WHICH WAY OUT?

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 65, 17 March 1915, Page 6

WHICH WAY OUT?

PUBLIC INTEREST AROUSED.

A CITIZENS' COMMITTEE PROPOSED

TO CONSIDER THE ROUTE QUESTION.

MR A. M. MYERS' SUGGESTION.

MATTER FOR PUBLIC MEETING. The fart that hundreds of signatures have already been attached to tli e petition of protest indicates that public interest has at last been aroused in regard to the tremendous sacrifices which will-have, to b e made if the waterfront railway scheme Ls to proceed. An interesting proposal is now made by Mr. Arthur M. Myers, M.P., late Minister for Railways. who suggests that the chairman of the Chamber of Commerce should be asked to call a public meeting, at which a representative citizens' committee may bo set up for the purpose of taking evidence and considering data. It will be remembered that such a course was followed when the Government, a few years ago. took up the attitude that a single lin e through the Parnell tunnel was quite adequate for the requirements of the province. THE POINT AT ISSt'E. The present position has already been fully explained The Government proposes building 6ix lines of rails round the waterfront, four of which will go through Orakai, connecting with the Main Trunk line at Westtield. near Otahuhu. The other two. according to the Government plans, are merely " shunting legs,'' running into Judge's Bay, which is to b P reclaimed and converted into a site for shunting yards. That an easy grade out of the city is an imperative necessity no one for a moment denies. The stiff pulls up Parnell and Remuera inclines have always been a matter of concern to the railway authorities. The point at issue, however, is whether an equally satisfactory way out cannot be found without destroying every bay and headland along the eastern waterfront for a distance of three miles. Well-known local engineers, including Messrs H. 11. Metcalfe. 11. Munro Wilson. Ashley Hunter, and F. E. Powell have declared thai it is simply stupid to attempt to deny that every beach, bay, and headland, from King's wharf, in Quay Street, to Wilson's Point. at Orakei. will go — and further state that the Government plans .clearly provide for the destruction of Campbell's Point and Point Resolution (which will be required for filling in embankments), and tbe reclamation of Judge's Bay. St. George's Bay. and Hobson Bay. Mr. Metcalfe and other engineers are firmly convinced that just ns easy a grade can be procured by running the railway from Mechanic's Bay through a tunnel, thirty chains long, into Hobson Bay. so saving the more important bays and headlands. The cost jof the tunnel would be only £30.000. representing a tremendous saving on what it would cost to run a line round the foreshore, since the bridge which the Mayor asserts will be built in order to save Judge's Ray would, it is estimated, alone cost a quarter of a million. MR. MYERS* IDEA. I Mr. Arthur M. Myers. M.P., on being interviewed, said that to Jiim the position appeared to be that the Mayor of ■ Auckland and the Chairman of tbe Harbour Board on the one hand, and the General Manager of Railways on the other, had been in conference as to the best outlet for the proposed new railway from Auckland station It was apparent that they had had details in front ol them which no outsider bad the opportunity of seeing, and without which it was difficult to express any definite opinion. In view of the importance of the point raised. Mr. Myers thought it desirable for the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce to call a public I meeting with a view to setting up a committee of. say, ten representative citizens, whose duty it would be to go ' fully into the question, examining all available data, and then make their conclusions known to the public. If this committee had power to call for any evidence they considered necessary to give them the fullest information on tb c subject matter of the inquiry. 51 r. Myers had no doubt that the people of Auckland would be satisfied with whatever decision they arrived at. As one keenly interested in town planning, he certainly thought it desirable that the natural features of our beautiful harbour front should be preserved if it were at all possible. He fully recognised the urgent necessity of a comprehensive Tail way scheme to provide for the future requirements of Auckland, and it would be unfortunate if this should be in any way jeopardised now that the Department had decided to adopt a definite line of policy, always excepting, of course, that there was no alternative scheme of equal merit. Mr. Myers said he would like to add that in his opinion tbe setting-up of such a committee as he had suggested would in no way reflect on those who bad already gone into the matter. H e felt assured that th e Mayor and the Chairman of the HpiKbour Board must have the strongest reasons for the position they had taken up; while, if by any chance an error of judgment had been made, there would still be time to take the necessary action. Tt would be remembered, said Mr. Myers, in conclusion, that a similar committee was' set up in connection with the Parnell tunnel, which resulted in the Government hurrying on the duplication now nearing completion. MR. BURNS' VTEWS. "Just at present 1 prefer not to express any definite personal opinion upon the subject." remarked Mr. Robert Burns, president of the Chamber of Commerce. 'If 1 am asked to call a public meeting >I will certainly do so. In my opinion the first and most important consideration is the commerce of the city. Adequate railway facilities are essential to the progress of the province. If those facilities can be obtained by following some alternative route, and so saving the bays .and headlands along the waterfront, it will be exceedingly satisfactory. But if there is no alternative I am afraid we will simply have to make the sacrifice. Meantime, a committee to inquire into the [question seems a good suggestion,." ~