RAIL LINK FOR NELSON

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25245, 25 July 1947, Page 5

RAIL LINK FOR NELSON

EXAMINATION OF ROUTES

UNDERTAKING BY MR SEMPLE

(P.A.I WELLINGTON, July 24. In all 12 routes had been examined between Nelson and the East and West Coast lines, said the Minister of Railways (Mr R. Semple), to-day in a statement, discussing the possibilities of closing the gap in the railway line between Murchison and Inangahua, on the Nelson-Westport route. Mr Semple said he had always followed the policy of closing gaps in the Dominion’s railway system when justifiable. He recalled that the Government had joined Westport and Inangahua, and had completed the South Island main trunk. He did not subscribe to the theory, he said, that every mile of track must produce traffic to pay for itself, any more than he would expect each mile of highway to pay for itself in terms of freight and passengers carried. Much investigation had already been carried out into the possibility of linking Nelson with the South Island main trunk system, some of it within the last two years. It was apparent, however, that much more economic and engineering investigation was needed before the Government would be in a position to give a decision. The route through Murchison to Inangahua had been most thoroughly examined, and in this section there would be about 18 tunnels, aggregating more than four and a quarter miles, and 16 bridges of a total length of 5500 feet. Such works would call heavily on specialised groups of skilled men, and on supplies of cement and steel. Nevertheless, he was determined to complete the investigation as soon as possible, so that the facts could be placed before the Government. Difficulties facing the Government could be appreciated from the fact that essential hydro-electric undertakings alone, during the next 10 years, would require the construction of diversion tunnels equal to more than 10 miles of single track railway tunnel, and as much cement and steel as ingenuity could produce. Mr Semple gave an assurance that he was always ready to meet local residents to discuss the Nelson project, but shid that no purpose could be served by his visiting Nelson just now. nor was that possible during the session.