CITY AND PORT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1788, 6 November 1919, Page 11

CITY AND PORT.

PROGRESS LEAGUE'S ACTION. Some time ago the Canterbury Progress League set up a committee for the purpose of reporting on the whole question of better communication between Christchurch and the sea. . At the meeting of the executive of the league, held last evening, the committee presented its report, in which it has confined itself .to enumerating the difficulties under which the city and province is now suffering in regard to the port, and has summarised the various schemes, which are embodied as follows: (1) Duplication of the present railway tunnel, together with improved railway yard and handling facilities; (2) A traffic tunnel and the electrification of the present tunnel; (3) A canal, with a port at Heathcote. The committee expressed the hope that the report would be the means of each local body definitely expressing, through the league, an opinion as to what scheme should be taken up. It was hoped that, after a definite expression of opinion, the minority would accept the decision, so that all would work with tfne end in view.

The committee stressed the point that a vastly improved railway yard and facilities for handling goods, somewhat on the lines of Mr Hiley's report, were essential, and the Government must be prepared to put those proposals in hand, whether there was .to be a canal or whether Lyttelton was to remain. the port. The committee recommended that every member of every county and borough council in the district should be furnished with a copy of the report in order that the whole matter should be given full consideration before a decision was arrived at. The report then went on to summarise the various schemes already dealt with in the special industries number of The Sun. Mr A. G. Henderson said that the report was one of the most valuable that had ever been produced in Canterbury. He moved that the committee be heartily thanked for its work, and that 1000 copies be printed and supplied to local bodies. Mr H. J. Marriner also agreed that the report was a valuable one. The main question, however, was whether they could get control of the wharves. Without such control all the schemes that they were putting forward would fall to the ground. His qwu opinion was that the traffic tunnel, which would enable them to approach the ship's side, was the best solution of the trouble. Canterbury should have control of its own door.

Mr P. E. Climie said that he hoped that the figures supplied by Mr J. McCombs, M.P., relating to the electrification of the tunnel, would be included* in the report. Mr Henderson's motion was carried.