TUNNEL OPENING CELEBRATIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 August 1923, Page 2

TUNNEL OPENING CELEBRATIONS.

BATI'RDAVS ARRANGK-\ IENTS. The special train to convey the Government guests to the ceremony of opening the tunnel on Saturday will leave Christchurch at. 8.30 a.m. and is due to arrive at Otira at 1 p.m. Tho prime Minister will open the new power-house near the Otira. railway station, and the party will afterwards proceed to the tunnel mouth, where the Hon. .1. G. Coates (Minister of Pul>lie Works and Railways) will declare ihe tunnel open for traffic. Mr Coates will then perform the duty of driving the ti am through ,the (tunnel. The departure from Otira. will he made at 3.10 p.m.. and the train is due to reach Christchurch at 7.15 p.m. Mr F. W. Furkert, F.ngineer-in-Chief to the Public Works Department on Wednesday, went on by motor-car to Otira, in order to make final arrangements for the opening ceremony. Arrangements have been made for a film to be taken of the Midland P,ailwav and the coach route from Arthur's Pass to Otira. It is hoped also to take :i film of tlie last run of the coach services. Speeches at the opening ore to be limited to live minutes, except in the ca.se of the Prime Minister, who will be allowed toil minutes.

Till'. MIDLAND RAILWAY. INTERESTING NOTES. The Broken Ri er-Cass section was opened on 10th. Deccu her, 1910. The Cess-A i thur s Pass sect ion wa s opened on 1-t. July, 1914. The summit of the line at Arthur’s Pass is 1.177 feet above Otira station, and 2.4.% foot above sea. level. The total expenditure by ill? general Government to 31: t "March, 1922, on the l.'ollestoa to Bealey section was £334.519; and on the Bealey to Givymouth section, £1,452,523. In addition the valuation of works constructed by tlie Midland Railway Company totalled <1325, -HIS.

McLean and Sons were the contractors for dm construction of the Arthur's Pass tunnel. Sir Jiveph Ward fired the first shot at the R.ol!e*ton Valley entrance to the tunnel. Otira end, on Ma v 5, 1908. Tho contractors were relieved of their contract and the work was taken over by tho Government on 28th. December. 1012, in pursuance of a recommendation by a Parliamentary Select Committee. Since taking over the Public Works Department's engineers have carried on the work prineip "Hy by day labor.