ESTUARY POET.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20224, 30 April 1931, Page 8

ESTUARY POET.

A PUBLIC MEETING. PORT CHRISTCHURCH LEAGUE'S SCHEME. "Lyttelton, sooner or later, will become congested, and we bolievo a will be Cheaper to construct a new port than to attempt to remodel Lyttelton," said Mr R. M. Speirs, the chairman of the Port C'hr.BtchurcU League's public meeting, e itight in the Scottish Society a Hall. The audience was not a large one. map of tlio proposed harbour in the Avon-Heathcoto estuary was displayed. Mr B. W. Richardson asserted that the tunnel between Heathcote and Lyttelton had outgrown its usefulness, they wanted to put Christcliurch on the map they must put it alongside the sea. A tunnel road would only aggravate the trouble, because it was a,harbour that was wanted. The tunnel road and approaches were estimated to cost £470,000, and to alter Lyttelton £.1,624,000, a total of £2,094,000. A port three miles from the City could be got for much less than that. With such a port he was sure that shipping charges could be reduced by 50 pci cent.

New Port in Two Years. Mr T. H. Harker said, that he had studied the question for many years, and he was convinced that tlio prosperity of North Canterbury depended on the construction of a deep Bea harbour in the estuary. With modern engineering appliances the work could be accomplished in two years. How was it to be done? The Lyttelton Harbour Board had money to burnj it had a surplus revenue of well over £.50,000 annually, which would pay interest on a million, pounds. But the Board would not help simply because it was dominated by a majority of country representatives who were not interested. The Railways Department got about £400,000 of revenue yearly from the railway between Addington and Lyttelton, and it was not likely to give facilities for a tunnel road which, when constructed, would result in that revenue being reduced. * Mr C. S. Bell said that after 25 years' absence in Australia, and after seeing the harbours on the east coast of that continent, he visited Sumner several times, and was impressed by its possibilities for Bteamers and hydroplanes. Dr. H. tT. J. Thacker emphasised the necessity for interesting the women of the community in Port Christchurch, and said that already he had got the nucleus of a committee of influential ladies. Scheme Outlined. Mr R. B. Cotton outlined the scheme as depicted on the map. Lyttelton harbour, he said, could not grow, and Professor Hornell had said that it was hopeless, as there was no possible hope of expansion. Why should they spend money on Lyttelton to make it a thirdclass port when they could make a firstclass harbour right against the Cityf The Access to the Sea Commission did not look ahead. In estimating the cost of the harbour in the estuary, the Commission had failed to allow for the value of the land that would be reclaimed, which would be worth at least £300,000. Replying to the chairman, Mr Cotton said that the time necessary to make Port Christchurch would depend on the funds available and the size of the port decided upon; he supposed that three ye&rs would see it done. Mr E. Philpott-Crowther, the secretary of the League, remarked on the apathy of the citizens as evidenced by the smallness of the attendance. The harbour in the estuary, he asserted, would make Christchurch; another hole through the hill would not. He quoted figures that showed how the ports of Wellington and Auckland had progressed, and how Lyttelton had lagged behind. On the chairman's motion it was resolved:— "That this meeting whole-heartedly supports the Port Christchurch League's objective—the construction and establishment of a port for deep-sea vessels in the estuary—and desires to encourage its executive to strenuous effort for this necessary completion of our City's utilities by this endorsement and approval of their efforts."