THE RIMUTAKA RAILWAY

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 207, 29 May 1936, Page 10

THE RIMUTAKA RAILWAY

Will rail-cars giving a faster service front Wellington to the Wairarapa solve the problem of transport over the Rimutaka Incline? They may for passenger traffic, but the burden on goods carriage, with its high freights and slow transit, will remain. That was the main question raised by yesterday’s deputation to the Government, and the only answer to it is to improve this section of railway by tunnelling and regrading to shorten the distance and reduce haulage costs. The deputation’s views were given a sympathetic hearing, but the Government was obviously unwilling to be committed to further expenditure on railway construction in the meantime. Ministers gave an undertaking, however, that the project would be placed on the list of works to be considered. Mr. Semple is going to get his engineers on the job without delay, and have a report prepared. It ought to be possible to provide that very easily, for the proposition has been exhaustively explored and reported upon already. Various alternative routes—all possible alternatives, said the engineers on a previous occasion—have been carefully examined, and estimates of costs worked out. Better transport for goods is essential if the development of the Wairarapa is to be stimulated. If this were provided the development might be surprising. The advantage to Wellington of the proximity of an extensive, prosperous and developing agricultural and pastoral district need not be argued.