COMPLETING HOMER TUNNEL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 248, 19 October 1937, Page 6

COMPLETING HOMER TUNNEL.

44 ... I had either to complete it or to abandon the work which had coet tens of thousands of pounds. It is one of the jobe which I would have thought very seriously about before spending the money. My own view is that the money would be far better spent on giving proper road i n<; facilities to back-country settlers. In my view it is not an urgent work." These remarks about the Homer tunnel formed part of a statement made by the Minister of Public Works, Mr. Semple, after an avalanche had killed two men and injured three others last May. In July, 1936, another avalanche had killed one and injured four. To-day it is announced that a contract has been let, as a preliminary to the completion J of the undertaking. This announcement will not be acceptable to the public without a full statement by Mr. Semple setting out (a) the original estimate of the cost of the tunnel; | (b) the cost to date; (e) the estimated cost of ! completing it; (d) his reasons for feeling assured that no more lives will be lost during j the construction; and (e) the number of: months in the year in which the Milford , Sound highway ("purely a tourists' road," he has said) is likely to be open and safe. As an addendum he might state how many miles of bockblock country roads could be formed nnd metalled with the money .spent and to be I spent on the Homer tunnel.