THE LYTTELTON TUNNEL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19453, 8 October 1926, Page 10

THE LYTTELTON TUNNEL.

The postponement of further e> penditure on the new Parliamentary Buildings and the general curtailment on capital works for education purposes have shown that, in the interests of economy, the Government has been impelled to modify its commitments. These are not the only opportunities for prudent retrenchment. Both may be described as undertakings desirable and even necessary, but not of such immediate urgency that the national finances should be strained to provide for them. The proposed electrification of the Lyttelton tunnel does not come within that definition, for while the conditions which it is intended to remedy are acute, the prescription appears to be extravagantly expensive. Plans and specifications arc being prepared for the electrification of the ChristchurchLyttelton section, the cost of which is estimated at £193,440, and according to all the expert reports the only practical result will be the elimination of the smoke nuisance in the tunnel. The London engineers consulted . by the Government showed that electrification would save only 2 per cent, of its capital cost, and the department's electrical and mechanical engineers reported that "from a railway economic point of view, electrification is not justified." Hence, the outlay of nearly £200,000 is contemplated merely as a remedy for the obnoxious effects of steam haulage through the tunnel. If there were no other escape from that evil, the expenditure might be warranted, but there is an alternative in the Diesel oil-electric locomotive, which has proved its efficiency and economy on American and Canadian railways. Investigation of its possibilities was suggested by Messrs. Kissell and Sims in their report last January, but apparently no action has been taken in that direction. Before their report was published, the extravagance of the electrification scheme was attacked, and the same alternative proposed, by a committee of younger men in C'hristchurch who, claiming to be inspired by the spirit of their pioneer forefathers, have initiated a movement for the improvement' of the port of Lyttelton arid of its communications with the city. They have formulated ambitious proposals, but, in spite of the frowning opposition which their criticism has provoked, have staunchly maintained their view that electrification of the tunnel is a grossly extravagant remedy for the existing evik, and have repeatedly appealed for an investigation of oilelectric traction, supporting their case with official reports of its success in Canada and the United States. An important point made by the committee is that electric locomotives could be used only on

tbe electrified lines, whereas the Diesel machines could be run anywhere, and their adoption would effect a saving of £150,000. The. electrification scheme has not yet gone beyond the draughtsman's office. In its efforts to economise, the Government would be well advised to review the whole question in the light of the recommendations by its own officers and their advocacy by a responsible organisation in Christchurch itself.