LYTTELTON TUNNEL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16566, 2 June 1914, Page 5

LYTTELTON TUNNEL.

DUPLICATION OR ELECTRIFICATION.

PORT IN ESTUARY PROPOSED

Neither the duplication nor the electrification of tho Lyttelton tunnel will bo of advantage to the farmers of Canterbury, according to Air D. Sykes, who was interviewed by a “Lyttelton Times !! reporter yesterday. Air Sykes has spent a considerable time investigating railless traction methods and it is upon that system that he based a scheme which he declared was preferable to the Lyttelton proposals. “The duplication of the tunnel cannot assist the farming industry in Canterbury,” said Air Sykes “ They would not get their produce away any more expeditiously than at present, and certainly not any cheaper. The farmer would still have ’to cart his grain to the nearest railway station and in tho busy season would still have the old trouble of the shortage of trucks, insufficient shed accommodation and shortage of tarpaulins to cover up the grain while it is waiti»ig railage to the port. The electrification of the line should be urged if only for tho sake of the passenger traffic, but a navigable channel in tho estuary at Sumner, ■ with shipping accommodation at Healhcote, would serve business men and farmers much better iffian any duplication of tho tunnel, fho port at Meatheotc could be established without there being any need for borrowing a sixpence. “ AA r e should stop unnecessary work at Lyttelton and utilise the surplus profits secured hv the Lyttelton Harbour Board, and we could accomplish ho work in a few years. Tho land '"claimed would he a valuable as'et and would materially assist in prodding centres for manufacturing industries. You see the establishment ■'.l' a port at Hcnthcoto makes the whole Hiestion of transport to the sea front umplo. Farmers would be able to '.end their produce to the wharf at Heatlicoto and would give it one handling. Self-propelled traction is revolutionising methods of haulage. I have seen demonstrations of trical conveyers during the past few weeks and I atu convinced that with shipping facilities on this side of the hills the great bulk of tho farm produce could be sent direct from the farm to the ship’s side and at much less cost than at pre-ent. Petrol-elec-trical traction would solve the whole problem. “ In the Old Country this method of fraction has grown hugely, and is used between factories and the wharves. These waggons run light on to the wharf and the boats are loaded from them. The same could be done here. Business instinct would soon provide the necessary vehicles and many farmers would probably own their own waggons, or would co-operate in owning them. The petrol-electrical waggon carries a self-contained electrica' generator plant which can be used for various purposes on the farm, for lighting and' for motor-power when the vehicles are at rest.

“ The duplication of the tunnel will spell increased charges on the railway: no improvement of conditions at country stations, and no decrease in the handling. The method 1 propose with a port at the estuary will reduce cost all round and increase. facilities and at the same time relieve Lyttelton. The expenditure on extensions there is being overdone and this work’ could be carried _ out without any loan being needed.”