TE ARO RAILWAY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 308, 22 September 1908, Page 8

TE ARO RAILWAY.

GOODS SHED WANTED. MEETING OF WELLINGTON EAST MERCHANTS. Some time ago, in point of fact not so long after tho colony of fruit and produco merchants migrated from Harris Street along to Allen and Blair Streets, Wellington East, a movement was started in favour of getting a goods shed erected in connection with tho Te Aro Railway Station. In addition, a canvass was mado in tho neighbourhood of Tory, Taranaki, and Cuba Streets and Courtenay Place, and nearly a hundred signatures were obtained to a petition circulatcd at the time. The Minister for Railways (Hon. W. HallJones), who was consulted privately in regard to tho mattor, advised the promoters not to present tho petition at that time, as tho question of goods sheds in connection with other railway facilities would be gone into when tho time came for the Government to assume the ownership of the Manawatu line. It has been announced officially that that step is to bo taken in December. This, in conjunction with tho increasing urgency for goods shod accommodation at Te Aro, brought the merchants and heads of manufacturing firms together at Messrs. George Thomas and Co's rooms yesterday afternoon to consider what steps should ho taken to bring the matter beforo the proper authorities.

Mr. P. Townsend (Messrs. Townsend and •Paul), who was voted to the chair, rehearsed' what had been done in tho past. They now had the Government's statement as to what was to be dono in connection with tho Manawatu railway, and the time was opportuno for another attempt to be made to reach finality. The matter should be squelched or carried through to an issue. Mr. J. P. Luke was of opinion that it would be advisable to have a larger meotiiig before they approached the Minister. If something was not dono quickly they would loso tho railway altogether. He moved that a public meeting should bo hold, to which all interested should bo invited. Mr. H. Price .concurred with Mr. Luko and seconded the motion. "Will they connect tho wharves with tho station?" inquired Mr. Nelson. "I think they might ,do it for passengers, but not for go.ods," remarked tho' Hon. C. M. Luke. Speaking of tho railway changes it was proposed to make at the.Thorndon end, Mr. J. P. Luko said that the general idea was that a now station would bo built near Cable's foundry, and somo arrangements would be mado so that the ferry steamers could get into close touch with it. This being so, they had to do something to conservo the interests of their own end. In addition to tho business that would bo done there, they had to remember that -there were somo 2000 acres of land suitable for building purposes at Ivilbirnie and Miramar, to which, in the course of time, the railway would have to go.

It was remarked by one speaker that the people at "the other end" were agitating, against the proposals, so that was all the more reason why tho To Aro folks should fight for them.

The chairman thought. it was apparent that the present station had been a whito elephant, but he felt they had a very good case to take to tho Minister in view of tho opening of the Main Trunk line and the large quantity of stuff, fruit especially, which would come through from Auckland, and also from Hawke's Bay. There was no better paying freight than fruit. He thought they should havo tho public meeting in order to gather facts and figures for presentation to tho Minister.,

There was a desultory sort of discussion on tho matter, in tho course of which -it was remarked that on the dock side of tho station yard there was plenty of room for a goods shed. The line now laid close to the morgue was really never used. It might be impossible to get all they wanted, but still the position could be alleviated. Mr. Winder inquired if they wer© going to ask only for a discharging station, or for one where they could also load thoir outgoing goods.

It was generally considered that the station should bo a receiving one as well, both becauso of the largo quantity that would go through it and tho carting it would save through tho contrc of the city to the other station. In any case, it was not thought that tho Dopartment would liko to see its trucks running bac'k empty.

Eventually the motion was carried, it being also decided, to have tho meeting next Monday afternoon, at 3 o'clock. Messrs. Townsend, Brown, and Bristow were deputed to make all necessary arrangements. Mr. Price's offer of the uso of a room in Victoria Street for tho meeting was accepted with thanks.