ACCESS TO SEA COMMISSION.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19942, 31 May 1930, Page 19

ACCESS TO SEA COMMISSION.

gfjpjSNCE FOR TUNNEL

boad ended. M ppposrnoN of chamber OF COMMERCE. COUNTY'S CASE. tuning with a definite statement jSSmber of Commerce that it not support the tunnel road "5* on account of an inevitable in--21 in transport cost, and ending r. heated cross-examination by Mr ?i Cbrystall of Mr J. Longton, and v J j.Longton of Mr 11. M. Chrystall, S day bought so far the most Tkt Sea Commission, lho Uiainncr SSUirve admitted the desirability jSnnel road, but had found acIZito its own investigations that zSo» from Lyttelton to Chnstwould exceed that by Sttlrefore, .aid the presidentJMr Su-F»ncis) » nd Mr ( '- v - 11 -Id a ot givo its support. The Aslibur■Tfomty Council presented an interiL/e in support of its argument THwost of the tunnel road scheme SrfAhe met by those districts close to .Sl?which were directly benefited, £9 increase in port or freight ®to the districts outlying. &ev--IriLe merchants gavo evidence of Satisfaction with the present %# transport, and Mr A. * a y £3#n«Fos the Christchurch CitiK«»ei»tlon, stated that AssoriaSXft attitude favour of the scheme. ■ E lSt "3 City League's case ; was an end at 4,30 p.m. MrSrO. Abernethy and'Mr J. Longiiacal4u«ted'the cases for tho Port and and the Port Christchurch jS»#wecUvely. The Commission iriuiMnnn on Monday, when the open--1 of the Port Christchurch 1 110 ließrdef the Chamber. TW iptotnber of Commerce is anxihs tunnel road provided it is aot altt-ott.the community," was the Ittitv&tfefiniri by Mr Norton Francis, fo nruiaeat, wr "Francis briefly de-, tha P r °j ect before Commerce. The questor iMW fast "introduced on December Kb, '1927, and at'the next quarterly wetifig, March 26th, 1928, the Port ipd City League was given an opporits At this j toeettng, it -waS recommended that a special ebmwittes oftlie Chamber should be sot.ap to investigate, and toward the end tt-£928,-this issued a >enly>which' by the CounIn December, 1929, o>' of tho Port and City tie\Cbamber subscribed Commission. At , » tho Council held priori® the Commission, it was decid; jfttosident and. the chairV IMSftlie special committee (Mr C. P. Wi ihoßli present the report made together with brief addenda. Bisk of Increase." io draw the attention' of the QpwWß to the fact that the Chamfavours an additional ung,tf transport as soon aa this can fe/wtfed without extra cost," said tttigl&nnity-is not now in a position ifi tianniti eosts increased. At the same ' anxious for progress, and the province suffers an un--1 in its present port." Mr [ the present high cost : pound on a pro-war I wkli-noiw,'worth only 12a 6d. | w»#ttfof living was bearing hard on [j' man in the town, while t w ore saddled with j- 'JSaBHI' other taxes as well. The r contended that under presv wlftutions, there would bo n dangerL increasing costs. It welup of tho CommiaI tho League's re- | taken as correct. f'We S jfeatfSw progress, and as long as wo [ ||RJ®|hßt-progress without any undue |. », cysts, we are out <for its K&ttlif: ; "{' t ! ■ of Tonnage. presented the report of ' Committee of tho ' ' o3 ' J:P<ic(imbcr Ist, 1928, in . ~w era summarised as >rt and City League's road transport from Ie at , 10s 9d . a ton ed at about,'2os 8d ed tonnage of 800,000 City League should »000 tons as a maxinecessitate 0 reduc.. »ne*third in thfi 'prohe proposals, of the lW itntorest oni thtjir, ! first Instalment' of nents of £718,700 because. an ap£20,023 in Hartiour j meet part interest n? debt cannot be de* !hese" contentions are 5 tort emls, ' 'it miust e tunnel road scheme g cost? between- Portconsiderably increaso ie of . costs, could not isidered by - the comprosent time, there>i<3ere<| that wWIe ■ ime for the opening >ad traffic should be Wl» by the local bodies y extension of altorawith a view to such tro,' the proposals of League on the'facts tho Ghambor for road &C? t, the present . time .as position." originally published full. It was accomand City League's .her report, by the pf the Chamber, made review the original the previous report "t, from the chairman stated: — > I eduction in whiarfage i, m the figures of both ty League and the bee- would be reduced but, the differenco,: tical since the reducJ b set of figures. An • more recent figures Barbour Board eonthat the capitalistlurpluii was not waray. Department has s davp' free storage 1 and the position at dear days' free stor-

age is allowed on all goo ,^ s '^ujg S Bpeedation has resulted in conßiderable spce ing up of delivery of goods from sheds.

