MORNINGSIDE TUNNEL SCHEME

Evening Star, Issue 22456, 29 September 1936, Page 7

MORNINGSIDE TUNNEL SCHEME

NDT PAYABLE PURELY AS RAILWAY PRDJECT [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, September 28. The opinion that the Morningside tunnel scheme could not be made into a paying proposition from, a purely railway viewpoint was expressed by the Minister of Railways (Mr, Sullivan) to-day when he met a deputation of members of local bodies and the Auckland Chamber of Commerce who urged the prosecution of the work. Mr Sullivan said that it the Government was prepared to take into consideration the wider aspects, then it would be a matter for the Government as a whole 1 6 handle rather than for himself as Alinister of Railways. At all events, he would have a report prepared and would place it before the Cabinet. To carry out the scheme the department would be faced with an estimated expenditure of £2,000,000, of which about £1,000,000 would be involved in the construction of the tunnel and a similar amount in the installation of electricity. From a purely railway point of view the estimated expenditure could not possibly make the scheme a commercial proposition. There were, however ; certain other aspects such as the social aspect to which regard should be given. Mr Sullivan added that he could not give a definite answer either way, but he proposed to have a fresh examination made of the figures for both the tunnel and the electrical installation. When the report was prepared he would confer with the Cabinet.