ROAD TUNNEL PROGRESS

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28321, 5 July 1957, Page 7

ROAD TUNNEL PROGRESS

Chamber Appoints Committee

The council of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce last, evening appointed a committee to watch the progress of the tunnel road project, access to Christchurch from Lyttelton, general port facilities, and to assist where it could in the furtherance of the ■scheme.

The president, Mr W. G. V. Fernie, said that it was a committee which could do a great deal to assist the Harbour Board and the Tunnel Road Authority.

The formation of a committee to discuss the situation had been suggested earlier and the executive committee of the chamber recommended a committee to investigate port development and access to Lyttelton from Christchurch.

The committee would be able to co-opt representatives of those vitally interested in the project, said Mr Fernie.

Mr F. T. Sutton (Lyttelton Har hour Board): “Is this committee l to be formed to antagonise the Harbour Board and the existing Tunnel Road Authority?” Mr Fernie: Exactly the opposite

The air vigilance committee had shown that such groups could work harmoniously with other interested parties, he added

“If I have to work on this committee, I would consider that word antagonism. It is incorrect, but if things aren't ' going the way we think they should, we’ll have to say so, and that could engender some ill-feeling.” said Mr R. C. Neville.

“We are already having inquiries—asking whait is going on. This committee should h‘ave the job completed#)within three or four years, when the project should almost be completed. If there is any suggestion that this may not be so. I would say it would be more politic to select someone younger than me,” said Mr Neville. (Laughter.) The council decided that the name Port and City Development Committee would be the best of four names suggested for the group. It was essential, members said, that the committee not confine its investigations entirely to the port and access to it. The committee was given the power to call a confer *nce of port users whenever it wished

The committee will consist of Messrs R. C. Neville, J BoydClark, E. Fraser, R. B. McNish and J. Roy Smith.