MATIERE TO OKAHUKARA.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 38, 16 February 1915, Page 7

MATIERE TO OKAHUKARA.

Concerning “Our Railway.” a repiosentafive of the Ohura Advocate writes: — , Notwithstanding difficulties in w,;l- - with the war, the Public Works Department apocars to lie doingood work in the construction of railways, roads, and bridges in the district, RAILWAY. On a visit of inspection, a few days ago 1 found that steady progress is being made right along the line from Matiere to the junction at Okahnkara, with the exception of the bridge over the Ongarue at the Main Trunk end, but, so far, no move has been made in this matter as regards'construction work. At Matiere, Mr J. L. Ryan is still proceeding with his formation contract through tin' township, and is now engaged on a cutting near Dr. Lumsden’s residence. This is the last cutting on the western end ot the Mailere section, as here the railway (worses the road and on to the Hat, where a few chains farther on is the proposed site for the Matiere railway station. At the eastern end of the township, another cutting is under way to meet Mr Ryan’s contract. A little farther on across the flat, a short tinno! is to he made through the hill at the* hack of Mr Gray’s house, but is not yet commenced. At Marshall’s) about the 16-mile, the main road is being deviated for some chains in length, as the line of railway at this point will occupy tlic present line. Hero, the railway will cross the Oh lira river, and just over the other side is to be a tunnncl of 7i chains which is now being constructed by Messrs Cameron and Ragnst, who arc simply making things hum hi connection, with this work. The situation is convenient to the road, the approaches not cbdicult, and the boring good and dry. A capital plant consisting of a 22 h.p. Tangye engine with air receiver of 951 bs pressure for working two sets of drills, is installed on the river bank alongside the road. From here the compressed air is conveyed thronogh pipas across the river to the workings at each end of the tunnel where it is connected with the drills by means of flexible hose pipes. I was invited into the heading to see the “popper” at work, and was impressed with the rapidity of boring in comparison to the old hand drill. The popper or machine for working the drill is not, considering its power, a veery formidable looking affair. It consists of a cylindrical form of about five inches in diameter and 18 inches in length,

attached to the rubber air pipe, and is | kept in position while drilling by pressure of the workman’s body. The popper emits a loud crackling noise i not unlike a motor bike, and is sorn •- 1 what deafening inside the tunnel. A short drill of about one foot in length ! is first used to start the hole, then one j of 6ft; the whole length being completed in a few minutes. Seventeen or . eighteen of such holes are put into 1 the face and the whole lot charged | and exploded with fuse, with appar--1 ently good results. About 35 men 1 are engaged on this work, and, although recently started, good progress I has been made, an average of one i chain per week at each end, and is expected to be pierced in two weeks’ i time. From this tunnel to the work at Warren’s at the 11-mile is really only a short distance on the line of railway as it takes a direct course through I the hush, thus avoiding the circuitous route of the main road. At Warren’s tile work, is also making headway, the deep cutting being of a clay formation j which should warrant its completion at an early date. Other work to meet this is going on where the, road crosses the line near the 13-mile, where for a considerable distance little or no formation will lie required. Near Davis’s at the 13-mile, approaches are J being made for a tunnel of five chains in length. All along the route from

the 11 and 12-miie to the western end of the big tunnel formation work continues, also botweeh the tunnel and Main Trunk, where many of the cuttings arc now joined by the format ion. Judging by appearances and in formation to band it seems that the most likely obstacle to the line being used as a possible medium for goods traffic within the 1 next 12 months, will he the need of the bridge oyer the Ongarue near the railway station at Okaluikara, as this structure, a double decked affair, will take a good time to complete, THE OKAHF TUNNEL. This is the big tunnel, of 75 chains in length now under construction by the Messrs Forrest. Some months ago it was stated that barring no obstacles wore encountered, it was expected to be pierced by February. That time has now arrived, but there still remains a little more than one third of the work before the tunnel is pireced, as considerable trouble and delay lias been caused by striking a stream of water in the western end of tbo workings. This, lias been overcome, and the two workings are expected to meet in about thre months’ time, and a commencement made to open out the tunnel to its full width at the eastern end, in a month’s time. Things are already beginning to look more shipshape on the outside. A good length of the approach work is finished off and cleaned up. Approximately, 10 chains to the tunnel month proper, await completion. This is now being done by

