Manawatu Daily Times Under or Over The Channel?

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6851, 5 March 1929, Page 6

Manawatu Daily Times Under or Over The Channel?

A court er-blash to the enthusiasm with which the Channel

tunnel scheme has recently been received has been delivered by the aerial transport organ, Airways, which declares by way of discouragement that the tunnel would be easily vulnerable tc aerial attack, and by the time of its completion, say, ten years hence, air transport will have reached such a stage of efficiency that it will have no chance of competing on a payable basis with traffic by air. This first objection is supported, it is known, by the Air Force chiefs, apparently on the argument that a serious division of its available strength would be required for the defence of the tunnel at both ends, but the vulnerability of the tube is scouted by supporters of the project

According to Sir William Bull, no bomb has yet been invented or thought of that could do the slightest damage to the tunnel, for r: would be too far down for any bomb to reach it. It may be allowed that at present the case in favour of the construction of a Channel tunnel seems to be largely in the ascendant. It is urged that the establishment of such a link would mean an enormous development of international trade, and that delay in putting the scheme into execution means to England an annual Joss ol millions of pounds in trade and passenger traffic. Without the tunnel, it is argued, Great Britain is cut off from the Continent by a stretch of sea that has a particularly bad reputatioii.

The passage of the strait is depicted as a real terror to the peoples of the Continent, and as disliked by Americans, and because of it Britain is losing the cream of the tourist traffic of the world which year after year flows to Europe, proceeding to ports whence there is through railway communication with the great Continental centres. Sir William Bull has been almost lyrical in observing:,“Just think of making a train journey to Paris as simply and comfortably as we now go to Wales through the Severn tunnel! Life would be wonderfully changed for millions of people.” And it is further pointed out that if the tunnel existed a tourist would be able to get into a train in London and in five or six hours be in Paris, and be able, without change of carriage, to proceed to Rome, or Berlin, or Constantinople. Thus, instead of a picture of commercial failure for a Channel tunnel, a vision is conjured up of huge traffic and a great financial success.

The renewal of dicussion of this project may possibly be attended by a somewhat exaggerated enthusiasm for the benefits likely to accrue from it and a tendency to under-rate the difficulties and drawbacks. There is clearly sufficient to be said and inquired into on both sides of the question, and the British Government has taken the judicious course in deciding to have a thorough examination made of the economic aspect of the matter in order that this may be weighed with Imperial defence considerations, with a view to a decision on broad grounds of national policy.

A large area of picturesque forest on the Te Aroha mountain, estimated at 200 acres, was destroyed by fire during the week-end. The fire, following that of last summer, has spoiled much of the beauty of the mountain scenery,—P.A.

There are ten penny in the slot telephones distributed through Palmerston North. The first slot telephone to make its appearance was the one outside the Post Office, which was made available to the public on December 21, 11911.