Evidence of Cartage Costs. "With regard to tho cba ®f or lO 8 * mittee's cartage estimate ® .. ton, which is doublo t'le fig L mated by the Port and City and was ascertained f*° m _ figure supplied by three car ige Arm, tho committee requested tl . .. contractors to review their estates. As a result the five_ largest cartage c tracting companies in Chnstchur _ a meeting to givo the ma e eration. Their advice is to the effec that after full and careful dweusjion they cannot recommend conside of a figure lower than 14s 6d per i having regard to the additionft I which would be required, and w » their opinion, would be idle from t to time. The question of red™;ioni in this figure through hack-loading • suggested, but the conuiintco was advised that in tlio opinion of tl <3 cart ago firms the quantity of back-loading available, not involving special ;i: would be negligible. The ? n, ® ltte ° ij therefore, of opinion that in 11 favourable circumstances (back-fading included), its figure of 103 per ton may be regarded as the irreducible "At the meeting of the council when tho decision was reached to ask the Tunnel Road Committee tc further consider its roport, Mr I'. W. n ° bb added to tho committee, because of the dissatisfaction expressed by him with tho findings. Mr Hobbs, at tho meeting of tho commltteo did not q« est^ a the figures submitted, but expressed the viewpoint that the dignity of the City of Christchurch entitled the community to tho tunnel road. The committee deelded to return its report, reaffirmed, with the conditions and alterations necessary to bring it up-to-date, and to allow Mr Hobbs to bnng forward his viewpoint for the consideration of the council of the Chamber." In reply to Mr Abernethy, Mr Francis said that the various sub-committees of the Chamber had done their best to see that whatever information was included in the report was supplied by those most competent to supply it. He re-emphasised: "The Chamber is anxious for a tunnel road, as long as it is not a tax on tho community."

Mr Francis Gross-Examined. Mr Aberaothy called his attention to a paragraph from the chairman of tho special committee (Mr Agar), accompanying the original report. It road: '' There was disclosed a strong difference of opinion regarding the cost of motor transport, and while the committee cannot disregard tho expert opinions supplied. of the probable cost of such carriago to-day, that argumont used by the Port apd City League makes it reasonable to conclude that within a few years improved methods of motor transport will x largely reduce existing costs." Mr Abernethy: In the first report you attacked our costs. Did you not say they were wrong! that they were lower than those submitted by our expertß. ... There have been many complaints over a long period of years about the handling of goods!— Certainly. But the delays complained of were not confined to the port traffic. The complaint, was general. ■ Then j'ou would say that the railways have not satisfied the people of Christchurch or the people in outside districts?_l would put it this way: there is a tendency to have a great amount of traffic, and then periods of luJ4, when there are not enough trucks. Road transport would improve thisT Have you managed satisfactorily to settle the have managed to improve the position. Would not those delays represent a considerable sum of money over the year!—l couldn't say. How does the Chamber propose to reetify the delays f—lt considers that the railway service could still be improved by additional shea accommodation at Christchurch. I can't agree that it is hopeless to expect any improvement. Exactly what part of the Chamber does that report rep resent f—lt represents the Council of the Chamber, which is elected annually by the members. "Our position is this," said Mr Francis, finally. "If the tunnel road will reduce costs, we're with you; if it will increase costs, we're against you.'

Tunnel Might Keep Business Away. «At the outset we admitted unanimously that improved access was desirable, and that the tunnel road would be accepted by* the vast majority of the people," said Charles Phipp Agar, chairman of the Chamber's special committee which investigated the scheme. "We have considered it not,from tho point of view of. desirability or convenience, but in its economic effect on the district." The difflculti«a in the railway system, he continued, were perhaps not insurmountable without great expense. In the case of the vast majority of goods, it did not matter greatly whether they arrived to-day or next week. Exceptions, of course, were perishable and fashionable goods, but the benefits to the community over tho earlier dispatch of these classes of goods would not warrant the total expense. It was not the opinion of the committee that more business would come to ■the province if it had a road. Business went to otheT cities, it was stated, because it could .bo conducted there with less cost. If the new road transport* added to tho cost, it will keep oven liiore business away. Tho facilities existing to-day were quite capable of handling the goods which the_port had to handle, and which it could cxppc(; to handle for a. number of years. The solution of the problem was found not ill the convenience or the pleasure that the tunnel road would give, but in the merchants' not return. From all the facts the committee had been able to get, the scheme wpuld increase costs instead of reducing them. The first allcoation for the cost of the harbour improvements was £725,000 continued Mr Agar. To-day it was £300,000._ Tho committee did not interest itself in the engineering side of the question, but thought that the question devolved largely on the tonnago of goods that would pass through the tunnol. In its report, every possible tonnage was given in favour of tho road.

