WOULD LOSE £200,000 ANNUALLY

Evening Star, Issue 21878, 15 November 1934, Page 2

WOULD LOSE £200,000 ANNUALLY

COMPLETION OF SOUTH ISLAND RAILWAY OPPOSED MOTOR HIGHWAY OVER ROUTE SUGGESTED USE OF UNEMPLOYED LABOUR [Special to the ‘ Stab.’] CHRISTCHURCH, November 14. Strong opposition to the proposal to complete the South Island main (punk railway was expressed at today’s meeting of the Lyttelton Harbour Board, and on the motion of Mr H. M. Chrystall it was decided that—- “ in view of flic discussions that have already taken place, and the data that have been placed before the public, it would not be a wise undertaking to proceed with the work.” The burden that would be placed on the taxpayers by the cost of completing the line, which would in any case be unlikely to pay its way, was stressed, and it was suggested that the work already done should be adapted for a motor highway. A letter was received from the secretary to the Marlborough Progress League, enclosing circulars and literature in support of a campaign for completing the railway. In speaking to his motion, Mr Chrystall said it was not in the interests, either of the South Island 1 or of the dominion as a whole, to complete the line, because of the expense involved not only in the actual work of construction, but also in operating costs. It was estimated that there would be an annual loss of £200,000 on the system after completion. “In one way or another wc are going to get soaked for it to pay for the system,” said Mr Chrystall. “ A main trunk railway should be planned not merely for immediate, but for prospective, results, and after studying all the available facts, and in view of what motor transport can do, and will do, on both short and long haulages, it would be a great waste of money to complete the line.” He suggested that the line constructed between the present termini be pulled up and transformed into a 30ft highway by unemployed labour. There would be little difficulty in adapting the construction work already done to this end. The excellent ferry service would be a big factor against the chance of the railway lino being successful. It had to be remembered also, that trade would be drawn from the port of Lyttelton. He considered that the estimates of cost which had' been prepared by the Progress Leagues were too optimistic. The prospects were that the line could not' be made to pay within the next thirty to fifty years, if at all, and when there were available such excellent motor vehicles, carrying such heavy loads at such a comparatively cheap cost, he thought the board should lead public opinion- to prevent such a proposed wasting of effort. Captain H. Monro seconded the motion.

Mr W. K. M‘Alpine agreed that the work would be too expensive. When they were asking the Government to economise in other directions, the time was not opportune for this expenditure. “ The less said about the railways the better,” continued Mr M‘Al- - “ The general opinion thoughout the country seems to be that we are being badly blistered to keep the present lines running.” But here was a grand opportunity for the Government Unemployment Board, the Transport Board, and local bodies to combine and see what could be done to make a highway out of it. Nobody wanted to raise any obstacle to the development of Marlborough and Nelson, but it would be a very wrong move for the Government to embark on such a scheme as tic completion of the railway line in vj'eiv of the small amount of goods and passengers that would be available to travel by it. At present there was little rail traffic on the roaite, but it would be an ideal route filmjlfrtio tor highway, and the work of transformation would probably not be too expensive. The traffic that went by road would not be that which went by boat, but mainly live stock.

The resolution was carried without further discussion.