TE ARO RAILWAY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 78, 29 September 1908, Page 3

TE ARO RAILWAY.

INCREASE OF TRAFFIC. IMPROVEMENTS WANTED. Eailway facilities at Te Aro were fully discussed at v -a representative meeting of business men in the north eastern portion of the city, held yesterday afternoon. Mr. F. Townsend presided, there being about thirty-five persons in attendance. Some Jittle time ago, according to the chairman, he and Mr. Brown revived the question which many of the general public considered in the light of a white elephant. A deputation had waited on the Minister requesting him to remove the line to Te Aro altogether. Ho declined the request^ and >'ightly so. At that time the prospects at the Te Aro end of the town were not as bright as they were to-day when they had some of the most substantial warehouses in the city right in front of the station. Not only was the business portion of the city going down that way, but Te Aro (Courtenay Place) was becoming the largest tram terminus in the city. The time had now arrived when it was absolutely necessary for the Government to improve t>ho facilities at '_£*c _A.x-o, both for passengers and the handling of goods. This subject was brought under the notice of the Minister, and he wrote suggesting that the matter should be postponed until the Manawatu line had been taken over. People would probably be astonished to know that during the last twelve, months four or five firms carrying on business at Te Aro had received "AJ,dU9 packages of fruit and vegetables alone from the Government and Manawatu lines. Mr. J. P. Luke submitted that if they did not move .in the matter now, the Government would say that the subject had been dealt with and could not be re-opened. The suggestion that the Government should take up the rails was a conservative policy. Some folk said that the tramway system could supply the wants of the people in journeying to the station at Thorndon. Bufc he, as a city councillor, could assure them that the trams would never be able to cope with the traffic between Te Aro and Wellington on holidays without the aid of the railway. He went on to urge the need for a goods shed and an extension of the train to Miramar. Underlying ■ bhe whole subject, he eaid, were the right 3 of the people, and the people at that end of the town were justly entitled to be linked up with the railway system of the Dominion. ' "The configuration of Wellington necessitates the industrial expansion southwards," said Mr. C. J. Crawford, Mayor of Miramar, in supporting the other speakers. There was so much traffic along the foreshore streets now that it would be absolutely impossible to do without the relief afforded by the railway. To his mind, the line should be extended to Kilbirnie, thence to Newtown via a tunnel. Mr. D. T. Stewart stated that he was one of a deputation which urged tho laying down of the line 21 years ago. Tenders were received for the work in 1892, and the line opened for traffic in March, 1893. He thought the timo had arisen when they should impress on the\ Minister the desirableness of taking the^ line overhead through the city and extending it to Miramar. Mr. Geo. Winder stated that timber being carted through the city was a great inconvenience to ti&ffie. If it could be discharged at Te Aro it would mean a. big saving to the City Council in the upkeep of its streets, and enable buildings to be erected much cheaper. Aiessrs. A. Odlin and B. Dawson also spoke. On the motion of Mr. Luke the meeting- expressed the opinion that it was in the best interests of the city and the southern portion of the district that conveniences for handling goods should be established at Te Aro. _ The meeting also decided, on the motion of Mr. Luke, to expre&s the desirableness of having a survey and report prepared on the scheme for extending the railway system to Kilbirnie and Miramar. A deputation consisting oi those present was appointed to place the resolutions before the Minister. The chairman, Messrs. Martin Kennedy J. P. Luke, Geo. Winder, C. J. Crawford, Peter Russell, and G. B. Bristow (secretary), were appointed a committee to arrange matters in connection with the deputation.