CENTRAL STATION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1431, 4 May 1912, Page 6

CENTRAL STATION.

BIG DEPUTATIONMR.' MYERS NON-COMMITTAL. "NOT THIS YEAR-'" • DETAILS OF PROPOSED WORK. A very large and representative ilepnlation waited yesterday upon the Minister for Railways (tho Hon. A. Al. Myers), to urge him to tako immediate stops to provide Wellington wifh a new central railway station." All the Wellington local bodies and a number of outside bodies which hnvo a community of interest with Wellington were represented. A Civic Demand. The deputation, which had a total strength of close on sixty members, was introduced by the Mayor (.Mr. D. M'Laren), who said that* this was the largest and most influential deputation that had waited upon a Minister for a very long period. The importance of the matter warranted tho largeness of the deputation nnd its widely representative character. Ho wanted it clearly understood that this representation was of a civic and not of a political character. Some little objection had been made by a previous deputation because members representing the city electorates had not been invited to join the deputation. No discourtesy to these gentlemen had been intended, but it was felt by the 'City Council and the several bodies represented that tho matter of securing a central station for Wellington and for the surrounding district was one of a purely civic character, and one which did not in any way enter the field of party politics. Tho present Lambton station, Mr. M'Laren continued, was built somewhere about 18S9. Population had since moro than doubled, and the facilities provided in 1889 were no longer sufficient. Wellington was a great trading centre, and a central railway station was an absolute necessity. "Until this matter of the new railway" station had been dealt with by the Government, tho civic undertakings of tho city of Wellington were very largely delayed". When a site had been selected, it would bo necessary to lift and relay portions of the tramway track. In matters of this kind it was necessary to look ahead. An early decision by the Government in regard to the station would bo of very great assistance both to the city and to the surrounding boroughs. The necessity for a new station was obvious. The existing provision was not up to the standard set in a. number of country towm. Tho next speaker was Mr. R. Fletcher (chairman of tho Wellington Harbour Board). He endorsed what the Mayor had said and emphasised, the fact that, owing to the inadequate railway facilities existing in Wellington, the local cos.t of handling goods was very high. A costly structure was not asked for. What was wanted was sufficient accommodation for passenger traffic and for tho very heavy goods traffic passing through Wellington.

How to bo Popular. Mr. D. Robertson, speaking on behalf of the. Technical Education Hoard, said that he was representing tho future men and women of Wellington. Tho existing station was utterly inadequate to meet the needs of Wellington, and unless those needs were met Mr. Myers was not going to bo a very popular Minister for Railways. (Laughter.) Tho great thing was to "have the station in a central situation. Wellington was growing in the direction of Newtown and could not extend the other way. Almost every other place in the Dominion had a better station than Wellington and this was certainly not right. Tho Empiro City should havo a n|odel station. Mr. R. C. Kirk, who represented the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, said y that the inadequacy of the present,station t-ivas obvious. Wellington should no longer put up with the gross inconvenience under which it suffered at the present time. Some Striking Comparisons. Mr. A. E. Mabin (president of the Chamber of Commerce) said that it only needed the word "go" from the Minister to give effect to what was desired by the deputation: The number of outward passengers by rail from Wellington during ■'a singlo year was 519,000. The number from Christchurch was '113,000, froni,Auck--319,000, and from Duncdin, 346,000, so that the Wellington figures exceeded by over 100,000 those of any other city in the Dominion. The value of goods shipped from Wellington by rail during twelve months was £200,000. The corresponding figures for Auckland wero .£223,000, from Dunedin -C1C7.000, and from Christchurch, .£145,000. Wellington station was tho station of the Dominion and deserved some consideration. Provision should be made for the future and the building should not bo a mean one. The station should include a tramway shelter from which cars could arrive and depart under shelter.

Mr. Elliot (president of tho Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce) said that the Wellington request for a new station had the hearty support of the body he represented. In his opinion it would have tho support of all residents along the Wellington-New Plymouth lino. The Workers in Sympathy. Mr. F. Reyling (Trades Council) said that workers were concerned in this matter as well as business people. He had lately been pretty well all over New Zealand, and it had surprised him to see what a disadvantage rested on 'Wellington as compared with other towns. Mr. L. Partridge- (Wellington Industrial Association) said that the station was needed now. Tho present stato of things in Wellington was no credit to tho capital city of the Dominion. - The Hon. C. M. Luke (Employers' Association) said "that he hoped tho new station would be of a permanent character, which would add to the architectural beauty of iho city. Whatever was doae should be done with a view to extension. Mr. Querce (president of the Shopkeepers' Association) supported the request of tho deputation. What the Suburbs Think. Mr. H. M'Leod, Mayor of Mlramar, urged, as other speakers had done, that a central site should bo selected for tho station. Mr. C. Cathie, Mayor of Karori, said that a railway station must always be to some extent a starting point for tramway services. Karori and other boroughs were vitally interested in the demand, for a new central station. Mr. F. Holdsworth, Mayor of Onslow, said that his borough had beon neglected by previous Railway Ministers. Tho excuse always advanced had been, "wait until wo get a eentral Tailway station." Now they wanted the station. Mr. W. .T. Thompson, on behalf of the Merchnnts' Association, endorsed tho demand of the deputation. Mr. E. Tregear, representing the United Lnlwur Party, said that tho men lio represented hnd no money to spare for needless expense either in travelling or in an unnecessarily heavy cost of handling goods. Mr. W. H. D. Bell. M.P.. referring to what Mr. M'Larcn bad said, said that local members of Parliament, to whntever nartv they might belong, were anxious for the advancement of Wellington. A. new central railwav station would enable the Minister to make more convenient arrangements for the people inhabiting the extensive suburban area which he (Mr. Bell) represented.