THE TUNNEL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16550, 14 May 1914, Page 5

THE TUNNEL.

SCHEME OF ELECTRIFICATION. LARGE DEPUTATION TO MR BERRIES. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT. DUPLICATION ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. A large deputation, representing the City Council, the Chamber of Commerce j the Industrial Association and other organisations, waited on the Hon W. H. Hemes, Minister of Railways, yesterday morning in regard to the scheme to electrify the line through the Lyttelton tunnel Amongst those present were the Mayor (Mr H. Holland), Mr T. H. Davey, M.P., Mr G. Witty, M.P., and Mr J. M'Combs, M.P.'

Mr Davey said that when the Prime Minister was in Christchurch a short time ago he introduced to him a very representative deputation in regard to that subject, but the present deputation was still more representative, and would express the opinion of tho whole community. THE MAYOR'S LIST OF THE . CITY'S GRIEVANCES. The Mayor said that Mr Massey had promised that the tunnel would be electrified, but had not stated when it would bo done. Ho would like to have a definite statement from tho Minister of Railways. The inconvenience caused by tho smoke nuisance was very trying, and oversea visitors sometimes preferred to remain in port all day rather than be subjected to tho nuisance of the tunnel. Tho advantage of electrifying the tunnel would be enormous. There would be a, saving of 33 per cent in labour alone. The Department should encourage passenger traffic between Christchurch and the port. Under the present conditions nobody would go through the tunnel to visit Lyttelton for pleasure. It was a very disagreeable journey. As Mayor, he felt the heavy responsibility of the position. This city had to hold its own amongst the other-.cities of the dominion. The Government had spent large sums of money in other places, notably Dunediu and Auckland, in order to provide better facilities for visitors. When strangers came through the tunnel and experienced the suffocating fumes there; they received an impression that Christchurch was not a desirable place of abode.

Another complaint was in respect to the regulation that' goods shipped from Lyttelton must be sent through by the middav train. Sometimes a merchant received an urgent message at 11 a.m. asking him to send goods to a port in another place. If he could not get them away by the midday train that day, they had to wait until next day. There were much better facilities at other centres. There was a fault somewhere. The Department's regulations were not sufficiently elastic. An illustration of that had been brought under his notice that day. A traction engine used for work at Lako Coleridge _ broke down. The firm that repaired it worked until nine o'clock the previous night, in order to prevent delay at the works. The broken part was sent to the railway station at 7.30. The authorities refused to take it, because soma regulation was in the way. Consequently, work in connection with the power scheme was held up. Still another subject the Minister might consider was the proposal to have a daily mail service between Christchurch _ and the West Coast. Again, tho citizens had asked that the Provincial Council buildings should be vested in tho city, and they would like to have the Minister's sympathy in that object.