what is known in mining parlance as

a “rise” ; a hole or shaft is sunk through tho earth to the tunnel below and trucks placed in position to receive the debris worked from above. From this end the trucks can go in to tho end of tho working, but at the western end there is about two months’ work before tho large mullock waggons can Van into the face ill the tunnel. ' BRICK V A HI) WORKS. The manufacture of bricks at the M-mile, for railway purposes, is now going on, but 1 was not favorably impressed with the quality of the bricks turned out. They seem to be roughly made and of a brittle nature, perhaps not altogether the fault of the manufacture, but it seemed to me that the deposit from which the clay or soil was obtained on a flat terrace near the river, is too much of a silt formation. 1 am not speaking as an expert, but I have often seen much hotter bricks. Yet, this clay was supposed to be tested and pronounced the best thing in the country, but probably it was not an average sample, as i still believe that the material is at fault. Large drying sheds with heating flues to ensure the proper drying of the bricks before being placed in the kiln with :in up-and-down draught is now in use for the first time and it therefore remains to he seen how the new process will turn out. HOADS. That a railway into the Ohura district will effect a great transformation scene is apparent to any thinking person, more especially in respect to metalling of roads and consequent development of the country, as the great draw-back to the district is the scarcity of easily accessible road metal. But, on a tributary of the Mangaroa stream, in the rough hilly country some three and a half miles from Ohura township, is an enormous deposit of shingle with a depth of about 60 feet, and which appears to be the source of the deposit washed down tho Mangaroa to the township. Apparently, there is enough metal here for all roads and railways in the district. With the railway to Ohura and a

branch line or tramway to the metal, it could be carried along the railway and placed on all the roads within carting distance of the line. And this is a metal that requires no crushing, is easily hajulled, and makes splendid roads. As evidence of this, the length i of metalled road extending for one and | a half miles on each yidc of the township, and which is so much appreciated by travellers after wallowing through the mud, is a part of this de. posit that was taken from the river bed at Ohura and placed on the road dx or seven years ago, and with little attention has withstood all the heavy traffic and is still in splendid condition. At Tatu, nine miles farther on, and convenient to the reserved line of railway, is a similar deposit. Near the Waitewhena road ‘in the direction of Te Kuiti, appears another outcrop, also in the TahgavakaU Oorge'towards Stratford ;• evidently the same line of formation. bo.With- the railway and proper’use of this metal, just imagine the great and good effects it must have on the district! RYAN ROAD. In dealing with roads or more especially the main road it is difficult to understand why, in places, the road should be taken over hilly country when a shorter and'level route could be opened up. I refer particularly to Ryan road. This branches off.the main road near .Mr Howie’s woolshed at Toe J Toe and joins the Prentice road near Xiho Niho. This road line, which is only available as a bridle track, follows the course of the Ohura river and passes through what will be one of the most picturesque little valleys in the district, which, with its rich flats and good hilly country will make some nice .little farms and is already settled. And yet, on account of its isolation (so near and yet so far) it is questionable if it is well known to many outside residents of the district. The road is a comparatively easy one,to make or widen out, as there are not many side cuttings, as it practically follows the river flat, but would require a bridge over the Ohura near the Prentice road in place of the narrow suspension one in use at present. This is on the railway route, the station site is laid off here for Xiho Xiho, and the junction of a new road line. The sum of £250 is priced on the Estimates for improving this track, hut of course it will require much more to convert it into a main traffic road. Why, the hill road from Toe Toe to the Prentice road should have been used for so many years past in laboriously hauling heavy loads through the deep mud on steep grades, is hard to say, but probably it commenced as an old bullock track in the open country, but it is evident that the Ryan road could have been completed for less cost than the opening and maintenance of this one besides providing a level and much shorter route. However, the advent of the railway will alter this, and with the shingle from the metal reserve already mentioned, one can easily imagine a beautiful road through one of the most picturesque and profitable little valleys in the Ohura.