EASY MEETS WEST.

Shannon News, 7 August 1923, Page 4

EASY MEETS WEST.

GOLDEN AGE TO RETURN TO COAST OPENING OF BIG TUNNEL. CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. A couple of big AB engines, drawing 10 cars, set out from Christchurch station on* Saturday morning, on the four and a-half house’ journey to Otira, harrying the visitors to t'he opening of the Arthur’s Pass tunnel. West Coasters in force met the train at Arthur’s Pass and gave the East Coasters a rousing reception. There was much hand-shaking, cheering, and jubilation. The township itself was decorated and presented a pretty scene in its show settings. Tne Christchurch train arrived at Otira at 1.30 pm., 50 minutes late. The delay was due to the Westland train beihg held up i,n a tunnel for 23 minutes between Otira and Arthur’s Pass oh account of a minor fault in the overhead wires. It had been raining heavily at Otira, but cleared after mid-day.

Mr Massey had a great ovation when he entered tne crowded powerhouse at Otira. He said it was a great pleasure to think this little country had the biggest tunnel m Australasia, the biggest in, the British Empire and the seventh biggest in the world. He expected there would be a great* deal of traffic through the tunnel. There was more hard coal in Westland than in all the rest of New Zealand, and its timber ; resources, too, were magnificent.. If he were any judge, the passenger traffic would be tremendous. The Hon. J. G. Coates said the event signalled a new era —the opening of direct communication in trade and in dustry, and of the interchange of primary products between the and East Coasts of the South island. In the celebration they should remember the efforts and devotion of the men who had carried through this great* work to its cbnclusion. They should let this goodwill apply to all, from the humblest worker to the skilled engineer.

Sir Joseph Ward said the community to-'day had a loe to thank the pioneers for, particularly the- late Mr r. J. who had fought all along- for the tunnel. The Hon. Roderick Mackenzie said most of the work in the tunnel had been carried out under war conditions, and that Mr Massey should strike one million; off the cost. Mr T. M. Wilford said the railways of the Dominion must be electrified, particularly the suburban areas, to relieve the congestion of the cities.

Messrs Holland, Forbes, and O’Brien, M.’sP., and Mr T. E. Y. Seddon also spoke. •

At 3.40 p.m. t'he people boarded the Christchurch train, which Mr Coates drove through the ribbon held by tunnel workers. A SOUVENIR MEDAL. FAULTY INSULATION CAUSES DELAY. CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. When Mr Massey appeared again on the Otira railway station prior to the departure of the train, on the return journey to Christchurch, he was presented with a commemorative medal by Mr J. Hoglund, of Springfield. The medal, which was of largo size and of solid gbld, bore an engraved inscription relating to the opening of the tunnel. Mr Massey thanked Mr Hoglund for the presentation, and said he to.ok off his hat every time to the pioneers of the Coast. On Mr Massey's call, hearty cheers Mjftro then given for the pioneers of the Coast and the returned soldiers. Heavy ‘rain started to fall just as the train was leaving. Considerable delay occurred before the train got away. The insulation in the tunnel was still giving trouble and it was not until 5 ; 30 p.m. that the train, after several false start's, finally got under way. The return jiurney thrdugh the , tunnel was made without stoppage or mishap in 21 minutes. Christchurch was reached at 9.25 p.m., over two hours behind scheduled time. The whole delay was caused by the trouble experienced with the electrical equipment in the tunnel, and this, in turn, was caused by faulty insullation, due, it was stated, to the damp conditions prevailing; The banquet organised by the Canterbury Progress League was a fitting conclusion to a memorable function. Nearly three hundred were present. Mr W. K. McAlpine, president of the League, presided and had on his right Mr Massey, and on his left Mr Coates. Sir Joseph Ward was on Mr Massey’s right.

Mr Massey, on rising to propose the toast, “United Canterbury and Westland,” was enthusiastically cheered.

In the course of his speech, Mr Massey said he had been delighted to notice that the whole of the machinery connected with the electrical working of the funnel was Britishmade. It was thoroughly up-to-date* and would compare favourably with any machinery made fo.r the purpose in any other part of the world. “I hope to leave for the Imperial Conference at the end of this month,” said Mr Massey, “but I am llot at cer: tain about it. It depends on Parliament; if the work is not sufficiently forward, then I shall have to stay till it is. I hav. } to think of my duty to the Dominion, and to the Empire, and I propose to do both to the best- of my ability.”