RIMUTAKA LINE

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 207, 29 May 1936, Page 8

RIMUTAKA LINE

Deputation to Prime Minister APPEAL FOR BETTER SERVICE Much Expected of New Rail-cars Emphasising that the Wairarapa was practically ata standstill in population, and was not developing as it ought to do, a largo deputation representing the district as a whole, with the support of Wellington, waited on the Prime Minister, Kt. Hon. M. J. Savage, yesterday to renew an appeal made many times before to previous Governments for an improved railv.ay service to the distich With the Prime Minister were the Minister of Public Works, Hon. It. Semple, the Minister of Railways, Hon. D. G. Sullivan, and the Minister of Finance, Hon. W. Nash.

The Prime Minister and his colleagues assured the deputation that its representations would bo immediately investigated from the engineering and economic aspects, and pointed out that the new rail car services and other improvements were expected to remove at least a portion of the disabilities from which it was reaognised that the district was suffering.

The deputation was introduced by Mr. J. Robertson, M.P. for Masterton. Mr. H. B. Wood, chairman of the Masterton County Council, claimed that no district in New Zealand had to contend with worse handicaps because of the inadequacy of the railway service than the Wairarapa. Some relief would be provided by the rail-cars, but these would not solve the most vital question affecting the district, namely, heavy transport. If the railway service had been better in the past, the road traffic would not be the formidable competitor of the rail that it was to-day. Development would only come in the Wairarapa when a more efficient railway service was provided. m _ The Mayor of Masterton, Mr. T. Jordan, said the Wairarapa district comprised eight counties and seven -boroughs, with a population of 35,000 people. The question of a deviation .of the line had been burning for 30 years. The last official consideration of the plan was contained in a report of Mr. F. W. Furkert, chief engineer of the Public Works Department in 1923. He showed that if a deviation were constructed savings on maintenance would just about balance additional charges on the capital expenditure involved. He had stated, moreover, that the work was desirable from a developmental viewpoint. Golden Opportunity. There was a golden opportunity to develop a wonderful area at the backdoor of Wellington. The construction of a new line should not be regarded merely as a question of pounds, shillings and pence, but as a developmental work. He had been astounded and disappointed with bhe progress of the Wairarapa. No district comparable te the Wairarapa had made less headway in population during the last 20 years. The inadequacy of the railway service was one reason. When the East Coast line was completed the natural route to Wellington for the products of that area was by way of the Wairarapa line, rather than through Palmerston North, which was already congested. “We have been side-tracked and have been out of sight and out of mind,” continued Mr. Jordan. He emphasised that the reasonable enforcement of the Transport Licensing Act would assist the railways, and the line through the Wairarapa as much - as any. Heavy- Traffic on Roads. Mr. J. B. Carruthers, chairman of the Eketahuna County Council, who criticised the existing rail service, appealed for an improvement, without which the district would not develop further. Thousands of pounds had been spent on the construction of roads. The county was alarmed that thousands more would have to be spent on repairs and maintenance unless the railways took the heavy traffic which was breaking up the highways. “We are not concerned whether we go through or over the hill, as long as we get a better service,” he added. The chairman of the South Wairarapa County Council, Mr. D. McGregor, who also spoke as a member of the executive of the Wairarapa Farmers’ Union, said the farmers of the district considered that the poor railway service was handicapping the area. The executive had passed a motion last week to the effect that the Farmers’ Union of the district would support any proposals for the improvement of the Wairarapa-Wellington railway service based on the principle of cheaper transport, provided there was a definite assurance that no penal freight rate would result from such proposals. Wellington Support. Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, Mayor of Wellington, said he spoke for the citizens of Wellington, who supported the people of the Wairarapa in their efforts to secure an improved railway service. The fact that there had been no increase in the population of that district, and that it had actually declined in certain parts, seemed to be cause for remedial action. The railway was deplorably antiquated to the Wairarapa, and there was room for vast improvement. On behalf of the people of Wellington he asked the Government to give the representations of the deputation its careful and favourable consideration. Speaking for the business men of Wellington. Mr. M. G. C. McCaul, immediate past-president of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, said they were not interested in any battle of routes, but deeply interested i n having t lie time and distance shortened between the city and the Wairarapa, The chamber did not approve the principle of public works that did not return interest on money invested in them, lint it understood from the report of Mr. Furkert that the proposed deviation of the line would meet additional capital charges through the saving in maintenance, and the additional revenue that would come from the development of the district. Mr. Robertson said he and Mr. B. Roberts, M.P. for Wairarapa, both supported the deputation. Minister in Reply. The Minister of Railways, Mr. Sullivan, said he had listened with sympathy to the representations. lie was amazed that the request of the depuration bad not. been achieved in years gone by. A case for the deviation of the line was there alike in tire prosperous and the depressed years. He reminded the deputa tion that tire new rail cars were about to be placed on the Wairarapa-Wellington run. and said that he and the genera' manager of railways. Mr. G. H. Mark ley. believed that the ears were going to achieve wonderful results. “I know that 261.000 extra miles are going to be run per annum between Masterton and Wellington,” continued the Minister, “and that the time between those centres is

