EASTERN ACCESS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 90, 13 October 1931, Page 10

EASTERN ACCESS

TUNNEL OPENED

FOR GENERAL TRAFFIC

A VEBT FINE JOB

An event long looked for by the residents of the eastern suburbs was joyously celebrated yesterday afternoon, and interest iv the new Mount Victoria tunnel was shown by the largo attendance at tho official opening by tho Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop). Chairs had boon arranged for tho invited guests, who included City Councillors, members of all local bodies within a wide radius and their leading officials, and members of the Chamber of Commerce, Civic League, Batepayers' Association, and others. A chill northerly sprang up at 2.30, tho time of tho ceremony, and the approach to tho city portal, whore tho crowd assembled, was a very draughty spot, more than ono speaker referring to the excellent automatic ventilation the tunnel would enjoy. THE MAYOR'S ADDRESS. The Mayor said that custom demanded that all works of magnitude should have an official opening. There was a peculiar personal pleasure to him in tho occasion, because when tho first tunnel giving access to Hataitai was put through, in 1907, his father opened it, and he therefore felt additional personal pleasure in declaring this magnificent one open for traffic. Authority for tho money to provide tho tunnel was granted by the ratepayers in 1920, during the period when Sir John Luke was Mayor of the city. At that time, however, a definite route could not be decided upon, and though tho money could have been raised, the question of the route was not settled for many years afterwards. Li 1928 Mr. Troup, who was then Mayor, and the City Council set up an access commission to recommend to the Corporation the most appropriate routes both to the east and west. That commission, under the chairmanship of Mr. James Marchbanks, whom he was glad to see present, recommended the site on which the tunnol now stood. In 1929 a contract was let to the Hansf ord and Mills Construction Company, and the work was commenced in 1929, the contractors having in immediate control of tho job their engineer, Mr. Downer, who supervised it from start to finish. The work ended on Ist April, 1931, but that was merely the completion of the sides and roof of the tunnel; the immediate approaches had still to be finished, and the floor had to be put in, which was done by the City Council, under tho City Enginoer, and tho work in the tunnel and the installation of the lights was dono by the Corporation through the tramways and electric light departments. A COSTLY JOE. The tunnel, as now finished, had cost £203,000, and it would thus cost £13,000 a year, or £37 a day. That being the cost, the sooner it was opened and repaying something to the citizens the better. Eeferriug to_ the advantages of the tunnel, Mr. Hialop said that tho actual advantage in distance was not great. From Courtenay place to tho Kilbirnie Post Office, via Constable street, was leas than half a mile furthor than the distance from Courtenay place to the Kilbirnie Post Office through the new tunnel. It was, in fact, only four-tenths of a mile, a very short distance to save for £203,000, but that was not the only matter to consider. There was a saving in height of 53 feet, and a saving in haulage costs was anticipated. There would bo less congestion on the roads, so that the time-saving and the saving in transport cqsts would bo appreciable. The success of the tunnel must, however, depend on the continued growth of the eastern suburbs, and the volume of traffic that went through it. He hoped that in years to come there would be greater developments in tho eastern part of tho city, and that the tunnel would serve the purpose for which it was intended. In the near future it was hoped to complete the roads on the other side, which would help to avoid congestion. Expedients would meanwhile havo to be resorted to to achieve this result. Ho hoped the tunnel would prove of benefit to the citizens in the years to como. Briefly introducing the following speakers, he paid a tribute to tho work put in by Mr. E. A. Batt in the early fight for the tunnel. CONSERVED'TOR ALL. The chairman of the Works Committee. (Councillor T. Forsytli) said that eleven years ago it was thought that Wellington was going to be a wonderfully big city, and that the eastern suburbs would bo largely populated. Those in favour, of the tunnel, of whom lie was one, got plenty of criticism, but they carried the day, and gave the citizens an opportunity to vote on a loan proposal for a sufficient sum to enable the carrying out of the great work. Twelve years ago some had thought that a highway from east to west was desirable, and ho was pleased that the tunnel now formed that link. Much had been said of the enormous expenditure on the tunnel, and the little that it was going to save, but he wished to remind them that to-day 99 per cent, of the people had tho motorist complex. As the only councillor who was not a. motorist, he might be pardoned for saying that tho original intention of tho promoters was that it should be a goneral traffic tunnel, for those afoot, on horse back, in motor-car, or tramcar. At the initial meeting of the present council that matter came up, and he was glad .tr say that councillors had sufficient sense to say that the tunnel was to bo for every section of the community. It had been amply proved that the eastern suburbs were going to develop. During tho last seven years, in Miramav and Seatoun alone, thero had been issued 2115 building permits, and £1,500,000 had been spent in building. What would be done iv the next ten years? He believed that with tho large extent of undeveloped land now opened up, they would see a tremendous influx into the eastern suburbs. While some critics had challenged the right of the council to expend the great amount it had, he believed that the tunnel would be fully justified by the large number of people who would use it. lie congratulated nil who had had any part in it. GROWTH OF EASTERN SUBURBS.! Councillor K. Seniple, M.P., characterised the occasion as a historic one, said that he had always believed that the tunnel would bo of the greatest benefit to the city, and particularly to tho people living on the eastern side of the hill. Those who took up tho agitation rears ago could sco that the eastern population wan going to develop. In 1921 there was a population of 12,118 on the other side of the hill, which had grown to 16,620 in 1926, and had reached 20,310 in 1928. He wished to say a word for the council's late engineer, who realised tho possibilities of the growth of the eastern suburbs, and was tho first to suggest the piercing of the hill. "You could search the civilised world," said Mr. Semplo, "and not find a better piece of work. The ventilation system is perfect, and tho provision made for pedestrians is snl'o." During last year £200,000 was1 spent in building homes on. the other side of tho hill, and that was in a bad 3'na.r, . one of slump. Since 31st March, 1931, the City, Council had

