OTIRA TUNNEL.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 August 1925, Page 4

OTIRA TUNNEL.

TI! A Fl* It ’ FROM THE WEST coast. LARGE INCREASE LAST YEAR. Expectations that the volume of traffic through the Otira Itfunel the connecting railway link between the east and west coasts of the South Island ---would steadily increase each year have been amply justified by the returns for flic twelve months just entil'd. The tunnel, which is more than five miles in length, was opened to trafiie on August 4t!i. 1923. Prior to that date passengers between* Canterbury ami Westland were required to travel a portion of the journey b.v coach over Arthur’s Pass and through the Otira (Jorge, and practically all goods trafiie went by sea between the ports of Lyttelton to Greymouth. The opening ol the tunnel was an important development in tin* eommerie ol the two provinces. because if provided the means for (lie direct transport of goods by rail from masl to < oast. Canterbury was able to obtain coal ami timber direct hv rail from the mines and mills of the West Coast, at lower transport charges than had been paid previously, while the West Coast obtained merchandise direct from Canterbury, and tints irksome delays were avoided. During the two years that the tunnel has* been hi use there have been practically no stoppages, except a few inierniptimies due to floods and washouts on the Canterbury sect inn of the railway. The traffic from the West to the East Coast has keen increasing steadily each month, and during the twelve’ months just ended was 85,022 tons greater than for the first year of

operation. During the past six weeks the trafiie has been exceptionally heavy, the largest weekly total being 9879 tons, which is the record tonnage for any week since the tunnel was opened. Ike weekly figures fur the period from June oth. to August Ist. are; Week ended June 13tli. 8394 tons; June 20th. 7753 tons: June 27th. 9342 tons; July Ith. 7080 tons; July lltli. 2053 tons; • Inly 18th. 9879 tons; July 25th. 9209 tons; August Ist. 7993 tons. The average number of goods trains through the tunnel from west to east each working day during that period was six. the number on several exceptionally busy days being eight. The traffic comprises mainly coal and timber, and approximately one-third ol the total tonnage hauled through the tunnel is represented hv weight of trucks. The g ross tonnages hauled from west to cast each month since the opening ol

Totals ... ... 253,877 343.899 * Decora se due to railway strike. +1 nerease due to rush of traffic following the strike. Details of the traffic from Canterbury to Westland are not available, hut the volume, though increasing steadily, is small in comparison with that from the West Coast.

tin.' tunnel are ;t tullnws : - 19-23-24 Tons 1924-25 Tons August (27 (lays s.095 25.746 September IS. 15-1 28.797 October 20.558 28.165 November 20.313 25.723 December . 20.-Fa 22.900 January . . 18.157 20.050 February 21 .830 20.411 Mareli ... 22.781 28.959 April May June *19.2 to 20.026 +34.124 34,072 2-0.264 34,862 July 27.208 39.202 August (3 days) 2.091 2.380