SHOTS HEARD
PROGRESS IN ORONGORONGO TUNNEL
PARTIES WITHIN 1000 FEET
Work on the big tunnel through the mountain range which separates the Wainui and Orongorongo Valleys proceeds apace. The most interesting news of the week from the tunnel is that early on Tuesday morning the tunnellers working on the Orongorongo side heard, for the first time, shots fired on the Wainui side of the job.
On Friday last only 1000 ft. separated the working parties. Judging by recent reports received by the city engineer’s department, the rate of progress in both tunnels is approximately 100 ft. every week of six days, which means that in about ten weeks’ time the mountain should be pierced, if present conditions continue. This is based on the information that for the fortnight ended November 30 the progress on the Wainui side was 83 ft. and that on the Orongorongo side 118 ft., a total of 201 ft. in two weeks (working three eight-hour shifts in the 24 hours).
If this calculation proves to be correct, the tunnel should be pierced towards the end of February, as added to the ten weeks mentioned is the fortnight’s holiday the co-operative tunnellers observe at Christmas and New Year.
The work of piping the water from Orongorongo to the upper dam at Karori cannot be undertaken as soon as the tunnel is through, but the flow can be used to augment the supply in the Morton dam by simply conducting the pipe—which is being laid through the tunnel and used for ventilating the drive as the men advance—to the George Creek, which flows past the Wainui camp into the Morton dam.
At Monday’s meeting of the council a question was asked by Councillor C. H. Chapman as to the position of the new pipe-line from Orongorongo to Karori. He was informed by the Mayor that tenders had been called (they close next month), and as soon as they were in one would be accepted, and the work would be proceeded with at once.
It looks at present as though the job of making the connection between Orongorongo and Karori may occupy the whole of next year.
