OTIRA TUNNEL OPENING

Hokitika Guardian, 6 March 1923, Page 2

OTIRA TUNNEL OPENING

SPECIAL COAIM ITTE SET IT. programme drawn UP. (Grey Argos.) About 8:1 people , representatives of local bodies and citizens, gathered in the Council Chamber last night to decide what would he a fitting "<>> t ’ < eh-hrate the opening of the Otira I unnel. A committee was set up to deal with the matter and held a meeting alter the conclusion of the genera meeting. The Mayor (Mr J. D. L.:ok the cliair. Mr Lynch said the mccUng was (ailed to decide what kind of celebration should he arranged for the opening o the Otira Tunnel. They would hate nn informal discussion on the matter. He had telegraphed to the Hon. • • Coates to find out when the tunnel would he through, and had received a reply that nothing definite could be said but Tie would communicate anything definite later. He would onl on Mr Evans, who had been in Chnstchii'.roh recently to give his opinion. AL- D. J. Evans (Hokitika), said Ah p* p Cliniie of the Canterbury Pro,.,'csc League, had put the matter before the executive of that body. Mr Climie had told him that the idea was that free trains should run from each end to Arthur’s Pass. But the main celebration would take place at Otira. The meeting that night would have to decide what lines the celebration should take at Otim. Air Climie had thought that business men m Christchurch would contribute towards a banquet to the ministerial party. He (Mr Evans) thought they should make sonic special entertainment for the old West Coast pioneers. If there were a second dav’s holiday he thought the school children should be taken up. Then some preparation for the on eitainment of the workmen was necessary. These men had done the "Oik and deserved some recognition Air T. Campbell interjected that be thought Mr Evans was trying to boost Hokitika, and get the honours down there. . AL- Evans, amidst laughter, denied any such intention. Mr Reynolds said that he had been told that one of the company men was coming all the way from England for the celebration.

Air Lynch : We are very pleased to hear it.

Air T. 1). l’.atv. thought a committee of iepicsenintiv.es from Greytnouth. Hokitika, lleefton. Westport and other towns should he set. up to confer with the Christchurch bodies. He would move: “That the official opening he held at Otira and that a committee of representatives, from various districts, comprising the whole of the "West ( oast be formed for the purpose of drafting a programme fittingly to celebrate the opening of the tunnel, and that the committee confer with the Canterbury Progress’ League when drafting the. programme"." Mr J. McLean thought a number of people from the Coast would like to get over to Christchurch. Ho thought the Christchurch people should entertain these folk.

Air Pattinson (Runanga) said that the people of Runanga were “easy - ’. Personally. he thought they should meet at Otira. He would like to see tl’e school children taken out there to soo the completion of this great undertaking. As far as Runanga went, the people there would not he able to give much. He thought the workc- at the tunnel should he entertained, they having done the work. Air -T. O'Rriou. ALP., said he had come there to listen. He agreed with Air Pattinson. the workers should be recognised. It was now some 10 or 17 years since the first shot had been fired. He favoured the suggestion that the first day’s celebration should he at Otira. The children should he taken up there free. The idea of the celebration at Otira would, no doubt, do away with some little heart-burning among the local bodies. In this part of the world tunnels five miles long were not opened every day. The first day should be held at Otira, the second day at either Hokitika or Orevmonth, and the third day at whichever town had not been visited. A good ri--1 vnlry might thus lie raised in the making of some decent entertainment programme. A representative committee should he set np and they should decide the progrnmem. A committee would do more work than they could, if they stayed all night. He would second Air B&ty’s motion. He did not

like tho idea of the Canterbury Progress League’s having tho opportunity of altering the West Coast programme. “This is our outfit and we are going to run it at this end.” If tho idea was to submit the proramme to the League to allow them to arrange their gramme accordingly, lie was in ment with the suggestion. Mr Evans said that the League was to be thanked for what it had done. “Tlie East and AVest should meet nt Arthur’s Pass and shake hands. Wo should then bring them through to tho Coast and give sthem some of our hospitality.” Mr O’Brien said the Canterbury pcopie had helped ft lot, but tho tunnel"’'* was far more important to Coasters, j “We should have at least three days and they should be holidays oh full pay.” Air Barrett (Coluh u) thought ♦that oho idea should be a first day’s celebration at Otira but the other days should he loc-al. Let each towii celebrate iii its own way . Air Lynch thought that there wits nothing wrong with the idea of sub--1 mitting the programme to the Canterbury League, but they should not lie allowed to alter the programme in anyway. Mr Pattinson thought -'that should meet and shake hands, hut the, i Coasters should journey through and tning the Canterbury people through to the celebration at Otira. Air O'Brien thought that there was a possibility of Canterbury starting a, j [•oiiiitcr-ultraction in Christchurch. With the object- of stopping this they should invite tlu; whole of the local bodies in Canterbury over here for a day or two. The motion was carried unanimously. .Mr Campbell moved that the Mayor of Greymouth be chairman of the comliiittee. ’ “ The motion was put: “Carried unanimously,” declared Air Lynch. Captain Colelougli: I said “no.” I think tho committee should elect its own chairman. A’ou may not be May<>i when the tunnel is opened. Mr Lynch: That is so. The motion on a show of hands was lost. Air J. Aft-Lean moved that the chairman of local bodies bo t-lie committee and that members of the legislature ho also represented. This was carried unanimously. v .Mr ALd.eun moved a hearty vote of thanks to the chairman, which was t arri-’d imaniimnislv. MEETING OF COMMITTEE. A meeting of the Committee was then held. Air J. I). Lynch being olecte ! chairman. Air Evans thought free trains should h-> available or that only a. nominal fare he. charged. , The opinion was expressed that* a children’s day he held and that he carried free. Air AlcLean moved that the Government he asked to run free, trains on the official opening day, and that a children’s day he arranged for. This was * carried unanimously. Air Evans said they should give fruit etc. to the children. “Let’s make it a red-letter day. Hang it all, it’s not often wo get such a day." He thought that tho question of expense should be (hopped and that a programme he drawn up and submitted to the local bodies. This was agreed to. The matter of the luncheon was discussed at length and it was deeftied. that a dinner ba given to the ministerial party, one to the AVest Coast pioneers and also one to the workers. AL- O’Brien thought that tho Department should be communicated with and asked what assistance they would be prepared to give. A sub-committee consisting of Messrs AA'. R, Kettle, J. Ale Lean and Jus O’Brien ,M.P., was set up to wait on tho Railway and also on the Public AA’orks Department this morning at 10 a. ill. Air Barrett said that the school committees should bo communicated with in cdiinection with the children’s day. This was agreed to. AL- O’Brien thought a xnijdL commute-- should he set up to go "to the matte,r of arrangements. It would ha 'able to bring down a report to the general committee. It was decided that the committed consists of the Mayor, All J. O’Brien, ALP.. Afr AAL R. Kettle. Air J. McLean, Air J. A\\ Hannan, and Afr J. Steer.