THE MIDLAND RAILWAY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 509, 17 May 1909, Page 2

THE MIDLAND RAILWAY.

• — - ——• — ■■.•■■ ARTHUR'S PASS TUNNEL. - ', A VISIT FROM THE HON. J, A. MILLAR. (UV: TELEOUArri—SPECIAL CoiIRESPONDBNT.) Chrlstchurch, May 16. Tlio Hon. J. A. Millar, accompanied by Mr. T. Y. Soddon, M.P., Mr. Murdoch M'Lean (contractor for the Otira ■ tunnel), and several railway officials, left Christchurcn by special train for tho Otira and tho West Const. At tho Bcaley lie mado nn inspection of tho Boaley ener of the Arthur's l'ass ; tunnel) and the party reached Otira at six o'clock in the evening, tho weather through the Gorge having been unpleasantly wet. On Saturday morning tho Minister was cs« corted up tho tunnel drive by Mr. H'Loan, Ho also inspected the various establishment connected with tho'tunnel worke, including tho power house at Holt's Creek. Tho drivo at tnb Otira end now measures 42 chains, of which five chains have boon widened out to tho full tunnel width. The concrete blocks are in'•' readiness for the arch lining, and as soon as they are hardened .this part of the work'will'bo put in hand. Tho spoil from tho tunnel "heading is carried away in trucks and used for railway formation, or to reclaim land from tho bed of tho Rollcston .River in order to make the necessary room . for tho tunnel stores. The average rate of progress in tho heading is 13 feet per day, three shifts/of eight nours being worked. ' Thoro is a bonuß of one pound per foot for every foot over 132 feet per fortnight, and several bonuses have already been paid, the . latest, amount on tliis account being £19 •' among 24 men. About; 150 men are employed on the tunnel at' Otira and about 20 at Bealoy. Tho latter number wtilbo consider I ably increased soon. , '.'...' .■:■.'■

After leaving Otira the Minister was interviewed by the "Press 1 ' representative as to his impressions. "v , .. , -. "After seeing the worke," said Mr. Mil. lar, "one is struck with the magnitudoo! tho undertaking. V. Apparently the Won is being gone about in the most system' atic mannor, and tho plant is obviously of tho latest typo. 'The amount of work thathas. been done in tho twelve .months' rather, Biu-prised me. I was very pleased to seoi the length which has been driven at tho' Otira, and I fancy that if tho contractors do not meet with any unknown difficulties at the Boaley end, and if they make , tho same progress thero, thore is a reasonable hope of the tunnel being" put through about'the time anticipated. Ono striking feature is that practically, tho: of the work iii being; done on tho ground, 1 even to' making, tho concrete blocks to ho used ■ for mining tlte tuunol." '.' ' ■ ■■■ -■~.. Tho Minister said ho was not greatly impressed with tho country on the Canterbury sido from Broken River westwards. "1 look for the making of the traffic toba from, tho timber and coal'from the coast," ■ho said. '.'Whan the timber, is cleared away, according to thosowlio know-most about tho West Coast land,-a very large portion of-the-laud will make splendid dairying country. This seems to be borno out by the fact t-hat when .you-: do come across: any cattlb thoy are in very good condition. Of course, it is quite possible that tho Canterbury land to bo traversed'is not a fair sample of that which lies further back. You ; can.. boo stretches-of land which one would imagine could be cultivated or made, to can-y more stock than they apparently flo ; at present. Whether it ii-ould , ever bo suitable for cutting up,into small areas for sottlement I am not expert enough to say,:but I think' it would be capable of; carrjTng a conßiderablyjarger population than a't present..Thoro must bo an enormous timber traffic from tho Coast for years to come. It is almoet certain that tho better conditions in which coal will bo bandied, in addition to'the-fact that it will go right through to Christehureh, wili' more than compensate for tho increased rate which will, bo charged over the railway as. compared with steamer carriage I don't think tho, steamer trade. to Lyttelton will be affected, as there will still bo tho demand for coal for,.steamers lying.there Large quantities of coal will still bo carried tq • Lyttelton, at least," he : added as ian after thought, "until'• the- canal is finished."" '•■ •