OTIRA TUNNEL OPENING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18461, 26 July 1923, Page 6

OTIRA TUNNEL OPENING.

OT A " EAT SPREAD." NUMBER OF TRAINS LIMITED [BY s TELEGRAPn.~SPECIiX ■ BEPOBTEB.] "WELLIN'GTOjr.' Wednesday., ; . Owing: .to traffic; difficulties; only' two trains will be. run to Arthur's- Pass on Augilst 4 for the : ceremony of. opening the Otira tunnel. The Minister for Railways, the Hon. J. G. Coates, stated in the House of Representatives to-day that-he'had? gone into' the arrangements very carefully. - A second train from the West Coast was impracticable because it could not be handled. With regard to catering, two ' hours and 10 minutes had been allowed fo" tho function at Arthur's Pass, including tiine *or a cup of ; tea and a. sandwich. He knew that many people would! like to make the most of- their visit, but there : was not" time to do all that everybody would 'wish. Tho object 7 was .to get the tunnel open - for traffic, though of course, it was possible . t<» postpone the official opening until several months hence. , .• . _ ' Mr. ;J. McCombs (Lyttdton): How many trains ' are : being : run from Christchurch. - ; Mr. Coates: One.. ■ ' ! The' Minister added that it was not proposed to have. a ''great' spread." Present day public men and those of : earlier times would have ran: opportunity to mane speeches. ! v;: ;