NEED FOR TUNNEL ROAD.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19624, 21 May 1929, Page 8

NEED FOR TUNNEL ROAD.

DELAYS IN RECEIVING GOODS. IMPORTING FIRM TRANSFERRING TO WELLINGTON. "We are transferring our head °&-* i to Wellington.'' said Mr Carnck Weddorspoon, of Carrick VVdderepoon, I Ltd.. electrical engineers and luorj chants, to a representative of IH* j Press yesterday, "mainly because it_ " i a better distributing centre. ih* ! North Island seems U> us to be more . progressive and there is more buMne« ! activity. A contributory factor is -»e lack of direct access to the shipping at Lvttelton, which is one of the thing's that is retarding business activities in the South Island. Our experience : ..s been that we have n-ver got goods from Lvttelton in less than tour davs. and it has been as long as i week or ten davs. In our opinion the cause of this is that there are no proper handling facilities, particularly at the Christchurch end. and loaded trucks lie in the vard at Christchurch waitins their turn to be unloaded Indoubtedly a tunnel road, giving direct communication from ship to store. mu't facilitate and hurry up deliverv < 'ar experience of other ports where there is direct access—Auckland and Wellington—is that delivery is much prompter. To send goods to ports =outh of Lvttelton by sea we hav* found it quicker to ship from Wellington rather than from CliristthnrcJi. and for some time p<*st we hare kept our box stocks in Welliniton." The transfer of the firm's headquarters to Wellington from Cliriftchurch. ; where thev have been for the part j twelve venrs. will take place within the next three months.

Tunnel Eoads Elsewhere. Mr Wedderspoon returned a week or two ago from an extended tour of Britain, Europe, the United States, and Canada, and white in the United states he had experience of two road tunnels —the famous Holland tunnel under the Hudson river, connecting New York and Jersey City, and the Oak!and-Alameda tunnel. Mr Wedderspoon said that be went through the Holland tunnel in an autom bile, and took particular note of the ventilation. It seemed to him that the air in the tunnel was purer and more rarefied than on the road. There was no dust and no sign of it. The speed of traffic through the tunnel was regulated so that the traffic could be coped with. There is a gentle <dope down and a similar slope up from the tunnel which is one mile and three-quarters in length; about one mile is actually under the river There are two roadways each 20 feet wide, nnd the headroom is l&i feet. The hourly traffic is about 3800 vehicle* both ways At present the tunnel carries all clashes of motor-tars, and goods lorries. There is under desicn another tunnel in the vicinity of the Holland tunnel, which is to carry freight traffic only. The Ho'land tunnel, Mr Wedderspoon aaid bad been wonderfully successful and the traffic practically is continuous day anrl night. The Oakland-Alameda tunnel is one of the latest to be constructed. It is shorter than the Holland tunnel, being 4435 feet in length. I am in favour of a tunnel road to Lyttelton." Mr Wedderspoon said, "and after my experience of these tunnel roads in America 1 nm more than ever convinced that a tunnel road is wanted Between Christchurch and its port. We are large importers and handle a great quantity of material and we have had manv experiences of delays in the delivery of over r eas eoods. A road tunnel cannot do anvthing but good; it will be a sign of proeress, it will bring more bu'inpsc. and it will prevent the present drift from the South to the North Island."