TUNNEL ROAD PROPOSAL

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23970, 10 June 1943, Page 3

TUNNEL ROAD PROPOSAL

FIRE BOARD MEMBERS’ VIEWS The usefulness of a tunnel road in a fire-fighting, emergency was emphasised by several members of the Christchurch Five Board on Tuesday evening. A decision to attend a conference on the proposal this month was reached, though members were not unanimous whether the board, as such, should take part. Mr M. E. Lyons said that he was personally keen on a tunnel road, but he doubted whether the subject came within the purview of the Fire Board, even though the road might be useful for fire-fighting purposes. The board was a special organisation to deal with a special job. Mr T. M. Charters said the question affected the whole province. Indirectly it affected the board. The last fire at Lyttelton had more or less proved the difficulties of getting to Lyttelton in a short time, said Mr M. J. Russell. The road would enable the Christchurch Brigade to help Lyttelton, and possibly Lyttelton to help Christchurch. Mr K. W. Robinson said that he thought the policy of one area backing up another in fire-fighting had come to stay and was a relevant consideration in a post-war project such as the tunnel road. Mr Lyons said that his point was that it was not the board’s job to take views which might well be diametrically opposed to the views of the bodies represented by members of the board. From a fire-fighting viewpoint, said Mr Robinson, the project directly affected the board. Long before the war, when a kerosene tank blew its head off, Lyttelton had telephoned and got the Christchurch Fire Brigade there as soo- as it could ge + there. If there should be a petrol fire' at Lyttelton it might be very serious, peace or war. It would be a very serious thing for Christchurch to lose its port. A motion, that the board should be represented at the conference was passed, Mr Lyons and M r W. H. Mathison voting against it. Mr Charters and Mr Russell were appointed representatives of the board.