The Guardian (And Evening star,with which is in-Corporate the west coast Times.) FRIDAY, AUGUST 3rd. 1923 TO-MORROW

Hokitika Guardian, 3 August 1923, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening star,with which is inCorporate the west coast Times.) FRIDAY, AUGUST 3rd. 1923 TO-MORROW

To-morrow, according to the accepted saving, never comes. In respect to the opening of the Midland Railway, it has i.-cen for long deterred —a veritable will-o'-the-wisp. ever visioned, but the reality remote, sometimes near, and often afar off. The tunnel work r.lone has been fifteen years in hand, whereas five were supposed to hate sufficed when the work was designed. But in the long last, we have reached the eve of the actual opening day, and tomorrow the sun will rise ou tho memorable 4th. August, a. fated date which for ever marks even a greater event than the opening of the East and West- Coast railway. The function at the Otira to-morrow will bo a happy one. The Coast- is bent apparently on giving its best jn weather

for the occasion—and its lvost is incomparable. It should bo worthy the day. The facilities to reach the point of rendezvous and participate in an epoch-marking time are limited, but all thoughts will be turned to tho mountain fastness "heic the great engineering feat has been performed, and all will regard the bole through the hill as the great highway between the two Coasts for the interchange of trade and commerce, and for tho development of industry and intercourse which will mark tho beginning of a now era for tho South Island. In our illustrated supplement to-day the subject is more extensively dealt with, but here a tilbute must Imj paid to tho long line of people who over nearly five decade# have never ceased to agitate for the realisation of to-morrow’s function. r i ho appeals were necessarily made to Parliament, and from that quarter there was much help. It was often rest lifted or delayed, and changing Ministers and Ministries added to the procrastination There were stages, however, ill which important advances were made, and the prosecution of the country’s greatest public, work forged ahead. The late 1(. J. Sodden, who represented tho district for so many years and who for so long was a Minister of tho Crown, did yeoman’s service in regard to the clearing up of the position between the Colony and the Midland Railway Coy., when the fitter failed to c-arry through its big contract on the land concession scheme. f l hen, "hen that costly legal problem was solved with honor and credit to New Zealand, Mr Scddou directed the administration leading up to a decision how ti e mountain was to lie negotiated, whether (deiced or climb ’d. In connection with that decision it will he recalled that the late Mr Sodden made an important announcement in the local Town Hall hero when being feted at the time of his political jubilee, giving to New Zealand the substance ot Mr Hogue's special report on the mountaineering difficulties. From that report developed the tunnel decision as we know it to-day. but though Mr Seddon sanctioned the work, he did not live to see it inaugurated. Sir Joseph M ard, who followed Mr Seddon made the decisive decision under which it was determined to call for tenders for the work and later the same Minister. stili Prime Minister, had to decide to take over the work and finish the work by the Government Department. Mr Massey’s Ministry which followed soon after that was resolved upon, icspccted the decision and in the late Sir Win. Fraser there was a Minister ol Public Works who never faltered in the task to push the work through. The present Minister of Public M orks (lion. J. (J. Coates), who succeeded was as firmly determined and really ltioie enterprising, and so we have arrived at the evo of the opening. To-mor-row will bo a red letter day in the calendar of West Coast events. May the railway (rove tho boon and the IxriuTit if is hoped el it. Ihc Coast has waited patiently, and well deserves tho good things fate is about at last to hand this way per medium if the Arthur’s Pass tunnel.