OTIRA TONNE

Hokitika Guardian, 10 September 1920, Page 4

OTIRA TONNE

- WELLINGTON , NEWSPAPER COMMENT.

WELLINGTON, September 8. The “New Zealand Times” to-day makes the following reference to the Otira- tunnel:—When the Prime Minister referred tlie other day to the Otira tunnel as one of the certainly profitable things in the public Works policy of New Zealand, he said a thing perfectly true. The statement, in fact was an act of justice due to the tunnel project and to the men who, many year's ago, gave that turn to railway develooment which made the construction of the tunnel a necessity. This is part, of course, of an old controversy, the controversy which for years beset railway extension in Westland arid was eventually extended to the project of joining the East arid West Coasts of the Smith Island by railway. To that controversy it is no longer necessary to refer now.' Jt is more useful to point put that today the West Coast system, With its addition of the old Midland railway, is one of the best there is. It paid corisiderbly over 3 per cent on the cost of constrhetion, arid to-day it /Bays over 4; pays, in fact, almost, if not quite, at! its changes. This group is, in fafct, a live railway before a single ton has; been railed between the two coasts..! The tunnel is, of course, a lirige worky s and costly, but it will carry a liririe' traffic in minerals arid timber. 'As.'rail-* way profits are due principally tb goods’" and in a giliall degree, even in populous countries, to passengers, it is fairly safe to conclude that tlie 'tunnel will before long, pay its charges. The usefulness' of the work will Be fully recognised when the trains begin to run. Fortunately the running is now not far offh