May Be Abandoned

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 654, 4 May 1929, Page 1

May Be Abandoned

TUNNEL TO MORNINGSIDE

Ministers’ Delayed Visit

ALTHOUGH no official statement has been made it seems likely that the proposed Auckland-Morningside underground tunnel scheme will be abandoned for some time to come.

Some weeks ago it was announced that tile M mister of Railways, the Hon. W. B. Taverner, would visit Auckland and that he would investigate the scheme thoroughly. That visit has been postponed and there is now no word of the Minister's visit. He made a flying visit to Auckland early in February and it was expected that on his return visit he would make a definite statement regarding the Government's policy about the underground. Since then the Minister lias been busy in other centres of the Dominion, particularly at Palmerston North, where the deviation was cancelled. Nothing is known of the proposal by raiUvay officials at Auckland. Surveyors are still at work on the projected line of the underground from a point in tlie hill by Beach Road, opposite the new railway station to the outlet at Morningside. The rumours which were prevalent some months ago that work would soon begin on a station site near the Town Hall have now subsided, and little is heard of the project. The scheme for a railway to be tunnelled uncXer Auckland, connecting the central .station with the north .line at New Lynn, was first mooted in 1912. and in 1924 the chief engineer of Railways submitted a report which was approved by Parliament, and it was

stated that h start would be mad with the tunnel in 19UN.

It was stated that the tunnel would reduce the distance between Auckland and Morningside l>y a mile and a-halt and that a considerable saving would result in running costs. The Government decided on the scheme, and it was stated, after Merz and McLell.ni had submitted their report, that the saving in working expenses, apart front electrification, would almost pay interest on the full cost of construct-

The Rt. Hon. J. Ci. Coates said in May, 1927. that the only delay in constructing the tunnel would result from financial difficulties. otherwise the scheme could go ahead.

Some time ago the question of hoe the vibration of trains passing through the tunnel would affect tli• • buildings in its vicinity was raised, but engineers affirmed that this would not bo a serious problem. T>ie line would run at a considerable dept 1 1 under the largest of the business houses.

There is still no. word of the Minister’s proposed visit to Auckland. When he does come it will probably be in company with other Ministers of the Crown, who will confer on the subject of the proposed underground railway, as they conferred on the abandonment of the deviation at Palmerston North.