MORNINGSIDE TUNNEL

Northern Advocate, 22 May 1929, Page 6

MORNINGSIDE TUNNEL

URGENTLY DESIRABLE. MR COATES HEADS DEPUTATION. NORTHERN NEEDS STRESSED. (Special to,,‘ ‘ Northern Advocate.”) AUCKLAND, This Day. A deputation which he described as the most influential and representative during his term of office, was th)s morning introduced by the Mayor, Mr G. Baildon, to the Minister of Railways, for the purpose of urging the importance of the Morningside deviation scheme.

The deputation, which attended at the. Minister,la 1 rooms in the Post Office buildings, represented the northern suburban railway and the Highways League, the Karangahape Road Business Men’s Society and 12 suburban and country local bodies and associations. In the words of the Mayor, the large deputation represented all shades of political opinion and all forms of business activity.

The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates traced the steps by which the decision was reached to put in hand the Morningside Tunnel scheme.

Two important reasons why this scheme should be carried through were the extension of the North trunk railway line from Whangarei to Okaihau (Bay of Islands), and the connecting of the Kirikopuni (Dargaville) branch line with the ana in line. The improved facilities provided would-affect not only Auckland City, but also the whole of the Northern Peninsula.

It was a frequent experience for trains from tire North to roach Auckland behind time, and the speaker had travelled on trains recently when they had lost as much as three-quarters of an hour between Henderson and Auckland.

“In adopting the Morn,ingside tunnel scheme,” said Mr 'Coates, “we felt that if we could provide fast services to and from Auckland over distances of from 20 to 25 miles, much more business would come to the railways. Although \ye did not stress electrification of suburban lines, for fear o,f frightening the public, we had in mind the possibility at some future time of fast suburban electric trains.”

The speaker said that, partly because of the unemployment problem, the late Government decided that the work would be put in hand in 1929. “There is no more important work,” added Mr Coates, “serving such a large and important area that ! know of in the Dominion. The present losses in time are both irritating, and unnecessary, and while the people of the North are prepared to put up with them in the meantime, they are eagerly looking forward to the day when they will have a fast and expeditious train service.” The Minister, the Hon. W. B. Taverner, said he would consider the question and give it careful and sympathetic treatment.