Railways' "Powerful Weapon." "It is desirable to draw the Commis--8 ion'a attention- to an Order-in-Coun-cil which allows the Railway Department to take away any favourable rate on heavy goods if the morchants concerned do not send the whole of their goods by rail. This weapon would be a most powerful one in the hands of tho Department." Even if the added cost by road was trifling, those in businecs knew that their success was determined by sma!H things. Mr Agar instanced the effect of a rise of 3 per cent, in the bank rate in retarding business, even though this rise in itself was trivial. Ho was sorry that in consideration of the tnnnw project, where tho heart went the head could not follow. . Mr Agar was cross-examined at considerable length, by Mr Abernethy. Mr Abernethy: You are definitely in favour of the tunnel, except on the costs of the tunnel and of transport? SU Do you regard the cost of tunnel road as the larger factor!—lt is the combination of the two. Extra cost on one means extra cost on the other, lr

tho tunnol was there now, free, it would still be an added cost on tlio community.

If it could bo proved that 5s a ton our figure, is reasonable, would you withdraw your opposition?—lf you could convince tlio Commission that it is feasible, I should say you would have substantially advanced your case. Tlio difficulty of cost would then be so far overcome that the road would be a desirable necessity.

Cost of Delays Magnified. Answering further questions, Mr Agar said that the cost of delays from port had been magnified as though they represented a serious loss to the community. If seasonable goods wero ordered 011 tho assumption that a week's delay would niako theiu unsaleable, he thought them a very unsound proposition. He claiinod that his was the opinion of the vast majority of big businesses. "In business lite, I'm associated with very wide interests, and I think that the disabilities under which the country is suffering are not so great as to justify the extra cost at tho moment," ended Mr Agar.

Wide Bating Opposed. That the tunnel road and remodelling of the harbour should not bo a charge on the outlying districts not directly benefited was tho °f James Carr, lately chairman of the Aahburton County Council, who appeared on behalf of tho farmers and producers in that county. After quoting statistics of the relative importance of Ashburton and of its produce in the Lyttelton Harbour Board district, Mr Carr said that tho shipment of produce from Ashburton was of great importanco to tho port of Lyttelton, and that Any proposals to alter the prosont system of transport or handling must bo Carefully scru'tinisod in that district. Ashburton was situated 59 miles from Lyttelton and 48 miles from Timaru. Whilo the port charges at Lyttelton wero lower than at Timaru, the railway freight charges woro higher. It therefore cost less to ship produce from Timaru than from Lyttelton. He quoted figures of freight and wharfage charges showing a difference in favour of Timaru of from 3d a ton on grain and potatoes to 3s 2d a ton on frozen meat. It was obvious that any alteration to'the port of Lyttelton which might cause an increase in wharfage charges must have tho effect of sending tho district's produce to Timaru. Up-to-date inachinory and facilities for tho more economic handling of this produce would naturally be welcomed, and would tend to attract more trade from tho district. But any scheme adding to tho cost of convoying produce to ship could not be supported, since the cost of transport and handling was already heavy enough.

Motor Transport Difficulties. Produce from Ashburton must be transported by rail, a distanco of 59 miles, to Lyttelton. This distanco prohibited economical transport by motorlorry. Even if it were practicable to haul by lorry, a very large number would be required in the export season since the grain and lamb seasons coincided, causing a peak demand for haulage. Since the lorries would be idle for tho rest of tho year, overhead charges would be very heavy. In addition, lorries of special construction would be necessary for the haulage of frozen produce. The county roads wero not constructed to a standard to carry such heavy traffic, and consequently tremendous expense would be necessary to provide concreto roads. Little if any back-loading would be available. Motor huulage would also affoct the earnings of the railways, which were constructed with taxpayers' money, and the consequent loss would be passed on to the producer. For these reasons road access to the wharves would not be of any advantage to the county for tho transport of its produce.

A tunnel road would necessitate a large expenditure in remodelling tho Lyttelton wharves. That wonld incur an increase in the port charges to proyide for interest, sinking fund, and depreciation, without any compensating advantage to outlying districts.

