Manawatu Daily Times The Channel Tunnel

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6863, 19 March 1929, Page 6

Manawatu Daily Times The Channel Tunnel

Wellington Harbour was conquered on Saturday, the attempt of C. Claridge, of tho Maranui Surf and LifeSaving Club, to swim from Eastbourno Eerry Wharf (City) to Kona Bay proving successful. Claridgc covered tho distance, approximately seven miles, in just under 3J hours. No fewer than 175 applications have been received for the position of assistant traffic inspector, rendered vacant by the resignation of Mr. F. A. Phelan, who has taken over the position of sorvice officer for the Wellington Automobile association. The applications were from nil parts of the Dominion and ranged from men who have worn tho solicitor's wig and gown to those who Lave made uso of tho crafts. Last evening the council decided to appoint Mr. H. J. Smith, of Palmerston North, temporarily for three months, after which time tho position will be reviewed. Reference to the encrustation discovered in a’scction of water main removed. from Church street last week, was made at the Palmerston North Borough council table last evening by Cr. G. Tremaine, who thought that if the encrustation was found to bo general, a new main ought to bo laid or steps taken to remove the deposit in preference to any other reticulation work, Tho Mayor stated that ho had been informed that a way of removing the encrustation had been discovered in Invercargill and ho had asked the engineer to inquire into tbo method. He whs told a 58 per cent improvement in pressure had been effected at Invercargill

view that the Channel Tunnel is an economic absurdity has been expressed by the New Statesman. It suggests that the advantages lor passenger traffic over sea or air travel have been greatly exaggerated, while the cost of goods transportation would be prohibitive. “After all, we have no very enormous trade with France and are not likely to have,” it says. “We buy her Bordeaux wine in increasing quantities, but that will naturally come more cheaply by sea; it will ifever be sent via a Dover Calais railway tunnel. “Even London gets more coal from Northumberland and Durham by sea than by rail. A channel tunnel can do nothing to open the markets of Europe to us. Even as regards Northern France the commercial advantage of the tunnel is doubtful, and in regard to most other places there can be no advantage at all. Some of our exports to Switzerland might perhaps use the tunnel route, but to all other countries—even Spain and Italy, for example—the sea route would remain the most economical. “Why should Yorkshire and Lancashire send their fabrics to Holland or Germany via London and Calais, paying the high tunnel toll, when they can be shipped from Hull direct to Hamburg or Rotterdam ? This, and not the miltary obstacle, is the real objection to the Channel Tunnel scheme. It is hardly possible to imagine that it could pay its way. Estimates of its probable cost vary from sixty to a hundred and fifty million pounds. Even at the lowest possible cost the project seems to be utterly uneconomic.”

Owing to the death yesterday morning of the secertary, Mr. H. W.” Brown, the sports meeting to havo been held last evening by the Manawatu A.A. and C. sub-eentre was postponed. For February, the municipal buses showed an increase of 311 passengers and £2O 18s 6d revenue over the same period of last year. There was also an additional amount of £lO 5s received for bus Lire. “I don’t think this man is making an honest endeavour to pay,” remarked the Magistrate (Mr. J. L. Stout, SM.) in the Palmerston North court yesterday morning when refusing an application by Jens A. Jensen, of Palmerston North, labourer, for a reduction in maintenance order made against him. Defendant was ordered to pay arrears due at the rate of 10s a month, in default 14 days’ imprisonment. Alter May 31, the Palmerston North buses will not run to any place outside the borough. This decision was reached at last night’s meeting of the council, on tho recommendation of the transit committee. Cr. Hodgcns explained that tho council was compelled to take this action, as the Kairanga County council was demanding a sum of £4OO as heavy traffic license fees. Milson suburb will be one of tho main localities affected. In a Norfolk village most of tho green peas are grown from a stock of Seeds said to be about 2400 years old. They were discovered in the case of an Egyptian mummy*