THE TE ARO GOODS STATION.

Evening Post, Volume XLVII, Issue 102, 1 May 1894, Page 4

THE TE ARO GOODS STATION.

NO COMPENSATION, NO LAND. Tho Te Aro Roods shod question again ongagod tho altoution of tho City Council, at a spooial mooting which was hold at 4 o'clock yesterday. There were present— The Mayor (Mr. A. do B. Brandon), and Councillors Pothoriok, Willeston, Andoraon, Barber, Lovoi, Tanner, Penty, Talum, Devine, Frasor, Harris, and Harcourt. lhe Town Clerk having read the letter on tho Bubjoct from the Under-Sooretary of Public Works, The Mayor said that he proposed to forward tho following reply, provided it was approved by the Council: —"I have tho honour, by direction of his Worship the Mayor, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 27th instant, in whion you state that the attention of the Government having boon oalled to the depressed oondition of the labour market in this city, you aro directed to enquire whether the City Council still persists in the objection to the construction of a railway goods station at tho To Aro end of the oity and tho consequent reclamation from the harbour of tho land required for the same. In reply, lam dirootod to point out that the two questions which form the subject matter of your letter, viz., the roliof of the labour markot and tha construction of the goods station, aro entirely separate and distinct, and should so bo considered, it being scarcely oonooivable that thore is, as your loiter would seem to indicate, no other public work upon which those at present out of umployment can be profitably engaged With referonoe to tho relief of the labour market, the accounts of tup working of the Labour Bureau pnblishod in the Mow Zealand Times indicate that the Bureau is successfully carrying out the purpose for whioh it was ostabhsbod, and that it has already considerably reduced the proportions of the unemployed difficulty. In ordor to further asßist the Labour Bureau in its operations, instructions have been givon to tho officers of the Corporation to give information to tho Bureau whenever praoticablo of tho smaller contracts to be let from timo to time, and also of requirements in tho way of casual labour. As rogards the question of the construction of tho goods station, the late Mayor (Mr liell) wrote as follows in the statement submitted to you on tho lflth April, 1893 :—' Speaking for myself, but believing that I should have the support of the local authorities, I informed Mr. M'f.oan that if the Government would undertake to introduce and support a Bill next session providing that no more land beyond the Ik acres now proposed should be takon from the oity without compensation, I would give way.' I am directed to say that the City Counoil, althongh not admitting tho immediate nooessity of a goods station at To Aro, has never rooeded from the position laid down by Mr. Hell, and that if tho undertaking ho asked for is now givon, the €ity Council will not oppose tho construotion of a goods station. Under these circumstances, it must be conoeded that tho blame, if any, for tho dolay in the construction of the goods station at To Aro, does not rest with tho Council." Councillor Harris said he did not consider that tho position of affairs bad materially altered sinoe the resolutions arriyod at by the joint committee of the Connoil and Haibour Board were adopted. The unemployed question, whioh had been dragged in by the Government, was simply a bit of byplay. The vote for the goods shed had lapsed at the end of tho financial year, and therefore Ministers had not the means to go on with the work if they wanted to. The Government had ignored tho wishes of the local 'bodies, and had triod to Bmucrglo a Bill through the Honso to take as much land as it liked and where it liked. Fortunately they were able to circumvent that. He did not soo why the Council should give the Government any land free. Compensation Bhould be paid for all that was required. Government had already taken parts of their streets, and he believed they conld claim compensation for tho loss of approaches to the new reclamation. Ho moved that the resolutions arrived at by tho joint committoe of the Council and Harbour Board — to the effect that thoy wore nnable to support any proposal for a goods station at To Aro, and if such a station was constructed compensation should be given for the land taken — be now confirmed, and that a copy of the sjuno bo forwarded to the Government. Councillor Anderson seconded Councillor Harris' motion. He quite agreed that Govornment might easily find employment for the unemployed elsewhere, and it was not right to take the property from the Counoil. Councillor Tanner maintained that the Counoil ought to take up the nentral position in this matter laid down by Mr. Bell. It never had objeoted to the Te Aro goods shed, provided the Harbour Board and the^ Bailway Commissioners were agreeable to the proposal. Councillor Barber thought they should have the courage of their opinions, and say at onoe whethor they would have the goods shed or not. His opinion was that a goods shod was nrgontly wanted at Te Aro. Ho hoped the Council would adhoro to the terms laid down in Mr. Bell's letter, and allow the Government the aero and a quarter asked for. Ho moved an amendment — " That the Counoil adheres to the position stated by Mr. Bell in his memorandum of the 1 9th April, 1893." Counoillor Fraser contended that it was neoessary that there should be a goods station at Te Aro. As the City was continuously extending in that direction, it was very probable that the railway would - not terminate at Te Aro. Counoillor Penty said that he would support the amendment, althongh he did not consider that a goods shed was reqnired at Te Aro at present. Counoillor Tatnm thought that two or three sidings would be sufficient for all purposes. As regards the land, Government should pay for what was required. Councillor Harris, in reply, said be understood that the Bailway Commissioners were totally opposed to a goods station at Te Aro for the simpio reason that they could not get goods sufficient to fill a truck. It meant making up a mixed truck, whioh had to be sorted again at Thorndon. They did not objeot to a siding. If there had boon a prospect of any benefit being derived from the construction of a goods shed the" Commissioners would have recommended it long ago. A few interested parties alone were clamouring for a goods shed. He hoped that the Counoil would not recede from the position which it had formerly token up. Counoillor Harris' motion was carried on division by 7 to 6, as follows :— Ayes— The Mayor, and Councillors Anderson, Lovoi, Harris, Harcourt, Tatum, and Petherick. Noes — Connoillor Tanner, Willeston, Devine, Penty, Eraser, and Barber. The Mayor said that the first part of the reply whioh he had drafted would stand, and the last portion would be altered in the terms of Counoillor Harris' resolution. On the motion of the Mayor, it was resolved to ask for the assent of the -Government to plans for reclamation work near the Destructor. His Worship said it was desirable that the work should be gone on with ot onoe, as it would givo employment to a number of men.