THE MIDLAND RAILWAY

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVI, Issue 14416, 5 July 1907, Page 2

THE MIDLAND RAILWAY

DEMAND FOR COMPLETION. THE ARTHUR'S PASS TUNNEL. TENDERS CONSIDERED UNSATISFACTORY. [Feom Oce Cokkespondent.] WELLINGTON, July 4. A meeting of Canterbury, West Coast and Nelson members of the Legislature was held this morning, for the purpose of urging on the Government the desirableness of completing the Midland Railway. There wore present the Hons A. It. Guinness (in the chair), H. F. Wigram, J. Bai-r, C Louisson, S. Anstey and R. H. J. Reeves, Sir William Steward, and Messrs H. G. ELI, W. W. Tanner, C. M. G;rav, T. Y. Soddon, C. A. C. Hardy, 11. M'Kenaie, T. H. Bavey. F. R. Fliatxnian, G. Laureneon, J. Colvin, D. Buddo, J. Graham., T. Pa.rata and G. Witty. The ohiii.mia.il said that the meeting had been called because the members felt that the Midland, line should be pushed on much more expeditiously between the Broken River and the Cass A distance of about twelve miles required to bo completed, and then.facilities would bo available for tho boring of the tunnel under Arthur's Pasd He read telegrams received from tiie West Coast, urging that the work should be pushed on. Mr FJatman said, that the tunnel was the vital thing. AVith that completed the line would soon be pushed through. Mr R.. M'Kenzie sa:id that the engineer's estimate of the cost of x he tuninel was £534,000. Mr Ell said that the West Coast people had made a. mistake in protesting against the Government undertaking the work and insisting on the acceptance of ia tender. He was confident in tho ability of the Public Works Department to carry out the work, and the efforts of the Government to secure satisfactory tenders had not been, successful.

Mr Hardy said that the method was less important than the result. Can-torbua-y and Westland wanted the line completed. Mr M'Kenzie moved—" That this meeting of Canterbury, West Coast and NoLson members strongly urges upon the Government tho vigorous prosecution to completion of tho Midland Railway, and recommends that tenders be accepted for the Arthur's Pass tunnel." He said that the tunnel would require the use of a very expensive plant, costing probably £150,000, and lot- that reason ho believed that th© tender of a firm accustomed to such vrotk should bo accepted. Tho people of Nelson were just as anxious to get tho Midland line completed as were the people of Canterbury and Westland, as some fifty-nine miles oF line through easy country would connect Nelson and Greyrnouth. Mr Seddon seconded the motion, and said that, if the tenders' received were not satisfactory the. Public Works Department should make tho tunnel itaelf. That was tho feeling of the West Coast.

Mr Bnddo said that as a matter of economy the lino could not be much longer delayed. The line had nearly reached the end of the tunnel at either end, and until the tunnel had "beon put through tiie money already spent would be lying unproductive. He felt that it would bo best to accept a tender, because a firm accustomed to such work would havo the special plant necessary. The Hon C. LouLsson said that the Christchurch people were of opinion that it would be more advantageous to the colony that the tunnel, if possible, should bo -constructed by a private contractor. A private firm would have the necessary plant already on hand, and would be in a position to push through the woi-k expeditiously. Mr Davey waid that tho commercial and industrial organisations of Christchurch were of opinion that a tender should 1)0 accepted. Co-operative labour was not suitable for a work requiring the highest engineering skill. The Arthur's Pass tunnel was no greater work to-day than had been the Lyt-t-elton tunnel in the past, and at prefiont costly bridges and sections oi line were lying idle. If it were impossible to o-et a suitable tender, then the Public Works Department should proceed with the work. Mr C. M. Gray also urged that a tender should be accepted for the work in view of the fact that the speedy completion of the tunnel was of vast importance. . . The motion was carried unanimously. DEPUTATION TO THE MINISTER, The members and Councillors present at tho meeting then waited on the Hon James M'Gowan, Acting-Minister ot Public Works. . The Hon A. It. Guinness introduced tho deputation. He .said that even it tho tenders received were in. excess ot tho estimates one should bo accepted, in order that the line might be comP Sir- "William Steward said that tho completion of tho line would affect the whole of Canterbury- The southern members had cheerlully voted money for tho completion of the iSorth Island trunk line, and now that line was Hearing completion they felt that then patience should bo rewarded. Mr It M'Kenzie said that when the lino had been carried through to JNelon it would complete the trunk lines of the colony, and would open up a lame area of Crown lands m the Nelson province. Coal and timber could bo supplied to Canterbury from the Coast, 1 where the population was rapidlyMr!eddon, said that meetings held throughout Westland had demanded the completion of the line. At Christ mas time the men engaged on formag£ work had been <« «dtoj and seme of the :liue left m <-" un satisfactory position. | standing without protective woiU, and might be damaged, m case of flood Tho Hon C. Loui&son said that Canterbury was united on the subject, There was no doubt as to the impetus tho lino would give on bothsides of the ranges. He did not think that the Works Department would l,e wire to undertake work of such a 6P Tbf HoTS 61 F. Wigram said that the Let that tho Government had called for tenders for the tunnel showed thU°it understood tho ..ecessity or tho completion, of tho work. le i>vesentativos of Canterbury Wetland Id fin were absolute* unanimous in- the matter, and beh the* representatives tho people ot the provinces concerned stood firm,. - the provinces were getting tired oi the delajb that had taken place. The Minister, replying, 1 * could not bat be impressed by e.uo a large deputation The P^> n w £ that some very heavy work had to be undertaken m carrying the line. liom the Broken River to Cass. An expensive bridS had to be constructed over Seven's Creek, tenders for which were being considered. Tenders had been SSfvedV the tunnel but had not been considered by the Cabinet e understood that they wore unatikactory on account ot the amount of money required. He was not picked to say whether the Governmenu would accept any tender. One had been received from a farm. He was not disposed to be earned away bv people who said there was no traffic for the railway because, ho knew that when means ot communication were provided, traffic would develop Ho recognised the importance of' providing either a main' road or a railway. Hie own opinion was that not much coal would bo hauled across the ranges, becauso carnage by.ecuwould be cheaper. Mr Gray said it was not a (.uefctiou of carriage from port to port.

The Minister said that the Government and its officer* would not bo true to their positions if they paid, say, £IOO,OOO more than the estimated cost for the tunnel.

Mr R. M'Kenaie: Provided that the estimate is a fair one.. The Minister said that the whole matter would go before the Cabinet. He had mot people from both Cantorbury and Westland who had eaid that the railway should not go beyond The cost of a bridge at Sloven's CretA; would be £125,000, and it was a question how miudh money the GovoTmnen. + was prepared' to borrow for puh'io works. The total sum spent on the line had been £876,706, and during the last financial year the sum of £139,500 had been expended. The Government had decided in the past to carry out such works by cooperative labour, because) otherwise the colony would havo been flooded with people looking for employment. The co-operative system had been effective, and ho had yet to learn that it had been a bad method. A private contractor expected to make «. competence from a large railway contract, and that meant either that tho ja&ti. employed did not secure fail' conditions or that the State did not receive fair value. Tho losses wore lew compared with the gains in such contracts. He would place the whole matter before tho Cabinet, and ho waK himself anxious to push on the hue as quickly atf means and conditions would allow. If tho necessary money were placed at his disposal he would use the greatest care in expending it to the best advantage.