LYTTELTON TUNNEL.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18127, 17 July 1924, Page 10

LYTTELTON TUNNEL.

DUPLICATION AND ELECTRIFICATION.

QUESTIONS IN THE HOUSE.

(SPECIAL TO "THE PRESS.")

WELLINGTON, July 16.

In the House of Representatives this afternoon, replying to Mr Witty, the Hon. J. G. Coates said: The Railway Department is not aware that any extra charge is made on goods passing through the Lyttelton tunneL On the contrary all general goods between Lyttelton and Christchurch or vice versa are charged at a ■ special rate, which is well below what would be payable if the ordinary classified rates as per the railway tariff were charged.

Mr Sullivan asked .whether the Minister would give an assurance that the decision to get an expert report on the duplication of suburban lines would not result in delaying the duplication of the Lyttelton tunneL The Minister stated that he could only say that this work would take its order in relative importance on the programme at present being considered by the Government. (Hear, hear.) At the moment he was unable to Bay whether the project would be No. 1 or No. 2. That question would be reviewed in due course.

Mr Sullivan: Is it dependent upon the electrification report t Mr Coates: I don't know that. I can't even say that. I do not see exactly, where that comes in, and if I did see, it would not have a. great deal of weight with the hon. gentleman. Beplying to a question by Mr Armstrong about the electrification of the tunnel, Mr Coates said the programme of ■ improvements ■ that it • was <.proposed to carry out was novyr under ntion,.but.a final .decision in; regard to : the various, .works had.-not yet beenmade. It wais not, therefore, possible to say definitely at thisistage whether any provisiott. lnade ott"- this year's estimates for the works which formed the subject matter of the question.

In a letter sent recently t to the Minister ,of ".Public Works, Mr H. R Best, president of the Canterbury Industrial Association, expressed the hop -• that the decision to obtain expert ad vice on railway electrification would nob cause delay m the. duplication and electrification of the Lyttelton tunnel and electrification of the ChristchurchLyttelton line. In his telegraphed reply, the Minister stated that the representations would have his consideration when the list of important works was under review.