THE OTIRA TUNNEL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 53, 26 November 1920, Page 8

THE OTIRA TUNNEL

■ * CEMENT SHORTAGE DELAYS COMPLETION. Br Tslearanh—Pr<*s Aiaociation Cliristchurch, November 25. Mr. Climie, organiser for the Canterbury Progress League, returned to-night trom a visit to the Otira tunnel works. He found that the failure to keep up normal supplies of cement was retarding the progress of the work of lining the tunnel to a very marked and serious extent. It was estimated that approximately 50 tons of cement were required each week to. keep the three shifts at each end of the tunnel fully employed on work which normally followed closely behind the top headings, and which could not be delayed owing to. danger of the roof and walls falling in. During the last seven months, however, the cement supplies had only averaged 20 tons per week, or 00 per cent, below requirements. This had resulted in the men at times having to .be placed on other work, such ! as cleaning up, which ordinarily would have been left over till the completion of the lining, when it could havo been done much more expeditiously and at considerably less cost to the Department. There ', is another thirty-three cliains of lining to be done in order to complete tho tunnel, which under normal conditions would [ take eight months. If the shortage continues, on the basis of the last seven '■ months, it is calculated that it will re- , quiro fully twenty months to do this eight months' work. In view of this seri- . ous financial loss to. the country and retardation of tho completion of tho tunnel, Mr. Climie suggests that the qucstion of importing cement from Australia • should. be seriously considered by the 1 Government. "