NOTES FROM THE BIG TUNNEL. [FROM OUR KIHIKIHI CORRESPONDENT.]

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2214, 16 September 1886, Page 2

NOTES FROM THE BIG TUNNEL. [FROM OUR KIHIKIHI CORRESPONDENT.]

At the tunnel work is not going on very fast, owing to the excessive and continue 8 wet. In connection with the whole contract about 120 men are employed, lut when the work is in full awing there will be fully 200. At the tunnel DO to 100 are at work, but the weather has been such as to preclude the possibility of doing any work other than that at the hill and approaches. Work is being carried on at the .north and south ends of the tunnel. The approaches at the latter end are about completed. The preparations for brick making, which are on a very extensive sc.ile, are finished or nearly so. Owing to the exceedingly rough nature of the country the cost of preparing a suitable drying ground for the bricks has been excessive. This, however, haa been accomplished, and everything is now in a fair way of beginning the work of making as soon as the fine weather sets in. The value o! this work is considerable, as for a distance of 25 miles on either side there is no clay suitable for brick making, and as the railway works are extended and settlement progresses bricks will be in demand. Mr OBrien bridged all the rivers and creeks between Kuiti and the tunnel last summer ; were it not for this, all connection would have been stopped, and they would haTe been at a standstill. The work of boring will be commenced immediately, for in a short time everything will be in trim for it. Till the present all goods wore carted by way of Otorohanga, but owing to the bad state of the roads this had to be abandoned. Some idea of their condition will be formed from the fact that the most five or six horses could take there at present is 15 cwt. As soon, however, as the rails on Mr Coates contract are laid, everything required will be taken by train to that place. From Otorohanga goods are taken by boats to Kuiti, and from thence to the tunnel are packed ; but when the roads are dry enough to admit of it carts or waggons will be used instead of packhorses. There are now four boats constantly employed, but there will soon be four more engaged in the work, the contract for building them at Alexandra having been let. The four now engaged take nine tons each trip. The water carriage saves a land portage of 15 miles, over a broken and difficult country. Mr OBrien has obtained a considerable extent of land at Kuiti, which he is now cultivating for the purpose of growing feed for his horses and bullocks. His son who is in charge at the tunnel has established among the workmen a library fund and also a hospital and accident fuud. The advantages arising from the latter have already been experienced by one man who fell sick and was unable to work ; he was sent down to Waikato for medical attendance, and when he recovered he returned to his work again. In this case the wisdom of providing against disablement has been fully exemplified. The advantage of having reading matter in a place so far from civilisation is also considerable, as without it life there would be monotonous in the extreme. The distance from hero is about sixty-five miles, which means a ride of two days over the rough and hilly country. The land lying round Poro-a-tarao hill is of poor quality, the flats consisting chiefly of pumice ; the ridges and spurs are of somewhat better quality. Between Otorohanga and Kuiti the country is good and suitable for agriculture. That portion over which the road runs is, however, rough and broken. It is also good from the latter place to the Mokau, but beyond that point is only suitable for sheep walks, the hills being, as stated, rather better than the flats. Still, however, they are too rough for anything but the purpose just mentioned. Judging from the description given me of it — for I have not seen it— l should say it would be just the country for merinos and crossbreds. The cross between these and the Cotswold do remarkably well in such a country, as they are very hardy.

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