ACCESS TO THE SEA

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22081, 1 May 1937, Page 20

ACCESS TO THE SEA

TO THE EDITOB OF THB PBESS. Sir,—There appears to me to be only one solution of the access to the sea problem. The policy of our Government seems to be to take over or cut out all road transport which comes in conflict with the railways. Yet we have a section of the community (certainly a very small section) clamouring for a tunnel road to Lyttelton, running close to and parallel to the railway. There is no doubt that the present arrangements are very unsuitable. Lyttelton, as an economic port, is, too congested and

too far away from our city. Any levelheaded person must see this. It is well known that the ideal port to-day is one where factories, warehouses, and ships can be brought as close together as possible. Now, if the Government has the j money and wishes to foster a work of national importance, let it take the matter up through the Railway Department and keep in step with its policy, to make the railways the chief means of transport A port in the estuary, run on simij lar lines as many in the Old Country, by the railways, would ensure to the State the control and revenue of ail transport in and out, both by rail and road. There is only one place for a port for Christchurch, and • that is in The estuary. The pioneers knew this 70 years ago,. when only sailing vessels were in vogue. I would recommend your readers to look up some of the old records. I wonder what those pioneers would think of ,us to-day—-with our electricity and countless other modern appliances.—Yours, etc., S. L. RICHARDSON. April 28, 1937. TO THS EDITOR OT THS PRESS. Sir, —Reading the report of the discussion .on the tunnel road project I was surprised at the reported remarks of Dr. J. Guthrie, representing the Christchurch Domains Board, as follow: —"I can't conceive any more ineffectual, or even, I might say, idiotic way of coming to a decision on the point than by a referendum. It means a vote by uninformed opinion, influenced largely by biased propaganda." I am not concerned, at present, with the merits, or demerits, of the plan but with the rights of the electors. The electors according to this delegate are "uninformed." If that is so, which I suggest may not be, whose fault is it but that of those wishing to have the tunnel road constructed. None of the elected public bodies has a shadow of right to vote for a tunnel road until the members have received a mandate from the electors to act. The reason why 'so much indecision obtains in public affairs in Christchurch is because there has always been a number of men assuming the fight to speak, and act, as if they owned the city, and the citizens, who had to pay the piper, were too ignorant to be consulted. Well here ia one who will not accept Dr. Guthrie's opinion of the rank and file. Perhaps the average working man knows as much about public affairs as he does. What has the Fire Board, Tramway Board, Hospital Board, and Drainage Board to do with a matter of this kind? They are there to do a special work and should confine themselves to it. There is duplication of voting also; those I have named duplicate the City Council delegate's votes, as they represent the same people. The Automobile Association arid South Island Motor Union, another duplication. lam a member of the Automobile Association (Canterbury), but have never been given a chance to express my opinion, and do not know how those supposed to represent these bodies*get to know the views of the members. Perhaps they agree with Dr. Guthrie that the minds of the members are "uninformed" and their opinions are not worth anything. If my judgment is worth anything (and I am well acquainted with most of the Cabinet Ministers). I believe that the Government • will not give any support to the project until it has been demonstrated, beyond a doubt, that the people of Canterbury are solidly in favour of it.—Yours, etc., HIRAM HUNTER. April 30. 1937.