THE TUNNEL.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14987, 6 June 1914, Page 5

THE TUNNEL.

ELECTRIFICATION v. DUPLICATION.

The question of whether tho electrification or tho duplication of Lyttelton ' tunnel should bo carried out first, was discussed yesterday by Mr J. Reynolds, who is a member of the committee recently appointed by the. City Council to report on tho wholo matter, and who is also a candidate for ono .of the vacant scats on tho Lyttelton Harbour Board. Air Reynolds said that, from the^ commercial point of view, the duplication ol the tunnel was of moro importance than its electrification, but from tbo point oi" view of tho general public he thought that electrification was the more important of the two schemes. Christchureh manufacturers, and business people generally wero un- ; doubt-dlv' badly handicapped by j comparison with other centres, owing to the delays in getting goous to and from the .ship's side, aud tho public, generally, do not realise the importance of this *in connexion with the growth and progress oi" their city and tho district. Auckland, Wellington, Timaru. and other ports have all the advantages of having tho wharves practically alongside tho warehouses, while Christchurch is handicapped by tho tunnel and all the disadvantages arising from it. such as high railage -rates, insufficient rolling-stork, and delays in shipping and getting delivery of goods. Canterbury is one cf the largest and most fertile-districts in the Dominion, and Christchureh. iho city best suited for industrial development, ha.-, gone so far ."behind -that its port now requires less, than oiiti-iifth of the number of workers ne-dod for such ports as Auckland and Wellington. Even the exports from Timaru bays, since 1902. increased more than twice as fast as those from Lyttelton. and something, such as the 'duplication of the tunnel or sonic other means of altering this unsatisfactory state of affairs, is absolutely essential, and for that reason, Mr Reynolds said h& iron Id give precedence to the electrification scheme, at tho present juncture. The electrification or some other method of relieving the congestion of goods traffic, must come inevitably, but if the people did not- ;zc-l the electrification of the tunnel with the advent oi" the Lake Coleridge scheme, it, would be po.-tponed indefinitely, probably for tho next quarter of a century.

In connexion with the goods traffic, Mr Reynolds said that it might be possible to improve the navigational facilities of the Hoathcoto river and make it available for coastal ships, by constructing training walls' at the entrance and dredging the channel. This could bo done out of the ordinary revenue of tho Harbour Board, without either raising a loan, increasing the port charges, or neglecting to keep Lyttelton Harbour in an efficient condition. If this were done, a great deal of the coastal traffic could be dealt with at Heathcote. This would .relieve the congestion between Lyttelton and Christcburch, and with petrol-electrical traction between Heathcote and the city. and. in fact, the whole of North Canterbury, farmers' produce, and coal and timber and other goods, could ib«> taken direct to or from the farms and timber yards and the ship's side. "But to do ali this.'] concluded Mr Reynolds, "would require ait infusion ot new blood 'v: the I.ytflton Harbour Board.'''.