THE OTIRA TUNNEL

Otago Witness, Issue 3396, 16 April 1919, Page 28

THE OTIRA TUNNEL

MINISTER AND HIS CRITICS, CHRISTOHURCH, April 14. At a meeting of the Otira Tunnel League to-night, the Mayor of Christchurch said he had sent the resolutions passed at the last meeting of v thru league to the ' Minister of Public Work 3, and has received a reply > in the course of - Which Sir William Fraser stated :-—. (1) That it has been found impossible to obtain so far more men in order to expedite this work, as the conditions in regard '.., • to this class of labour during the war nave ,* in no wise changed, nor will they do so until the main body of soldiers has returned. Ido not admit the accuracy of the statement that an inadequate wage is being paid. Fcr many months past the men have been receiving, not lis per day, as stated at a league meeting, but 13s per day of six hours, or 23 2d per hour. (2) Mr Parry submitted some four months ago a s6parate system for the electrification of the tunnel to the Public Works Engineer-in-chief, who is conferring with the chief engineer of the Railway Department on the subject. The decision on this matter really his with the latter department, a 3 it has to work the line . when the tunnel is completed. I am assured, however, that no delay will arise from this cause. I think if your league is wise it will not attach too much importance to the comparative statements you have forwarded to mo regarding the expenditure on railway works in the North and South Islands during ; the last five years lest the advocates for the North Island retort that you should have given the figures for the last 40 years. Even as regards the five years you cite Canterbury has littlo cause for complaint as to unfairness in regard to public expenditure, seeing that during that period nearly £500,000 nas been expended on the Lake Coleridge hydro-electric works, and nothing for the same class of undertaking in the North Island. Mr Isitt, M.P., said that consultations had taken placo for some time with regard to the electrification of the tunnel, and yet they did not seem to be getting on any faster. Ho hardly thought the Minister was justified in saying that no undue delay would take place, for it had already taken placo.

A resolution was passed that tho Ministers of Public Works and Railways be asked to .state plainly what plans had been determined on and how long the electrification of the works would take after the completion of tho tunnel.