SUBURBAN LINES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25801, 23 March 1945, Page 4

SUBURBAN LINES

ELECTRIFICATION SCHEMES SURVEY DEFERRED Information that it would be some considerable time before a survey could be made in relation to the electrification of the Port Chalmers-Mos-giel suburban line was received by the Otago Harbour Board at its monthly meeting last night, when the South Island Local Bodies’ Association forwarded a copy of a letter from the Minister of Railways (Mr R. Semple) on the subject. Acknowledging receipt of a resolution which had been moved at a conference of South Island local bodies, Mr Semple said that schemes for electrifying the important Hutt Valley and Auckland suburban areas were already being studied, and these major works would keep the department’s technical staff fully employed for a considerable time. While it remained impossible at this juncture to anticipate when the material for the schemes could be obtained from overseas, he regretted that it was not practicable to give consideration at present to the matter of electrifying the Port Chalmers-Mosgiel area. , , , “Mr Semple is to be congratulated on the frank reply he has given,” said the chairman (Mr R. S. Thompson). “Staffs have been severely depleted during the war, but I have not the slightest doubt that later on when the stress of work is not so great he will investigate the matter.” The letter was received.