DAYLIGHT THROUGH THE HILL.

Shannon News, 13 March 1923, Page 3

DAYLIGHT THROUGH THE HILL.

• NO. 1 TUNNEL PIERCED. ' MANGAHAO MILESTONE PASSED ON SATURDAY. The piercing oi' the No. 1 tunnel was completed at the Mangahao Hydro on Saturday afternoon at 2 o’clock.' This, tunnel, which is slightly over a mile in length, is the intake from the Mangahao River to the Storage dam at Arapeti. Nearly half of the distance was excavated from the river end, and this portion, under Messrs. Bloomfaeid and party, was finished at the end of January last. The Arapeti end, under Messrs. G. Nash and party, contained about 42 chains. The whole tunnel has been of a very hard nature, the only timbering necessary being at the Arapetf endMessrs. Taylor and Browne com. pieted their shift at 2 p.m. on Saturday, their 'final act being to fire “a round.”. After making the necessary, count of the explosions, they came off shift, and their places were taken by Messrs. Shaw and McGregor. On reaching the face these tunnellers were gladly surprised to notice that it was possible to see daylight at the river end through the fissure in the exploded rock. The presence of “stale air” from'* the other end proved that the. hill had been pierced. A small charge fired by Tunneller Shaw cleared a hole about three feet square, and "in a little while the clear atmosphere was sufficient, to sight the levels and report “all in line.”

Yesterday (Monday) the shifts have excavated to the full bore, and the rock is being trucked" out.

Mr Nash pays the highest tribute to his party of tunnellers throughout the contract, and is hopeful to have everything cleared up this week. The tunnel is concreted some 25 chains front the Arapeti end.

Naturally a good deal of interest Was in evidence in the local camp, and bv half-past six a party of four men. walked right’ through the tunnel and reported the news to the River Camp. Thi journey from mouth to mouth occupied twenty minutes. On Sunday quite a number traversed the tunnel. ’ Happily the excavation of the whole of this. tunnel has been completed without loss of life.