MORNINGSIDE TUNNEL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20930, 21 January 1930, Page 7

MORNINGSIDE TUNNEL.

mr\oates criticises govern- ' \ MENT ACTION. (Peb United Press Association.) • AUCKLAND, January 20. Commenting on the Government's decision adverse to the Morningside tunnel project, Mr J. G. Coates said he thought it inevitable. The railways should be electrified north and south as ' far as Helensville and Pubekohe, unless the railway policy was to be to “ sit down and do nothing.” His Government had always contemplated electrification, and it would have been kept in the 10 years' programme he had roughly worked out. ' It was Khongnrhat. electrified lines would pay witfUVanygjgirowth in the present and M'Lellan, conEundon, in a report Government in 1926, said the mgtmnjgfi ihg due to electrification would H&nßeient to pay approximately 10 per on the capital expenditure of AuckJjSd, and 8J per cent, in the case of Wellington. Mr Coates thought it could be shown definitely that it would pay to electrify the following sections of line:—AucklandHelensville, Auckland-Pukekohn, Welling-ton-Upper Hutt, Wellinglon-Paekakariki. There must, of course, be a comprehensive scheme, making it attractive for people to use the electrified lines, as had-been done in the Hutt Valley.