EXTRA EDITION THE TUNNEL

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 125, 23 November 1923, Page 8

EXTRA EDITION THE TUNNEL

FULLY CONSIDERED BY COUNCILLORS

-"EXHAUSTIVELY DISCUSSED."

A statement was made by Mr. A. E. Batt, president .of the Hataitai Municipal Electors' Association, while speaking at the • meeting" of the Civic League last evening, tha.t the decision to drive the new; tunnel through Mount Victoria had been reached, probably as a result of the deliberations'of but two men, not even three/ aa had been stated by Councillor H. D. Bennett, those two men beinj; the Acting-City Engineer and the chairman of the Works Committee, Councillor T. Forsyth. The Eastern Suburbs,- continued' Mr. Batt, would have been, more satisfied had they been assured that the tunnel question had been properly and. fully considered by the full council,'or,by,the Works Committee, but, as far as he could gather, that had not been done.

A "Post" reporte made inquiries today, to ascertain whether Mr. Batt had correctly stated the position, and was informed that the whole question of the tunnel route had been most exhaustively discussed by the Works Committee before any recommendation had been brought down ,to the full City Council at a meeting held specially for the purpose.of considering the tunnel question. Moreover, representatives of the Hataita Association had attended a meeting of the Works Committee,, when there were also present the Acting-City Engineer and the Mayor, and the whole matter was talked over with plans and sketches, and apparently those representatives were satisfied. When, the Works Committee's recommendation, based upon the plan advanced as most suitable by Mr. Paterson; was placed before the council there was no long discussion, for the reason that councillors appeared unanimously agreed that the Ellice street route was the best of those proposed. Had any councillor been unable to understand any point or .had he disagreed with the plan then he had the opportunity of obtaining information or entering his protest, but none did so. It was incorrect to say that the tunnel question had not been fully and carefully considered, for meeting after meeting had been held upon the subject.