STYX-SOCKBURN RAILWAY

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25088, 21 January 1947, Page 6

STYX-SOCKBURN RAILWAY

PROTEST AGAINST " ROUTE MEETING OF RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT Protests against the route planned for the proposed Styx-Sockburn railway line were made at a meeting of residents of the district affected last evening. On the grounds that the route which had been surveyed would mutilate a valuable area of agricultural land and seriously impede the growing of market garden crops in what was at present a prosperous and highly productive area, the meeting decided to make a strong protest to the Minister of Public Works (Mr R. Semple) through the member of Parliament for Selwyn (Mr J. K. McAlpine). An effort will also be made to meet members of the Christchurch Expansion and Industrial • Committee to discuss the views of residents of the district. Several suggestions were made for alternative routes that would make use of the light land to the west of Harewood aerodrome. The convener of the meeting (Mr R. Barnes) who is also the secretary of the Belfast-Marshland branch of Federated Farmers, said that the strip of land that was ihost seriously affected was of unusual fertility and of great importance to Christchurch. It was a belt of river silt only about three-quarters of a mile wide and four miles long, which was perhaps unequalled by any other area in Canterbury. Excellent crops had been produced there for the last 40 years, partly because it was an area which was never subjected to flooding.

The Route Surveyed Mr Barnes said that from what he understood the route marked by the surveyors ran from Sockburn on the west side of Junction road, across Yaldhurst road to travel approximately eight chains east of Russley road and parallel with it. It then crossed Harewood road within three chains of the school gate, went across the Waimakariri river road twice within 30 chains, and proceeded across some valuable farm land all the way to the Styx river. “The proposed line would make a terrible mess of our land which is some of the best in New Zealand,” said Mr Barnes. “If it is constructed it will mean great hardship to a group of farmers with lifelong investments and will have a serious effect on the district’s production of vegetables and crops.” He said that production in the area affected ranged from market garden produce to crops of wheat, peas, and potatoes. At least 250 gallons of fresh milk would be lost to the town’s supply as well as another 150 gallons through the loss of hay ■ and feed crops. About 375 acres of crops would be directly interfered with and about another 150 acres would be disorganised through disruption of the farmers’ plans. Speakers at the meeting said that no houses were actually threatened with destruction by the proposed line, but many sheds and outbuildings would have to be moved. The line would within about a chain of several farm houses. An assurance had been given that only land at the Sockburn end of the route would be taken for industrial sites and the least possible amount in the good land district further north would be used to build the line itself.

Visit by Minister Suggested Mr T. A. Fraser suggested that the Minister of Public Works (Mr R. Semple) should be asked to visit the area, and examine the properties which were affected.

“To my mind,” said Mr Fraser, “the sponsors of this plan are only looking about 10 years ahead. The Addington stock yards will have to be moved sooner or later to a junction. What would be the use of moving them to Sockburn where they would be just as useless in another 10 years as they are to-day? A wide sweep on the lighter land at the back of the aerodrome to link up about Templeton with the main line would be a more farsighted alternative. I believe that the people in Christchurch who have planned this scheme are concerned to protect the land owners as much as possible, but the Public Works Department is interested, too. In an interview with a Public Works Department official when I mentioned that this line was to be put through some very valuable land, I was tolq that it did not matter —there was plenty morp good land in New Zealand.”

The following executive committee was elected:—Messrs Barnes, Fraser, H. Reynolds, J. Bakes, and A. J. Creedon.