A PRESSING NEED

Southland Times, Issue 21095, 29 May 1930, Page 8

A PRESSING NEED

ACCESS TO SEA. CHRISTCHURCH MERCHANTS’ DIFFICULTIES. EVIDENCE BEFORE COMMISSION. (Per United Press Association.) Christchurch, May 28. Fear of victimization by the Railway Department led two of the witnesses before the Direct Access to the Sea Commission to-day to ask for suppression of their names and a third to give his evidence in camera. After the hearing of further expert evidence on ventilation, lighting, feasibility and the necessity of the tunnel road, the Port and City League presented as witnesses city merchants and business men, representing a wide variety of interests. Their evidence was that the present system of transport between Lyttelton and Christchurch was out of date; that the Railway Department, though frequently approached, had made no serious effort to improve it; that delays in the transport of cargo were from 3 to 12 days; that pillaging and breakages were increasing, and that the solution of their difficulties lay in immediate access to the port which would be provided by the tunnel road.

Evidence was given showing that the transport charges would be less by road than by rail, particularly when the tonnage was calculated by measurement.

The Christchurch City Engineer (Mr A. R. Galbraith), the engineer to the Waimakariri River Trust (Mr 11. W. Harris) and an experienced ventilating engineer (Mr H. F. Purcell), were experts who gave evidence, while the proprietor of Aulsebrook and Co., Ltd. (Mr R. E. Macdougall) and the general manager of the Kaiapoi Woollen Manufacturing Company, Ltd. (Mr W. R. Carey), were prominent representatives of the manufacturing interests. All strongly advocated the making of a tunnel road to Lyttelton. The evidence is expected to occupy 10 days.