spent £135,500 on that side of. the range. The great civic value of the tunnel would be driven homo iv time. It was unfair to pick out any part of the city and say that tho citizens as a whole were paying for this or that work. This job was of civic value to the whole. It was built not only for the motorist, but for the pedestrian. HOP, SKIP, AND JUMP. What did the walk represent to pedestrians? It was just a little, constitutional after breakfast. "A hop, step, and jump, and you are in tho office," said Mr. Semple. He congratulated those who took part in the securing of the tunnel, and who had lived to see their dreams como true, and congratulated the engincer-in-chargo on a magnificent piece of work, carried out without friction, and without even a minor accident, due, he considered, to the supervision of one of tho most capable underground engineers in New Zealand. Not satisfied with tho old methods, Mr. Downer had searched for and applied tho most up-to-date science known in work of this kind, Mr. E. A. Batt, who represented tho Automobile Club, said that comparisons had been made of the saving in time, and allusions had been made to fractions of a minute. As chairman of the club, he wished to say that they did not look at it from that point of view at all. Speaking as ono of those who twenty years ago started fho agitation for the tunnel to the eastern suburbs, ho could sec round him a lot of bald-headed, grey-whiskered men who were then associated with. him. They, and he also, had actually grown old in tho last twenty years advocating this tunnel. Men had come and gone. He was pleased to see present Messrs. A. G. Barnett, H. E. Searle, L. Hunt, and J. L. Arcus. It was twenty years ago that the first letter had been sent to tho City Council by Mr. Arcus. They had had many fights for it since then, and had seen many plans. It had taken ten years to have it put to the vote whether the citizens would have it or not, and it had taken another ten years to reach the completion of the work. CHEAPER TRANSPORT. One of the reasons why he had started the agitation so many years ago was that people were being penalised in the cartage of the materials for the erection_ of tho hundreds of homes that were being built in the eastern suburbs. He hoped that these heavy transport charges would now be reduced. The tunnel would relieve other congested roadways, and would thus relieve traffic generally. He might not find many of his view there, but to his mind the tunnel was only half complete, because there were no tram lines through it." The Mayor has rather spoilt the party by telling you that it costs £37 a day, but he has done it with a purpose, I fear. I interpret him as meaning that the sooner we get trams through, this heavy charge will bo automatically reduced. I want to thank the council heartily, and those councillors who havo been through the fight, for and against. The moral is, if you want anything from tho City Council just persevere. It may take twenty years or it may take longer, but just persevere." (Laughter.) The Mayoress cut the traditional silk ribbon with a pair of gold scissors, and the Mayor's was the first car to run through the tunnel, followed by a stream of traffic that thickened as the afternoon progressed, pedestrians appreciating the immunity from anxiety in their special raised footway. During tho evening the tunnol was traversed by many residents of both sides of the hill, besides hundreds of motor-cars, including' one containing a bridal couple. The excellent lighting of the tunnel was highly commended.