TUNNEL ROAD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17702, 31 January 1918, Page 4

TUNNEL ROAD.

ADVOCATED BY AKAROA RESIDENT.

Mr W. 11. Henning, a resident of Akaroa, has written to Mr H. G. Ell, M.P., strongly supporting that gentleman’s scheme to make a tunnel road between Christchurch and" Lyttelton, in order that vehicles may go up to the wharves at port- Mr Henning says : “ I road with great pleasure your interview in the ‘ Lyttelton Times ’ of January 23. Your proposal offers the only practicable relief at reasonable cost from tho present conditions- The first cost of a canal would be immense, and the annual expense of maintenance also would be very heavy. Admiralty charts snow that, to secure eight .fathoms at the canal entrance, the moles would have to run out two miles. The report of the Imperial Trade Commission, published about last June, laid it down that the loading ports of the Empire must provide for vessels of 40 to 42 feet draught, ns the most economical cargo carriers. Those would not look at less than eight fathoms in calm weather, and not that in heavy weather. Seeing that this coast is subject to violent northerly and southerly gales, raising very heavy seas, one can well Understand that seafaring m«n dismiss the project in most emphatic language. This letter is merely to encourage vou to steadily persevere in solving the problem of effectively connecting the Canterbury Plains with the ocean highways.”