RAILWAY MATTERS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 754, 1 March 1910, Page 9

RAILWAY MATTERS.

. I/YTTELTON TUNNJSL. ELECTEI- : : FICATION. ~:.. .•.'::. (By Telegraph.—Soccial CorreepondenU . .• Chnstchurch, February, 28. . The proposal to electrify the railway line through the Lytteltou Tunnel. was brought before the' Hon. J. A. Millar by 11r.\6. 'Laurenson, M.P., again on Sat-' urday. The Minister said the scheme could not be entertained at present, as the estimated cost of electrification was .£200,000, but he M.Alr. Laurensqu to hops' that some .steps will be taken soon, to mitigate , the sinoke nuisance. In big tunnels in Australia, he added, the compressed air system had been used with.' marked success, and he thought it might be used in the Lyttelton Tunnd. In the meantime tests had shown thattho Papa-: roa coal created very little smoke, and.; he.hoped soon by'the Use of that coal and.by" the introduction of' the'..' compressed air system almost to free , the' Jjyttelton Tunnel from ihe 6nioke miiS"> auce. . ■ : : '■' ' ■ ' ' •-■■'""

Some very complimentary remarks' in . : regard to the management of the rail- : ways in .Canterbury were made, when de-.v putations waited on the Hon. j. A. Jlil- . Jar in Christchurch on Saturday. Mr.'; 0. 1 , . Clothier, vice-president of the'Far-.:.' iners'• Union, said that the traffic man* .' ; ager in Christch'urcti had helped the far>. : '; mers during the recent' grain season in'.' every way when tho use of trucks was.' sought. They were sent 'promptly, and ■■{ without any hitch, and the farmers were ■; very grateful, for the attention they re , . ' ceived. The Minister. said' that although -' .the Department had not increased its "■ muobet.'bt. trucks.it "b.0.4 aifetl.gteattj".';. to VWVi eßec'cYveness'by : naving a niora ;. : , methodical way of dealing with thenu-.-V As long as the people heiped .the Depart-..,; nient it would continue to do morethan. '.'[ liafl. ,\s«eix (Voue in ftxo Vi yaxs ":. usually, the, fate of railway officers fo : , receive inore kicks than thauks, but now ;■ lor the first time in the history of New , Zealand he believed the farmers were expressing their thanks to the officers.