OTIRA TUNNEL

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10289, 26 May 1919, Page 5

OTIRA TUNNEL

FULL SPEED URGED

TSBEE YEARS TO COMPLETE AT

PRESENT RATE

Che Minister tor Public Works (Sir William i-raser) was waited upon last weeJi >v a deputation of Canterbury una u ta . Coast members of Parliament, ivno urged him to push on with all speed the-work at tne Utira tunnel. The deputation was not open to the vress, but the Minister uuutituoii so prepare a statement i»r puoUcatioii. me lollowing is wo .agister s statement: — .Uessrs isitt, Coivin, beddon, Ans toy, Talbot, Holland, ana JUcConios, .u.P.'s, am the Hon. iur Gninmonu, At.L.U, waited on me as a deputation in regard to matters connected wiwi -,uo Utira Tunnel. The. following were the principal sub- , )Cts dl3cus»u:—U; Tne desiro to see more men employed in order to hasten tne completion ot the woiis; W the »terui s'uii required to complete tne tunnel; (A l "e conditions 01 the cottages occupied Dy tne men; \±) what decision has been come to m regard to the electriheauon ot the tunnel.- ■ Yvith regard to -the first poiu, it was urged that tne disagreeable condimona under which the work ot widening and lining the tunnel had to "u periormea were such as to deter men trom engaging on it, and that tne only way to attract men was to increase tne pay above that lor ordinary labour. I pointed out that the j wage, earned by the employees was considerably in excess of that paid to any other workers m tho service 01 the Public Works Department. The men working in the tunnel at the Utira end were receiving lis per day t lor working sis hours, plus Is per day for travelling to and from work, or 15s per day in all. At the Bealey end the tunuellers were working on ' the "co-operative system, without limitation 01 hours, and were earning ills lOd per day, plus Is a day for travelling time, or 2Hs lUd per day in all. It was urged by some members of the deputation that the wage, to be attractive, should be 20s a day all round, and that the co-operative, or, small contract system should be abolished. lat once said that such a- proposal could not bo entertained. After some discussion I intimated my intention to submit the whole question as to increasing the present rate ot. wages on tho tunnel to the decision of Cabinet. This suggestion met with the approval of the deputation. : As to the second point—the time it will still take to complete the tunnel | with the present number of men, namely, from -135 to. 140—1 pointed outsat 4he-distance .still to be widened and linebt is*9o 'chains. The average rate of completion is about two and a-half chains per month, so that it will take about thirty-six months tinder present conditions. If a total of about 200 men were obtainable it ghould take over two years to complete the undertaking. As to the condition of the cottages, ' 1 undertook to have a report submlt-tod.-40.jn0 by,,ia■ cdmpetent official. At. the same timo--!:-pointed out how diffi-cult-it was to keep these huts in proper repair, owing to the indifference exhibited by some of th» occupant*. In regard to the electrification question, I intimated tha Mo decision had yet been arrived at as to which of Mr Par Ty's four schemes should be ad>pted. This was a most difficult proposition* .OT?ing.- v*ou ;.tben.ieavy rainfall , ■t there at- certanv-seßßons of the year,! and. the snow and frost during the winter months, all of which factors were likely .to militate against the stability of any work for permanently ■harnessing the streams in that neighbourhood. One fact was - , however beyond dispute—that a standby steam plant for generating electric power • would have to be established, whatever hy-dro-electric scheme was finally adopted. Tho whole of the steam generating plant" would be ordered shortly, so as to be ready to take the trains through the tunnel as soon as the tunnel was- completed.