Extra Freight Possible. With a tunnol road there would be loss business for the railways between the port and Christchurch, with a consequent loss of revenue.' Increased freight charges would bo demanded, both on imports and exports, to reduce the deficiency. As their produce must go by rail, they might be called on to pay additional freight charges, even as far as Ashburton. They therefore contended that, if road access to tho port and remodelling of the harbour or wharves eventuated, the cost of the work should bo met by those districts in proximity to the port which would derive the benefit, without increaso in tho port or freight charges for districts not benefited.

Mr Holderness: In spite of the extra charge, most of your produce goes to Lyttelton f—Yes. The evidence of Mr Carr was endorsed by William Gallaghor, farmer, of Ashburton, and a member of the Lyttelton Harbour Board. He considered that Lyttelton had up-to-date equipment. in electric trains and capstans, ahead of the trado. Unless prices improved, farmers, and particularly the sheep-farmers, would bo severely hit indeed, ond any project that might increase costs should bo carefully examined. His county, he emphasised, wished to be excluded from any rating area constituted to pay for the scheme.

Would Induce Settlement. That the tunnel road would induce settlement of the bays in the port was the evidenco of William Thomas Foster, Mayor of Lyttelton. No doubt the tunnel road, for ono thin?, would give quicker accoss to the hospital in case of accident. Motor transport would bring people to the port and creaks sub* urban settlements in the different His evidence was corroborated by Frederick Ernest Sutton, late Mayor of Lyttelton, who remarked also the difficulty of getting goods urgontly from Lvttelton to Christchurcli Evidence of the breakages resulting from excessivo handlings was given by James Brownlie Weir, proprietor of Sharpo Bros., cordial manufacturers. His firm had lost its business in Lyttelton becauso of the cost of transport over the hills. Only one question was asked of Mr Norton Francis when ho reappeared as a private witness. He roplied: If costs were no higher by tunnel road than by rail, and if tho goods aro in equal condition,. I should say tliat the two forms of transport are fifty-fifty. "A Good Paying Venture."

"I believe that if a group of men had permission to put the road through, it would bo a very good paymg venture," said Arnold Keith Hadflcld, lana and estate agent, of Chnstchurcb. "Other tunnels have been erected and carried through when thero was not nearly the necessity for the work that there is in Chris' Uurch » Giving part of his evidence in camera, Mr Hadfield spoke of the Tise in land and business values in Lyttelton which would como with the construction of the tunnel road. Corroborative evidence was given by Charles Edward Jones, managing director of Jones, McCrostie Co., Ltd., land agents. Mr Jones stressed the stimulating effect which the schema would have on the City and Province generally. That transport to Christchurch compared unfavourably with that to Auckland or to Wellington was the statement made by Harold Lightband, Merchant. The average delay was between

two and four days. Merchants undoubtedly suffered loss of interest through these dolays. Detailed evidence of delays was given by Abraham Mark Hollander, director of Hollander and Sons, Ltd., manufacturers. That Ohristchurch with a tunnel road might become a distributing centre for motor vehiclos in the South Island was the evidonce of Hugh Edwin Kennett, managing director of Kennett, Brown, and Kibblowhite, motor importers, and a member of the executive of the C.A.A. Motor importers would save £1 on each car, and since 8000 cars had come by Lyttelton last year alone, the whole saving would bo considerable. The event of tho tunnel road must help the City's outward trade, over tho Lowis Pass highway for instance. It would mean, in effect, a good highway from Lyttelton to tho West Coast.

Citizens' Association's Support. Tho favourable attitudo of the Christchurch Citizens' Association was stated by its chairman, Alfred Sydney Taylor, barrister and solicitor. The present membership of tho Association was 400, including nnmorous firms and companies, and it functioned through a general committee of about 40 members, of which Mr Taylor was the chairman. Tho extensive proposals put forward by tho Waiinakariri ltivor Trust for river protection and by tho Ohristchurch City Council for roading improvements had both boon carriod by the public after tho Association had recommonded them following careful investigations. "I mention theso facts," continued Mr Taylor, "only as an indication that tho Association may claim to be an important body in so far as influence and control of public opinion in Ohristchurch is concerned, and of the valuo it might be in endorsing any constructive proposal which the Commission might think fit to recommend. During tho year 1928, tho tunnel road scheme was explained to the committoo which subsequently made lengthv enquiries. Mr Taylor summarised tho findings of tho committee that tho province must give serious consideration to the construction of a tunnel and a tunnel road giving direct access *o the wharves; that from an engineering point of view tho Port and City League's proposals were practicable and capable of introduction without inconvenience to the users of the port; that tho rise of motor transport was rapid and couJd not be set aside. The conunitteo was of tho opinion, howovor, that the financial proposals of the League required re-stating. Coats of the various sections of tho work, mothods of raising the money, and the whole financial position should be further examined and a simple and precise statement put forward to the public. Mr Taylor understood that these costs had now been satisfactorily ascertained.

