ARTHUR'S PASS TUNNEL

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 220, 11 June 1920, Page 9

ARTHUR'S PASS TUNNEL

10 BE COMPLETED BY JUNE 1921

electrified by end of NEXT YEAR - In connection lvith the opening-out v and concreting of the Arthur's.Puss tunncl, the Public Works' Department keeps an interesting graph showing the . progress of tho work, each little squaro of space on the chart representing a week of timo. On tho same graph was'registered the progress of the boring work, and there is shown tho spot where the two working parties met, and whero it ■was calculated they would meet. In time tho Department's engineers wero only a week, out in their calculations, and in position a few yards c.ut. One straight line on one sido shows where 110 progress was made at all (owing to Die strike), and had that not occurred the through bores would probably havo met exactly. Tho Superintending engineer (Mr. F. W. Furkert) indicated yesterday that he lind calculated that, at the present rate of progress with the Work of completing tho tunnel itself, the job should be finished about June 10, 1921.- After that there would be the necessary work of laying and baliasting tho track.'through the tunnel, end the building of tho tracks, sidings, and station buildings. In all, there would probably be about teiv. miles of tracks included in the section to be electrified (which would, of course, inolude tho Otira and Arthur's Pass stations, and contingent siding). The tenders for the electrification of the tunnel section of the line (tho tunnel itself is 5 l-3rd miles in length), arc to close at the end of the month, Representatives are iii New Zealand from America and England for. the purpose of submitting tenders for the big work. This will mean tlie erection of a powerbouse and' the installation- of a steamdriven plant, capable of generating the •energy required for tho complete electrification'of'the section... As the successful contracting firm is being allowed eighteen months to do the work, it,is assumed that, barring accidents or unprevontable delays, the railway line connccting Canterbury with the West Coast should be in operation early in 1922. - . EXTENSIVE FALL OF ROCK MINERS. WARNED BY CRACKING TIMBER. , By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch, June 10. . The Otira corresp/ndcnt cf the "Press" telegraphed this wening as follows:— About 12 o'clock wist night the cracking of .'timber gave the miners working in Otira Tunnel warning that a large fall of rock was /oing to take place, and' that they should. escape to a place of safety quickly. 'Shortly after the timber gave .way. It was the biggest fall ol earth that has ever taken piace in the Otira Tunnel. The fall', is about four miles in from the Otira .end, and>ds estimated to-take three or four veeks "to clear. This is most regrettable, lis great headway was being, made, under tho con- ) tract system. i