DANGER TO THE CITY?

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 159, 31 March 1922, Page 6

DANGER TO THE CITY?

THE WAIRARAPA RAILWAY DEVIATION It was quite evident from the remarks of Councillors W. H. Bennett and J. M. Dale (who were the C.ty Council’s delegates on the excursion organised by the Wellington Progress League over the proposed route of the railway deviation into the Wairarapa), in- reporting to tho City Council last" night, that they do not consider there is any immediate danger of this railway going through. Councillor Dale said that the promoters of the scheme “put in a three and a half mile tunnel as lightly as our engineer would put in a culvert.” Councillor W. H. Bennett said that the council must oppose this proposal with all possible force if it ever looked like fruition. The railway would traverse the City Council’s watershed. This watershed was clothed at present with beautiful forest, and it was unthinkable that the council should agree to a railway going through the reserve, giving rise to serious risk of pollution, and the much graver risk of fire. Councillor Norwood said that in his opinion the opening-up of the fertile lands of tho Wairarapa would be a very big thing for the city, and he did not think the proposal should be vetoed on an opinion formed after a hurried motor drive of some four hours. Tho question of the conservation of the watershed was one for experts, as also was that of the selection of the route.

Councillor Fraser said (that the opinions expressed by the council’s delegates did not appear to have been nastily formed, and their reports were complete. He (thought that if the railway could be put through without risk to tho city’s water supply, there need be no opposition from the council, but, if not, the council should, as the delegates advised, oppose tho scheme “tooth and nail,” if it ever looked like being carried through. The report of the delegates was received with the thanks of the council.