History of the Railway.

Continuing his speech, the Minister said:—“You have just travelled by the first passenger trains drawn by electric locomotives through one of the best-known and most discussed engineering works in the Dominion, the Moorhouse tunnel, and on the journey you no doubt made comparisons between steam and electric traction.

‘The Christ-church - Lyttelton railway has a long and interesting history. This district was the first in New Zealand to recognise the value of railways as a means of developing the country; and it is due to the enterprise of the early settlers of this province that the first section of railway was opened from Christchurch to Ferrymead in 1863. Until the piercing of the tunnel was accomplished traffic between Christchurch and Lyttelton was carried by means of the river and the Ferrymead-Christchurch railway line. The completion of the line to Lyttelton and the successful accomplishment of the great work of piercing the tunnel enabled through railway communicaton between Lyttelton and Christchurch to be opened on December 1, 1867.