Inquiry Agreed On.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 849, 24 August 1933, Page 8

Inquiry Agreed On.

Access to Sea

Investigation Committee Appointed. W H ETHER it is desirable, in the present economic position, to proceed with either the tunnel road to Lyttelton or the Port Christchurch scheme is a matter that an Investigation Committee will report upon to a conference on access to the sea. so it was decided yesterday. The Investigation Committee will present a feasible proposition in the event of either project being decided on. The original conference was held on August 2, when an investigation of the position was favoured, and a Selection Committee, under the chairmanship of Mr F. T. Evans, was set up to appoint an Investigation Committee, and formulate a suitable order of reference. The Selection Committee reported to yesterday’s conference, which was presided over by the Mavor of Christchurch (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.). The committee’s report contained the above order of reference, and it was further stated that it was decided to divide the membership so that # all interests of the community would be represented, and. therefore, it was suggested that the committee should be constituted of two engineers, one representative of local bodies within the harbour district, three representatives of the business and agricultural interests, and one public accountant. The following were elected and had accepted the appointments as members of the Investigation Committee: Engineers, Professor Cull (Canterbury College) and Mr 11. W. Harris (engineer. Waimakariri River Trust): representative of local bodies. Councillor J. W. Beanland; business and agricultural interests, Messrs W. Machin, 11. S. E. Turner and J. G. Collins; public accountant, Mr W. S. Newburgh. On the motion of Mr J. R. Hayward, seconded by Mr Evans, the report as a whole was adopted. Mr Sullivan referred to the good work that had been accomplished by the Selection Committee, which, he assured the conference, had taken its work very seriously. He moved that the committee be accorded a vote of thanks for their efforts. The motion was seconded by Mr W. T. Lester (Mayor of Lyttelton), who considered the committee had done its work.well. The motion was carried unanimously. In reply, Mr Evans expressed the gratitude of the committee for the motion. The work so far, he said, augured well for the success of the whole investigation. Mr J. W. Beanland undertook to see that the Works Department of the City Council would carry out the secretarial duties in connection with the investigation, and Mr A E. Summerfield, pi that department, was appointed secretary. The matter of selecting a chairman was left in the hands of the committee, but Mr Evans was deputed to call it together. “ Open Road ” to the Port. Mr A. Peverill. chairman of the United Burgesses’ Association, asked if it would be in order to suggest that, failing agreement on either the estuary port or the tunnel road, the committee should inquire into the advisability of constructing an “ open road ” from Christchurch to Lyttelton, via St Martins and Rapaki. Mr Sullivan explained that the specific purpose of the conference was to decide whether either <>f the two main proposals was desirable. In view of that fact he did not think they should confuse the issue, or introduce any side issue. On the suggestion of Mr Sullivan, Mr Peverill agreed not to press the matter further. The view was advanced that the committee’s deliberations should be open to the newspapers, and that the committee should issue periodical reports for the information of the bodies and organisations interested. Ultimately it was agreed to give the committee discretionary power in the matter of admitting the newspapers, and no action was taken in regard to the suggestion relative to the releasing of interim reports. Mr C. H. Clibborn, secretary of the Lyttelton Harbour Board, assured the conference of the board's co-operation in the investigation. and Mr R. C. Abernethy, a member of the Port and City League, stated that the bulk of the documentary evidence that his organisation desired to place before the committee was prepared. In discussing the procedure that the committee would adopt in the course of its investigations, the Mayer said that those wishing to give evidence would have to notify the chairman of thdir desires in the matter, and he would fix a time for the hearing. It was agreed that when the Investigation Committee’s report was completed the conference should be called together f° receive it before it was released lor publication.