WAITATI TUNNEL

Evening Star, Issue 25172, 11 May 1944, Page 4

WAITATI TUNNEL

ADVANCEMENT OF PROJECT The proposal _ for a railway tunnel between Waitati and Sawyer's Bay was discussed yesterday at a meeting convened by the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, it being agreed that the construction of such a tunnel was necessary to assist the future development of Dunedin and Otago. The Chamber of Commerce, the Dunedin Manufacturers' Association, and the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants were represented at the meeting, which was also attended by the Hon. M. Connelly, M.L.C., Messrs P. Neilson, M.P., and P. G. Connolly, M.P. A- technical committee was set up to collect details in regard- to the proposed tunnel and other improvements required northward to Oamaru, including the provision of a second railway tunnel between Evansdale and Merton and the straightening of the track in various places with an easement of the grade. ' - It was pointed out that the meeting was a preliminary one only, to be followed in the near future by another meeting to which delegates _ from the following bodies would be invited to consider a report on the action takeu in the matter and the information collected:—Stock and Station Agents, Federation of Labour, Warehousemen's ' Association, _,Otago Ironmasters' Association, various local bodies (Dunedin, St. Kilda, Waikouaiti. Port Chalmers, West Harbour). Coal Mine Owners' Association, Returned Services' Association, the local Rehabilitation Committee and officers, the Otago Expansion League, the Dunedin Amenities Society, the Farmers' Union, the Otago A. and P. Society, local members ci Parliament, the Railway- Officers' Insti- j tute, the Retailers' Association, the New Zealand Institute of Engineers, die Otago Importers' and Shippers' Association, the Dunedin. Manufacturers' Association, the Chamber of Commerce,, the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, and the Dunedin Development Council. I It was decided that a further meeting of the bodies represented at the meeting together with the Federation of Labour, should be held prior to the visit to Dunedin of the Minister of Railways. Mr Semple, who has been requested to receive a deputation in rejard to the proposal.