LYTTELTON-WELLINGTON

Evening Star, Issue 19024, 20 August 1925, Page 9

LYTTELTON-WELLINGTON

TiIAIH FERRY ADVOCATED DEPUTATION TO PRIME MINISTER [Peu United Phess Association.] WELLINGTON, August 20. The establishment of a train ierry across Cook Strait was advocated by a South Island deputation which waited on the Prime Minister to-day as a means of completely connecting up the railway system of the dominion. ■ Air J. H. Blackwell (president of the Canterbury .Progress League) said the present Lyttelton-Wellington steamer connection was erroneously called a ferry service. The Railway Department was obliged to feed the socalled ferry service by an elaborate railway system without deriving any direct advantage from the railway-induced traffic, which was thus delivered into the hands of private euterpriso._ _As suggested by the Railways Commission, the train ferry should bo aimed at as an eventual connecting link between the North and South Island portions of the railway system. Air Coates, in reply, said tbat lie had had departmental officers working' out what a train ferry would moan to the railway service. Ho was not prepared to accept the remarks of any Commission that came here and made a report. Their conclusion was probably arrived at from what they bad seen in other countries, -where the traffic conditions were enormously different; and, while it might be a very fine idea, they had to be satisfied before embarking upon a huge expenditure that it was a right thing. It was an interesting idea, and one which should he investigated and worked out. Assuming that it was satisfactory, that -would be a justification for the South Island Alain Trunk line being pushed on with immediately.