"Part of the Policy." "I can say that tlio General Committee which brought down this report was practically unanimous," continued Mr Taylor, ''and I think I may say with safety that tho Association, as part of its policy, regards tho tunnel scheme as a progressive movemont, which is imperative if Christchurch is not to sink back to the status of a second-rate city. Tho financial proposals which were brought before the Association were in an ill-conditioned state, and wo havo not expressod any opinion upon theso, but were the matters resubmitted I feel that they would receive sympathetic consideration. Tho feeling exists in the Association that the City is stagnating, and that some forward, progressive move is imperative. Speaking for myself, I think it might oven bo that it would pay tho City to incur liabilities which it might havo difficulty in mooting in the course of tho next ton or twenty years if tho not result is a greater feeling of buoyancy in tho City and a sense of progress." Instances of damage by water to goods left out in trucks in the rain were given by St. George Atkinson, distributor of groceries und provisions, Christchurch. He advanced many reasons in favour of tho tunnel road, one of these being that goods for Lyttelton and the bays need then not be railed to Christchurch and returned to the port. The present system of loading into trucks was slow and out of dato ; and goods were damaged by tho excessive number of handlings.

Else of Land Values. "The construction of the tunnel might create land valuos in the district nearby, which would offset tho cost," said Victor Eustace Hamilton, gcnoral manager of Mason, Struthers and Co., Ltd., merchants. Having lived at Scarborough, ho had made observations of the estuary, and bolieved that certain saas would be very dangerous to shipping entering Port Christchurch. In his opinion, Lyttelton would havo to be maintained as an alternative port in the event of heavy weathor, and bills of lading would have to bo made out either for Port Christchurch or for Port Lyttelton. The train time-table had remainod practically tho same for the past 50 years, while in that period the tram service to Papanui, for instance, a far loss Important district, had trebled.

Heated Cross-Examination. Mr Chrystall's lengthy report on his engineering proposals for tho tunnel and harbour improvements was read on the second day of tho Commission, but Mr Longton asked time to consider it before examination. When that examination eventuated l&te in tho afternoon, it became very hoated indeed. Each asked tho other questions, and each insistently replied, Sir Walter Stringer having several times to intorveno. Mr Longton's chief point was that Mr Chrystall could giye no definite programme of harbour improvements which were to be mado on the completion of tho tunnel road. Mr Longton: What is tho total amount involved ia tho wholo project? —About £870,000. Tho total was previously stated as £1,128,000, of which £725,000 was to be used for harbour improvements. This £725,000 has been reducod to £300,000. Is it only for tho sake of expediency that you havo reducod your figure?— Not at all. The £300,000 provides only for tho minimum charges. Tho programme might bo spread over a long period •of years. "Impossible to Give Details." Mr Longton enumerated tho list of improvements proposed. Mr Chrystall stated that the rigiual proposals had been reviewed. Not all tho improvements wore immediately necessary. _ The first transit shed would doal with a large part of tho trado; subsequent developments depended on the Harbour Board's programme. At _ the present time it was impossible to give more prociso details, to indicate how long the scheme' would t Vo, or what would be the successive steps in it.

Mr Longton: You've proposed this 'scheme, and you ought to know bow far you're going to carry it. You must have taken into account the natural increase in tonnage to lay down your proposals? —I'm not going to commit myself to any precise details. J. say merely what is necessary for the immediate scheme. I agree that more shed accommodation will at some time be necessary, but what shed accommodation I cannot say. Mr Longton: Sooner or later you'll have to go outside the moles. I suppose that's whore the £725,000 comes in. "No Use Bothering." After further examination, Mr Longton said: All right, Mr Chrystall, I see that I won't get any straight answer out of yon, so it's no use bothering any further." He proceeded, however, to cross-

examine Mr Chrystall on the width of tho tunnel. Mr Longton: Arc you going to allow horses through it?—No, they can go over tho hill. Mr Longton: That may bo clever, but you've got to provide for all sorts of traffic, you know. In tho evening, members of tho Commission returned to see an exhibition of lantern slides of ports and harbour works provided by Mr Chrystall.