OTIRA TUNNEL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 172, 15 April 1919, Page 7

OTIRA TUNNEL

SHORTAGE OF MEN CAUSING DELAY STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS. By Telegraph—Press Association. Chrlstchurch, April 14. At a meeting of the Otira Tunnel League to-day the Mayor of ChristchiiToh said that he had sent the resolutions passed at the last meeting of the league to flic Minister of Public Works, and had received a reply, in the course of which Sir. William Eraser stated :— "(1) That it has been found impossible to obtain so far men in order to expedite this work. As the conditions in regard to this class of labour during the war have in no wise changed, nor will they do so'until - the main body of soldiers has' returned, I do not admit the accuracy of ttie statement that an inadequate wage is being paid. For many months past the men have been receiving not lis! p?r day as stated at the league's meet'n*, T*it 13s. per day of'six hours, or 2s. 2d. per.hour. (2) Mr. Parry submitted come four months ago four' separate schemes for electrification of the tunnel to the Public Works Engineer-in-Chief, who is conferring with the Chief Engineer of the Railway Department on the subject. Decision on this matter really lies with the latter Department, as it has to work the line when the tunnel is completed. 'I am assured, however, that no delay will arise from this cause. I t*;ink that if your league is wise it will not attach too much importance to the comparative statements you have forwarded to me regarding expenditure on Tailway works in the North and South Islands during the. last five years, lest the advocates for the North Island Tetort that you should have given the figures for the last 40 years. Even as Tegards the five years you cite Canterbury has little oause for complaint as to unfairness in regard to public expenditure, seeing that during .that period nearly .£500.000 of money has been emended on the Late Coleridge hydro-electric works and nothing for the same class of undertaking in the North Island." •Air. L. M. Isitt, M.P., said that consultations had taken nlace for some time with. regami to the electrification of the tunnel, and yet they did not seem to "be pettinsr on any faster. He hardly thought the Minister.was justified in saying that no nndue delay would talce place, for it had already taken placo.

A resolution was passed that the Minister of Public Works and the Minister of Rnihrays both be asked to stato plainly what plans had been determined on. and bow long tlhe electrification of the works would take after the completion of the tunnel.