MR M'COMBS SUPPORTS THE REQUEST. Mr M'Combs said that the citizcnn were warranted in assuming from what the Prime Minister had said, that the electrification of the tunnel would be taken in hand. The only question now was tho expediting of the work. The Lake Coleridge scheme would be completed in. a few months. To take full advantage of that scheme, it was necessary to have the tunnel electrified. When tho Mersey tunnel, near Liverpool, was electrified, the returns from passenger traffic increased by about 100 per cent. It was reasonable, therefore, to assume that there would be a considerable increase in the traffic in the Lyttelton tunnel when the proposal was carried out. Large numbers of people in Christchurch would take up their residence at Diamond Harbour. Tho City Council was getting power from Lake Coleridge, and tho current could be obtained for tho tunnel. Taking everything into consideration, the time was opportune for electrifying the tunnel. The tunnel had been paid for by the people of Canterbury. That should be considered in ' regard to the freights on goods sent through the tmnnel. OTHER SPEAKERS. Mr E. G. Staveley, president of tho Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, said that the Chamber was strongly in favour of the proposal. Mr J. B. Laurenson, president of tho Canterbury Industrial Association, said that tho electrification of the tunnel would bo a great step in advance i both Christchurch and Lyttelton. _ Ic should be done at the earliest possible time. The Mayor said that from a financial point of view electricity was much cheaper for railway traction than steam. THE MINISTER'S REPLY. DUPLICATION BEFORE ELECTRIFICATION. BIG BORROWING SCHEME. The Minister said that he realised that tho deputation-' represented tho views of tho people of Canterbury. The Department, in conjunction with tho Harbour Board, contemplated important schemes for enlarging the station yards at both Lyttelton and Christchurch. The Department recognised that the accommodation for its customers was inadequate. The engineers proposed, as part of the scheme, to duplicate the line ] through tho tunnel. It would cost a | littlo less than the scheme of electrification. Tho Department had to decide | whether it should postpone the dupli-1 cation in order to take in hand the j electrification, which would not in any way help to deal with tho block of traf- j lie. Duplication was of supremo import- j anco from a railway point of view. Tho traffic was being'blocked in Christchurch and in other centres in the dominion. The question war. engaging the attention of his responsible officers. The Department would havo to decide whether in tho Lyttelton tunnel duplication would precede electrification, j Chriutehurch must get her goods from port as, soon as possible, and ho was | convinced that tho Department could j not work much longer with the single lino in tho tunnel. In other words, duplication was absolutely necessary. Ho intended to introduco into Parliament a Bill authorising the Department to borrow a considerable! .sum for works at Auckland, Lyttelton, CliriiiteliuroH, Wellington Inirorcmrftill, Timaru and other places where traffic was congested. When that propositi was considered tho question which nchotiw nlmuld bo taken in hand at ]-yl.t.()Hou,fii-f.t-dii|)lication or olectriliciil ion -would bo decided. ti'om a railway point of view, electrification was inoro u convenience- than a necessity. Duplication certainly would considerably 'minimise, tho smoko nuisance. Tho Mersey lino, referred to by Mr M'Combs, Witty «»»W ho lukou M an

illustration in the present case. Between Liverpool and Birkenhead there was a population of 2,000,000 people, and there was very heavy traffic on the suburban lines. There were different conditions in Christchurch. The Department wished to serve its customers well. It could hardly take in hand both the duplication of the tunnel line and the electrification at the same time, and, as ho had stated, duplication was of supreme importance. As to the West Coast mail service, that was largely a matter for the Postal Departnioiu. His Department would consult with that Department. He did not see why it should not be done.

Whatever the Prime Minister decided in regard to the Provincial Council Buildings, no doubt would be confirmed by tho Cabinet. One thing was .certain. The Government would not dream of handing over the buildings if there was any likelihood of them being pulled down. Mr* Davey: No likelihood cf that, whatever.

In further discussion the Minister said that the freights between Christchurch and Lyttelton were very reasonable compared with freights on other port lines. Mr Davey said that there was a mileage charge, which was unjust. Tho Mayor said that the distance was six miles and twenty-eight chains, and a charge was made on seven miles. At Port Chalmers the distance was seven miles twenty chains, and the charge there was on seven miles also. Mr Davey said that ho did not think that the "electrification scheme should be placed against, the duplication scheme. There certainly was a distinction between Christchurch and Port Chalmers. Tho people of Christchurch were being penalised. Tho Minister said that ho did not intend to put one scheme against another, but from a railway point of view it was absolutely necessary to duplicate the line. Parliament would have to decide whether both schemes could be taken in hand at once. The Mayor said that ho hoped the Government would make one clean sweep of it and take both schemes in hand at tho same time. HOW THE DUPLICATION WILL BE MADE. PRESENT TUNNEL PROBABLY WILL BE ENLARGED. TRAFFIC WILL NOT BE STOPPED. The Minister's announcement that the port line will be duplicated has raised the question how the work should he done.

It is impossible to put clown two lines in the present tunnel, and the problem that faces the railway authorities is whether another tunnel should be built, or whether the present one will be enlarged- When Mr Hemes was seen last night he said that the question would bo dealt with by Mr E. H. Hiley, General Manager of the Railways, in the report he would submit to the Government before the next session of Parliament.

It is understood that the nature of the hill through which the present tunnel runs will .-allow the engineers to enlarge the> tunnel on one side, and it is expected that this is the plan which will ho followed. In that case the work will be less expensive than if another tunnel was built. The contract price of the present tunnel, it may be mentioned, was £195,000. It is impossible to. give an estimate of the cost of the propossd work until details have been worked out.

Another question that has heen asked is whether the traffic through the tunnel will bo delayed while the work is in hand. Inquiries made last, night showed that there will he no interference whatever with the traffic.