OTIRA OPENING

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 July 1923, Page 5

OTIRA OPENING

GREYMOUTH ARRANGEMENTS. MINISTERS’ REPLIES. Despite the non-co-operation policy of the combined tradespeople of Greymouth, the Celebrations Committee is going ahead with the arrangements for an appropriate local celebration of the opening of the Otira Tunnel on Saturday, August 4. Mr J. D. Lynch (Chairman of the Celebrations Committee) considers the celebrations will be completely successful. He states that the Railway Department at Greymouth has promised every assistance, and will arrange for the decoration of the station with bunting and greenery. Mr Lynch interviewed Mr J. L. Morgan (District Traffic Manager)' this morning. The latter pointed out that as approximately 400 passengers will travel by the special train leaving lor Otira on Saturday morning, August a n- ...ill Ko Tierpssa.rv to exclude the

4, IL Will oe neucb&ai v iu caviuuu general rniblic from the station, platform. The Railway staff will suitably decorate the station, and will also arrange a fitting send-off to the first train through the tunnel. A similar ceremony will be arranged for the arrival of the train from Otira in the afternoon. The details of the proposed programme are to be submitted to the final meeting of delegates on Friday evening. The Greymouth taxi proprietors have also been asked to submit a schedule of fares to Otira, in order to enable townspeople to attend the opening ceremony at the tunnel. The schedule will also be presented to the meeting on Friday. There appears to be little possibility of any members of Parliament making the through trip to Greymouth, judging by telegrams received by the Secretary of the Celebrations Committee (Mr M. Keating). Mr J. O’Brien, Member for Westland, telegraphed as follows: —“So far have been unable to persuade any members of Parliament to attend function at Greymouth. Shortness of session prevents them. Many have signified their intention to visit the Coast after the session. Will still try to persuade some members to come.” The Greymouth function may be given additional interest by the presence of Sir Joseph Ward, who wired : “Obliged to Committee for kind invitation. Will wire definitely ThursThe Minister for Public Works (Hon. J. G. Coates) advised as follows: —“I desire to convey to the Greymouth Committee my appreciation of the cordial invitation to visit Greymouth after the function at Otira, but regret very much it is impossible for me to accept on account of Parliamentary duties necessitating my return to Wellington.” A further wire from Mr Coates stated : “Regret not possible to make definite arrangements at the present time for running of excursion passenger train through Otira Tunnel for week following opening ceremony, as requested, but the matter will have consideration as soon as possible.” The Greymouth Borough Council has received 47 blank invitations to the opening ceremony at Otira, and a special committee meeting will beheld this evening to allocate them to public men in the Borough.

A WESTPORT GRIEVANCE

(Per Press Association.) WESTPORT, July 24. At a meeting of the Buller Progress League, strong exception was taken to the small number of invitation tickets issued by the Celebrations Committee at Greymouth to Westport in connection with the Otira Tunnel ceremony, only six, apart from a few specially issued from Wellington, being forwarded. It was contended that the number should have been allocated on a population basis.

‘ ‘INVITATION” DIFFICULTIES. (Special to “Star.”) CHRISTCHURCH, July 24. There is every indication that the banquet the Canterbury Progress League will hold on the evening of August 4, to celebrate the opening of the Otira Tunnel, will be a success. Mr P. R. Climie, organiser for the League, states the banquet will be financed solely by the sale of tickets, and there will be no free list, outside the distinguished visitors and Ministerial party. All people from Canterbury who attend will therefore be expected to pay for their tickets. So far as the function at Otira is concerned, this is not a Progress League matter. Much difficulty is be ing experienced in meeting the demands from all those who wish to take part in this ceremony. There is accommodation for only 350 people on the train, and these people will be drawn from all over New Zealand. It has been quite impossible with such very great limitation on number for the Government to invite more than Mayors and Chairmen of local bodies and Presidents of public associations, together with a few old colonists and others, who may have some special claim. With regard to the receipt by a number of Christchurch City Councillors of invitations, it is explained that they received the invitations in other capacities than that of City Councillors. Mr. Hillier has an interesting picwho was present at the turning of the first sod on the West Coast, side of the Midland Railway has received an invitation to be present at the ceremony of the opening of the Otira Tunnel. . Mr. illier haHs an interesting picture of the gathering at the ceremony 36 years ago, when the late Hon. E. Richardson turned the first sod at Stillwater, afterwards named Richardson, and later Stillwater Junction. This site, is about a mile, from the Brunner Coal Coy., whose employ Hillier was in at the time, as a member of the engineering staff. A lew ot the staff from the mine assisted in the - preparations.