DUPLICATION.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18195, 4 October 1924, Page 12

DUPLICATION.

LYTTELTON TUNNEL. MINISTER'S DECISION ACCLAIMED. Several representative and prominent business men were interviewed yesterdav relative to the decision of the Hon. J G. Coatcs, Minister of Railways, to duplicate the Lvttclton tunnel, with the result that a unanimous chorus of appreciation has to be recorded. Chamber of Commerce Delighted. "The Council of the Chamber of Commerce is delighted to find the duplication of the tunnel definitely listed, and the date for its completion fixed in the Minister of Railways' supplementary statement," said Mr Stronach Patcrson, president, of the Chamber, yesterday. "We are anxiously awaiting definite advice as to when the work will be commenced, and are confident that, having placed the work on tho programme, the Minister will see th"e advisability of prosecuting it vigorously." Citizens' Association's Chairman.. Mr W. Machin, chairman of the Citizens' Association, said that it was very gratifying that tha Minister had decided to "take the "bull by the horns" and to duplicate the tunnel. In turning a deaf ear to his Departmental officers, Mr Coates had decided to embark on an enterprising and necessary policy which would, probably, bring reward to Canterbury and more abundant success, than would be the case by following the more stereotypod Departmental way of doing things. "We can wish nothing better," Mr Machin continued, "than thai Mr Coatcs might be in office to see tin completion of this work, which, he ststes, will'be within six years. The only thing required now is for him to state when the work is going to begin. I have no doubt that if ho could be induced to come down and turn the first sod within a .few weeks, or a few months, he would meet with the enthusiastic. reception that he deserves. Canterbury and the whole of the South Island will look forward to an announcement from him as to the date of the commencement of tho work, and it would be pleasing to the community to have a statement from him as to how much money it is intended to spend year by year on the duplication of the tunnel. He has almost certainly formed an opinion on this subject, and it would accord with the popular idea of the Minister's practice if he made a frank statement regarding it." Road Communication Between City and Port. Mr W. 11. Nicholson, Mayor of Sumner and president of the Canterbury Automobile Association, remarked that it appeared that the decision in respect of the duplication of the tunnel would not affect the question of road communication between city and port. It was conceivable that circumstances might again arise making it imperative that a practicable alternative route to the tunnel should be provided. In v. : ew of the large amount of public money spent on the Lyttelton side and over part of the way down on the Sumner side —both portions constituting a splendid stretch of road—it seemed a pity that the comparatively small length to the bottom of the hill on the Sumner side should remain unfinished and not so practicable for traffic as the other portion. In view of the fact that the Sumner-Evans Pass-Lyttelton road had been declared a main highway from the Heathcote bridge to Lytelton. there appeared to him to be strocg justification for an immediate expenditure on the unfinished portion—roughly 50 chains—to put it in ttie Same order as the remainder. The stretch from the Heathcote bridge to the foot of the hills at Sumner was in splendid condition and could stand as much traffic as it might be called upon to bear in the event of the' tunnel route being closed. To put the strcfch of 50 chains into as good order as the other portion would involve the expenditure of a few hundred pounds, and seeing that, roughly, £ 17,000 had been spent on the road, the expenditure of a few hundreds seemed to be an urgent necessity at present, so that the full benefit could be got of the good portion of the roa:l. Linwood Smoke Nuisance. A resolution making further representations to the Minister for the removal of tho railway cleaning sheds at Linwood, in order to abate the smoke nuisance was adopted by the Board of Governors of the Christchurch Technical College, last night. Mr W. Jones, in moving the . resolution, said that in view of the alterations to the lay-out of the ChristchurchLyttelton ljnc, he thought the time was opportune to ask the Department to remove the cleaning sheds, and thereby relieve the district wherein the Board's property was situated from the smoke nuisance. MAYOR DEPRECATES DELAY. PROVINCIAL BOARD SUGGESTED When asked yesterday for an cxprcssioH of opinion regarding the Minister's proposals in connexion with the Christchurch-Lyttelton liue, the Mayor ,of Christchurch (Mr J. A. Flesher) said that he had not had an opportunity of going fully into the Minister's statement. "May I take it that you are satisfied with the Minister's promise that the duplication will be made?" asked the reporter. "The promise of duplication is satisfactory as far as it goes," said Mr Flesher, "but I do think that the work could be carried out in less time than six years, as proposed." He had reason to know that the plans for duplication had been in readiness for the last year, and he thought that the Department should be ready to go ahead with the work with greater expedition than it proposed. The provision for marshal-ling-yards at Woolston was a good one and would perhaps result in more satisfactory conditions and greater economy. If six years were required to complete the work of duplication, the people of Christchurch and the province generally were going to be subjected to a great deal of inconvenience and delay. "The difference in the expenditure proposed in the North Island and South Island respectively does not seem to be fair," said Mr Flesher. "The delay in the completion of the Christ-church-Lyttelton work will, probably give rise'to another agitation on behalf of Port Christchurch. Christchurch is (Continued at foot of next colonm.)

entitled to more cAisideration, in view of the fact that it has 110 means of communication with its port other than the tunnel. The handling of the work on the Sumner-Lyttelton road is another instance of the inepitude of the Public Works Department. The delay that appears likely in the completion of the duplication works is another reason why the expenditure of public works money should be handed over to some provincial board of control. Parliament, of course, should grant the money, and the works should be under the control of the Department, but the actual spending of the money and carrying out of the work should be left to such a board. This would result in works being carried out with greater expedition and economy, and a more satisfactory meeting of the public need."