OTIRA TUNNEL.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 May 1922, Page 4

OTIRA TUNNEL.

LINK MAY * BTC' OPKNKI) IX I ’ BKC'KMHKK. | A PROCiI! KKN IiKPORT. ' : (Monday's Lyttelton Times.) j Thai the railway line m the W’o-t.. | Coast through tile'Ulira tunnel can lie | officially opened in Dr< ember is I In 1 < opinion of Mr P. I!. Cliinie, n'gii'iisrr i of the Canterbury Progress League, | who has just rolurneil from a visit to | llie West. (oast, ylt is certainly |>es- ( , table,” said Mr Cliinie yesterday, “IniL i , a }rrea.lor effort will have to he pit into , the ballasting, as this is having a re- < (aiding effect on the work of the elec- 1 t iricttl contractors and the election ol ] the permanent bridge over the Healey.” . Mr (Hiinie stated that he •>1 some ( hesitancy in making any definite state- t ment on account nl the lac k ( I upra r- . tunity of making a thorough inspec- j tion of the work on his wiv through, , and what he hail to say represented his ] impressions after a superficial visit On Tuesday, in company with the Progress , League's party, lie went through the i tunnel and had an opportunity of in- t spoeting the station yards at Arthur's Pass and 'Odra, Coming hack on j Saturday lie had an opportunity of \ bricHv inspecting the power station at the Otira end. lie was very pleased | with the rapid progress that, bad been j made with the erection of the station, which was within about two months of completion, and reflected great credit . upon the officer in charge and the men 1 employed on it. A start had hocn made with the installation of the power house machinery, which was proeeo ling simultaneously with the eons'ruction oi . the building. The large overhead trav--1 elling crane was already in place and a l, j ;( 1 of it was given during his visit. As far as could he ascertained, the ; machinery was arriving without any further delay than that already caused hv the big strike in England. and, although one could not say anything definite, it certainly looked as it there ' was every prospect of having the power station in operation in time for the opening of the tunnel in December, Similar progress nnix>iired to have keen made with the station yard at Otira. ami although it was extremely diflicul' to judge, it seem al possible that the work would be finished hv December, providing mi uidoiscen troubles urns’. I "I was n t al all iicnressed with (•’-.■ position in regard to the ballasting ’of the line in the tunnel,’’ Mr Cliinie j add d. “Th ’ plate-laving has bed j finished- - that is to suv. the heavy lOTl'i J -ails have been laid in position an I I allnsting is now being gone on with, hut nil! ■ss more progress is made during ti e in .vi m.\" nninP's than has hoe : ! made in the last f i. months, there will be no possible elumce ol finishing lie’ work by December. Ti e Department I will have to speed t'ds work along at ] a very much greater Pace. I midtstaiul i 1 1: one cf the calces ol delay j has la . n the continual interruption in j Ihe tunnel, due to the transport ol 1 poser-house mnchiixn y. and wliil • t'us is likely to continue, it will not he unite sa serious hum non on. There has been a certain aine'int ol dobiv connected with (lie screening and crushing paint at ti■ • Art hut 's Pass end. and tho-Y delays are not likely to recur, liallasiing is iindonh 1 cdly the mo'l backward work dial one could oils' ’l'vc." No serious delay was likely, Mr Cliinie said, in electing the permanent bridge over the Ifealey River at the Artlmr's Pass end. Tl.e gird us were to tom.l mnl wore I.ring l.ollo'l iv.gctl'c:iii readiness for mining into place as soon as the ballasting was completed. The overhead cable was not \et in position, hut this would follow the ballasting, and from his impairies he did not tld.uk the work of the coot ractoi s would delay I lie opening ill ally way. T'-e electric locomotives for the ttlili cl. Mr Cliinie said, were now at hand hut he did not I lliuk t ''ey would he taken III) to die tunnel until the power was available. They would run between the Arthur's Ihiss and Otira i Statinns, taking the place of steam j lecomotives. I' niiti Arthur s Pass to ; Otira. which was downhill, the locomo- j lives would lie used largely for hiaking j the trains hill on the return dip they j would have heavy work to do. |