INSISTENT TE ARO.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2007, 14 March 1914, Page 6

INSISTENT TE ARO.

STATION NEEDS.

RAILWAY LOAN FORECASTED.

A deputation of twenty-five business men, representing tho Wellington Central Chamber Commerce, and others interested, waited upon the Minister.of Railways (the Hon. W. H. Hemes) and tho General Manager (Mr. E. H. Hiley) yesterday, to urge tho construction of a goods-shed at To Aro Station. The deputation was headed by the president of tho Central Chamber of 'Commerco (the Hon. CM. Luke), and was introduced by the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher (Miiiister of' Marino). Mr. Luko said that they felt that it was a suicidal policy that railway stations should be on tho fringo of an \longated city like Wellington. The construction 'of a goods-shed at Tβ Aro had been held up, for. some unexplained reason, but' tho growth of tho community now rendered it necessary. The cost of haulago of produco from Thorndon was now too great. Some time ago .finance had been a difficulty in the. way, but that difficulty had now beon overcome. The deputation was ! quito a spontaneous one. Mr. W. H. P. Barber, mentioned the desirability of' extending, rather than diminishing, railway facilities at tho Tβ Aro end. This was so because a largo population was extending southward. ' Farmers and Business Needs. Mr. E. C. Jack, secretary of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, said ho supported tho'proposal on behalf of tho farmers of the Wellington province. Many farmers sent their produce to the Wellington markets, and these markets wore adjacent to Tβ Aro Station. It was greatly to their disadvantage that the goods had to be carted on from Thorndon. The matter had previously been taken up by the Farmers' Union, and it was quite evident that farmers in the districts surrounding Wellington were anxious that the reform should be carried out. Mr. A. Leigh Hunt, vice-president of the chamber, said they were simply -asking that a branch of their railways should be developed. They wero told that the'branch was not a paying proSosition, but it was the duty of the department to mako it so. That could only be done .by developing it., in addition' to produce, nine-tenths of the timber ;that came, into the city would' go to Tβ Aro. The position was becoming very acute, and' when a petition was mado to lisvo tho goods shed erected 6ome 40,000 signatures were repre- i eented. Mr. Hunt referred to the fact that it was tho To Aro question which had been at the bottom of the forma-, tior. of tho Central Chamber of Commerce. ... ' .' ■ Mr. H. A'. Ward, representing dairying interests, said that milk vendore especially laboured under great difficulties, owing to having to cart milk v from Thorndon and Lambton stations. Tho bulk of the milk was used on tho oth'er sido of Tβ Aro. Wellington Must Expand Southward. Mr. R. A. Wright emphasised tho fact that Wellington must expand southward. ■■: It .could not bo said that a great deal had been spent on railway buildings in' Wellington, and it could not bo said that tho Government .would bo neglecting any other .district by erecting a\ shed at Te Arp. Thero were great areas at Miramar waiting to bo settled, and the development ef To Aro would materially assist. Mr. J. Hutchep, a director of Messrs. Stewart 'and Co., timber- merchants,., spoko in support of the prqposal -in the interests of the 'timber industry. When the. railway was constructed, ho said, it was never intended to be devoted entirely to passengers. His firm had paid £430 in freight to tho Department during tho last eight weeks, and that was only from one firm. Besides, a goods shed at Te Aro they needed sidings for produce, timber, etc. Mr. Jas. Reid emphasised the fact that the export trado from Wellington warranted the goods shed. Better facilities for passengers to connect with tho South Island-going steamer was also advocated by the speaker, and he contended that Tβ Aro railway could be used to get over that difficulty. . Mr. D. Robertson said that Te Aro was so centrally situated that all the trains should go there. There was a great deal of unnecessary cartage through tho fact that the railway stations wore situated out of the centre of the town. The Hon. F. M. B. Fisher said there was convincing proof that the hulk of the population of Wellington was in tho vicinity of To Aro and Mount Cook. The true centre of the city was towards Mount Cook. What the Minister Contemplates. In reply, Mr. Hordes said that he was still sympathetic with the deputation. Cabinet had considered the matter, and steps had been taken to secure land from the Harbour Board when needed. Tho ' experiment of running Wairarapa passenger trains to Te Aro had not been successful, and he did not think that a passenger trafiic could bo worked up till the City Corporation ran a branch line of tramways to meet Te Aro trains. 'With regard to Te Aro station the whole thing was ' mixed up with tho new railway station which ho hoped to complete. Till that matter .was settled he could not givo any direct answer. Although •money was more plentiful now it was still a question of pounds, shillings, and pence. Ho hoped to ask Parliament next session to authorise a fairly, considerable loan for station accommodation, siding . accommodation, reducing grades, etc., right through the Do-■minion.-this expenditure to be spread "over" a" certain number of years. He had anticipated asking for it last year, but, at that time, tho financial outlook at Home had not been bright. Things, however, wero better now, and he therefore hoped to bo able to induco Parliament to agree to a fairly substantial loan for the, purposes which ho bad indicated. AVhcn that was done the whole- question of a central station for Wellington, and tho claims of TeAro station, would bo carefully considoicd by his officers. He suggested that the deputation should select three or four of the principal business men to see Mr. Hiley and put their case to him from a business point of view. It was •probable that an understanding between '■the/different parses might then result. . One of the principal questions was what extra amount would bo charged for going to To Aro. That had to bo decided, for the amount which it might be found necessary to charge might be found more than the deputation cared to pay. Tho Hon. F. M. B. Fisher said that tho deputation would accept the offer made and would appoint a deputation to , wait on Mr. Ililoy. In the meantime he thought that Ministers seemed doubtful about tloing anything at present. The position' was that the goods shed was still in : the dim and distant future,

Mr. Herries: It must be part of the whole solieme.

Mr. Fisher: The view which we is that, whatever you do about a neutral station, wo must have a goods shod at To Aro. You may build tlio most beautiful station in the northern end, but wo must have, a coods shed here.