OTIRA TUNNEL.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 August 1926, Page 4

OTIRA TUNNEL.

THIRD YEAR TN USE,

CiROWTH. OF TRAFFIC’.

.L'ist Wednesday completed the third vo;ir that ilio Otirn tunnel—the coniiccti ng railway link between the east 1 and west coasts of the South Island ~ lias been in use, raid the expectations ' that the volume of traffic from the AA’esl Coast would show a. steady increase year by year have been amply realised. Last year there were many interruptions to traffic due to floods ,and washouts in August, September and December, and the volume of coat traffic was also affected by a strike which lasted from September 3 to October 19. Despite these handicaps, however, the gross traffic from west to east was 34,466 tons more than in the preceding twefve months and 121,488 tons greater than that handled, in the year ended on August 4, 1924. The actual totals for each yearly period arc as f0110w1923-24. 258,877 tons; 1924-25. 343,899 tens; 1925-26, 380,365 tons. I'lie tunnel, which is more than five miles in length, was opened to trafficoil August 4, 1923. Prior to that date, passengers between Canterbury and Westland were required to travel a portion of the journey by coach over Arthur’s Pass arid through the Olira Gorge; practically a!. 1 goods traffic being seaborne between the ports of Lyttelton and Greyiuouth. The opening of tlie tunnel was an important development in the commerce of the two provinces, because it provided the means for the direct transport of goods by rail from coast to coast. Canterbury was able to obtain coal and timber by rail from the mines and mills of the AVest- Coast, at lower transport charges than had been paid previously, while the West Coast obtained merchandise direct from Canterbury. Irksome delays wero thus avoided. During the three years that the tunnel lias been ill use the traffic lias'

been steadily increasing, the total for last month constituting a record. The traffic comprises mainly coal and timber and approximately one-third of- the total tonnage hauled through the tunnel is represented by weight of trucks. Details of the traffic from Canterbury to Westland are not avui'aele, but the volume, though increasing Steadily, is small in comparison with that from tho West Coast.