a hich compliment to tho managers, workmen, and all connected with the jrrcat work, and expressed- his belief that on the openinc of the railway for traffic, a large exnort trade would bo developed, which wiuld help to disperse the , temporary depression under which the province had hitherto laboured.