LYTTLETON TUNNEL

Hokitika Guardian, 18 February 1929, Page 2

LYTTLETON TUNNEL

A PIONEER ’S STORY. (Lyttelton Times). Many changes have taken place at the port of Lyttelton since-the official opening of the Lyttelton tunnel in 1868. During the sixty-one'years: that have passed the harbour has been constructed, steamships have taken > the place of the picturesque wind-jammers, and now electricity has ousted steam' so far as the connecting link between Christchurch' and the port of Canterbury is concerned. All these changes and hundreds of others have been witnessed by one old and respected resident of Lyttelton, Mr John Bowden, who took part in the building of the Lyttelton tunnel. He is one of the small band of pioneers wiio assisted

-to build many important ;.works in Canterbury, and who look bao.k with pleasure on the growth of Canterbury and New Zealand. < ’ Though nearly ninety-two? years of age, Mr Bowden enjoys goixl [.health. He is hale and hearty, anrl enjoys reading the newspapers. Unf« witunatcly, however, some time ago, M.S Bowden had a fall and injured a 1c. 5 > since when lie has been confined to biis bed. Had it not been .for the aceid/e-nt no doubt he would have been one fir>f the most interested guests at yestoi day’s function. \ To a reporter who called on M r 1 How - den on Thursday last he gave a ,vivid description of the conditions l w nler which the tunneTlers worked during the excavating of the tunnel. Pin native methods were employed comp i red with to-day, and it was remark a hie that during blasting operations ir.w re accidents did not occur. So far as he could remember during the eight tv >n months he worked at the tunnel onl.v

one man was slightly injured. Most of the men engaged on the tunnel work were Cornishmen, but there were men from all parts of the world. Long hours were worked,'and one shilling per hour was the rate of pay. For the most part the tunnelling was through very hard rock, but a portion consisted of a much softer typo. About half way through a small cave was encountered which contained a lot of water. Ibis cave was supposed at the- time to come right through from Sumner. When the contractors for the tunnel reduced thq rate of pay from 8s to 6s per day Mr Bowden left and assisted to obtain 7000 yards of stone from quarry on the Bridle Path for the building of the Anglican Cathedral. The Hokitika, gold rush was then on and Mr Bowden decided to try liis luck prospecting. Ho remained on the West Const for a week, during the whole of which time it rained incessantly, and, when a- Frenchman whom he met told him that lie had been

there for six weeks and had not experienced a single dry day, iMr Bowden thought that Lyttelton and his family was a more suitable place, so he returned home. Later Mr Bowden obtained work platelayng. Mr Bowden considers that he must be the oldest platelayer alive in New Zealand, for he was platelaying at Heathcote before the tunnel was constructed.

'l’lie- first person to pass through the tunnel, said Mr Bowden, was a workman named William Perkins, at the time engaged in the tunnel. Perkins crawled through a- small hole, and was very proud of the honour. Another important work, on which Mr Bowden was engaged was the building of the coach road across the Otira Gorge. Mr W. Perkins referred to was the father of the Rev. John Perkins, until lately Vicar of All Saints, Hokitika. It is interesting to note that Rev. and Mrs Perkins were present at the earl-

ier portion of the function, but Mr .’Perkins was not well enough to remain tifl the end of the festivities.