going to be reduced by an hour and a ha Mr. Sullivan went on to say that while he would not make a prediction, he was confident that a vast improvement would take place in the rail service to the Wa - rarapa because of the rail-cars. As Minister of Railways he felt justified in asking that the new proposition be given a chance to remove at least some. of the disability. The cost of the alternative proposition to the existing line over the Rimutakas would be in excess of a million, and the position regarding maintenance was somewhat changed in that it was now estimated that such savings would not meet additional capital charges by £12,000 or £13,000. New Type of Locomotive. Mr. Sullivan mentioned also that the department was about to undertake the construction of a new type of locomotive to replace the Fell engines on the Rimutaka hill. These would pull 100 tons at 10 miles an hour, instead of the 60 tons drawn by the Fell engines at five miles an hour. If these various improvements did not come up to expectations the deputation would be justified in returning to the Government, and it would, have an unanswerable case for the deviation of the line. w , Mr. Jordan: Will the proposed improvements reduce the freight charges on coal brought into the Wairarapa? We are taking 3000 tons a year and the freight bill is half the price of our coal. Mr. Sullivan: I cannot give you an undertaking in regard to coal. It is being carried at standard rates, aud coal is one of our worst freights. The Minister of Public Works, Mr. Semple, said he too had much sympathy for people who had to travel over the Rimutakas on the railway. He could not understand the state, of mind of the engineer who put the line there. Voices: Political. Mr. Semple: ‘‘lf one travelled the world I don’t believe one would see a more stupid outfit.” The Minister added that if Mr. Maekley’s prognostications as to the success of the rail ears and the new engines did not come up to expectations the deputation would have a strong case. Line Must Come Down. “This Is one of the problems we have inherited,” said the Prime Minister, Mr. Savage. “The Lord only knows how the line got there.” He went on to say that be would not give an immediate promise that the Government was prepared to construct an alternative to the existing route. But there was no question that the line would ultimately have to come down off the Rimutaka hill. (Hear, hear.) “We cannot live by legislation alone.” continued the Prime Minister. “We have to live by results, and the railways have to produce results, or die. We might live for a year or two by driving other forms of transport out of business, but not for long. That is not enough. We have to provide the best service in New Zealand, and I think the railways are still the best. Wo have a staff with modern minds —the rail-ears and the new engines arc instances of that —and wo must keep on improving the service. We are still in our early days yet, but we are going to do big things in the Public Works Department.” Mr. Jordan : We want to be on the list, sir. Tile Prime Minister: Well, Mr. Jordan, I hope you will be on the list. Proceeding. Mr. Savage said the Government recognised the need for providing modern transport, and that unless it produced the goods it was going to fail. The Prime Minister, in giving his assurance time the Department would go fully into the representations, said Mr. Semple was not the least active of the members of the Ministry, and his active mind and those of bis officers would be brought to bear on the question. He would suggest to Mr. Sullivan also that he and his officers investigate the propos als put forward by the deputation, and to see whether it would be economic to bore a hole in the hill. “I am promising you that we are going into this thing to see whether it can lie done or cannot tic done." said Mr. -Savage. "We will iet you know, with reasons. You are going to get a fair run, and I am going to prophesy that you will not be dissatisfied with the result." Mr. Semple promised, for his part, to get the engineers on the job without delay with the object of preparing a report for him. and he would submit it to the Prime Minister.