THE ROUND HILL.

Evening Star, Issue 4087, 1 April 1876, Page 3

THE ROUND HILL.

1 : Fflrtherhad hews cornea to us from this I contract. On the Lawrence end of the tun--1 nel slips of earth are continually taking I place. The cause is obvious to the most J casUhl observer. The face of the tunnel has I been opened up to a depth of about sixty I feet, whilst the width of the drive is only about sixteen feet, consequently the'soft rock is giving way upon all sides, and at the present time the mouth of the drive is completely blocked up by the fallen debris. I Men are constantly employed by the contractors removing the earth as it falls; hut their efforts to keep the face clear are futile, owing to the confined space in which they have to work ; and even then it is often at the risk of the lives of the workmen. Had it not been for this mishap, the works at' this, end of the tunnel would have been in a forward state. On the Mainuka Creek side, driving is being prosecuted with all due diligence, and the work of securing the ground is equally satisfactory, A , large portion of the old brick work has been removed and substituted with a stronger lining on the new plan adopted by the engineers, and if no serious accident occurs, that side of -the tunnel will shortly be permanently secured. For months, past this work has Occupied the sole attention of both engineers and contractors. As no difficulties were anticipated on the Lawrence end, it is moat unfortunate that a fresh obstacle such as described should have happened when everything was going on swimmingly, and former troubles had been triumphantly surmounted —‘Tuapeka Times.’ ’•