TUNNEL PROJECT

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 150, 28 June 1938, Page 18

TUNNEL PROJECT

4> 1 REPLY TO DEPUTATION (By Telesraph—Press Association.) • ( CHRISTCHURCH, June 27. , "Our opponents say we are spending • i money like water. They say, get in ( ■ while you can and they will crash all , i the sooner. I want to say that we are j not going to be hamstrung, bulldozed, , i and pushed into spending public money ; i willy-nilly. We want to know whether ', i the expenditure Is justified." ■ In these words the Minister of Public . Works (the Hon. R. Semple) replied to ! i a deputation convened by the Canter- ! bury Chamber of Commerce which i waited on him to ask what the present ' position was in regard to the Christ-church-Lyttelton tunnel road project, i Mr. Semple said he did not want to , pour cold water on the scheme, but J he had been given no information on I the actual benefits that would result ■ from the tunnel road and there was not ■ an estimate of the cost. ! "We are not going to set up any > undue competition against the rail- ■ ways," added Mr. Semple. "There is i a good deal to be considered besides ■ making speeches about the thing. Ask- - ing the Governmenbt to find all the ' money is asking too much. Anyone can 'pass the buck' to the Government. I look at this question with an open , mind, and if it has the merits you say . it has it will be considered and a deci- | sion made in due course."