AN INCIDENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 November 1923, Page 1

AN INCIDENT.

IN A GREAT ENTERPRISE, A SOUTH AVESTLANI) BLAST, sUCCESSFI'LLY ACCOMPLTSHED. On© of the special industries of Westland’s future is well recognised to he that of sawmilling, and foremost in that industry stands the- undertaking of the firm of Messrs Stuart and Chapman Ltd. They have been engaged for many years in pushing on the advancement of the industry in South Westland. Following their enterprise, among other works was the successful bridging of the Mikomii river, and the throwing open of that bridge has proved an oft told boon to travellers to the South who have to cross that turbulent stream.

In their endeavour to push on the advancement of the timber industry in South Westland this well-known firm have been busily engaged in pushing on the erection of a tramway from Ross, southward bound towards the magnificent forest that exists south of flic Waitalm river. The erection of the bridge over the Alikonui was one of ihe special difficulties Hint wore successfully accomplished. Then the, t ramway was pushed on until the Waita-lia river was reached. Here another long bridge was needed to cross this large stream. This structure which is nearly ton chains long is, with the exception of the Alikonui bridge, the longest. strongest nnd most expensive tramway bridge yet erected on the West Coast. Tt is a fine substantial bridge that will serve the firm for many long years to come. On the south side of the Waitahn river, the tramway runs around the edge of a, precipitous cliff’, causing a large amount of heavy cutting, over a distance of some 2-1 chains. Already some sixteen chains have been effected making a great alteration along the front of tho terrace.

AVitli the completion of this Iff chains of heavy cutting a vertical cliff was reached some 80 feet in height, nnd to enable [heir work to he carried on it was decided to attempt to blow away the whole front- of the terrace. This work was successfully accomplished yesterday afternoon, proving a, distinct success from every point of view, in spite of inclement, weather conditions which were feared would interfere with the success of the operation.

The work has been carried out under the, supervision of ATr G. IT. Chapman with. Air AV. E. Jones as foreman. To enable iho blast to bo carried out-, a tunnel some two chains long was driven into the hill along the line of Iho proposed tramway, which was xomo 17 feet from the top of tho terrace, while below the tram line there was a fall of 33 feet, the total height of tho terrace being over SO feet. The cut put. in the hillside was from lift. 0 inches to 20 feet in from tho outer wall, and the amount of earth covered on the lop as it was by a crop of heavy hush was estimated at live thousand tons. THE EXPLOSION.

In the tunnel fourteen mines were laid, and connected with an electric cable, with two electric detonators to each mine. The ends of the cables were taken to tho firing point on the top of the terrace and the mine was exploded with a special magneto obtained for the purpose. On top of the terrace a cutting was made along the line ol atl-'u-k. and here nine smaller mines were laid, and the two mines were fired 'practically isimu.lttinuon.sly. Air ■T. R. T.eggoe, representative in Now Zealand for Nobels Explosives Ltd., was in charge of the mine-laying operations, coming to the district specially io supervise the laying of the mines, iho work being carried out under his personal supervision, and lie fired tlie main shot, while Air Bat ringer (Inspector of Explosives) who was present, by invitation, fired the smaller shot. Promptly at three o’clock. the hour appointed for the firing of the shot, the worlc had been completed, the heavy rain that had fallen during the previous 12 hours making it urgent- to carry out the final episode before tlie charge was affected by the damp. At that- hour “till clear” was sounded, and Air Chapman gave the signal lrom Hi,.* river bank below to these at- the firing point on the terrace above. Almost immediately there was a heavy muffled explosion, (he two mines exploring .almost as one. and then the whole hillside affected, gave a great shiver, and then slid away from the hill into the flat below, trees, stones and debris settling down and eleating the

way to further progress. Of the huge fall fully 80 per cent went over Hie sidling, while tlieie wore further continuous falls as the cath gradually worked loose and. 1011. The blast proved a great success, the whole oi iho desired part of the hillside having come clean away. There was very little oi the fireworks display in the blast. Only at one corner, near the entrance to the tunnel did the force of the explosion break away and cause some stones to rise in the air lor a distance of peihnps a hundred feet. The remainder of the blast did its work well, showing that the operator had well gttagod the amount of explosive necessary to success fully accomplish the work in hand. The amount of explosive used was 5 ewt. of gelignite. THE WORK REMAINING.

The success of the blast having been accomplished, thereby saving a U ‘J large expenditure, that would have been involved in cutting away the terrace by manual liilior. the work will he continued on the same siyk* and scale for another five chains, entailing further blasting operations, which it is assured can now he successfully accomplished, nnd then a further three chains of lighter trenching to carry the trnmwa\ round the edge of the bluff. Then a further 13 chains on flat country will take the tramway into the sawmill area which is the present objective of the firm’s operations. The scene of yesterday's operations was 10.1 miles from the Ross railway station, and its course involved tlie erection of the two large budges on. the Alikonui and Waitahn rivers, so that some idea of the extent of the enterprise can by gathered. The undoubted success of yesterday s operation gave great satisfaction! to all concerned, and Air Leggoe was particularly complimented on the success that' resulted.