GOODS SHED

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 61, 13 March 1914, Page 8

GOODS SHED

WANTED FOR TE AKO The old subject of a goods shed fos Te Aro was brought under the notice of the Minister for Railways (Hon. W. H. Herries) by a deputation from tho Central Chamber of Commovce tliia afternoon. The deputation was introduced by tha Hon. F. M. B. Fisher, who apologised for the unavoidable absence of Dr. Newman, M.P. for Wellington East. Mr. C. M. Luke, chairman of the Chamber, said that in tho early history of the Te Aro railway Btation it was part of tho programme that there should be goods accommodation, and they urged that the time had arrived when something in that direction should be carried out. The necessity for a goods shed was apparent, and a shed was being asked for by the country people particu* larly. It was absurd to have the goods shed on the fringe of the area ove» which the goods had to be distributed. They > understood, he added, that the auestion of finance did not enter into ie difficulty, as it did at one time. Mr. W. H. P. Barber said he was still of the opinion that it would be a retrograde step to abolish tlw railway, and ho believed also that in timo it would be necessary to extend it. Tc Aro was the centre of all the amusements, and he believed it would be a wise step to cater for the people who would come in from the suburbs if sufficient facilities were provided. Mr. Jack, secretary of the Farnterft' Union, said that a large proportion of the produce from the Wellington district came to Wellington, and he contend^ that full facilities ahould be given for railing that produce to a point as near an possible to the place whore it had to bo disposed of. , Mr. Leigh H"iih-t said they had bean, told that that branch of tho railway was not paying. The only way to make it pay was to provide sufficient facilities for tho carriage of good«. \£ a. goods shed was provided a very largo amounts qf produce would go there, that quantity would increase every year, and by carrying out the request of tho deputation'a good deal «>f congestion of traifio in tho street* would be obviated. Mr. Ward put forward the case ' on behalf of the milk suppliers and vendors, who were, ho said, put to a great deal of expense by having to cart largo quantities of t milk from Thondon and Lambton stations. Soon there was to bo a milk clearing house in Wellington, and the general consensus of oinion was that it should be at Te Aro. Mr. R. A. Wright uged that Wellington must extend towards the south, and if all the facilities were at the northern end the public and the Department would be put to very considerable inconvenience. ' Mr. Hutchen contended that it had never been understood that only passengers were to be carried on the railway. In all big cities the policy was to put the railway station as close to the centre as possible. In reply the Minister said he was still of opinion that a good case had been made out as far as goods traffic wae concerned. Until a branch tram line ran to Te Aro Station they could not expect greater passenger facilities He could not give a direct answer to the request of the deputation, aa the subject waa inseparably bound _up with that of a central Railway station. He hoped to ask Parliament _ next session for a loan fos a central railway station and other urgent works. He suggested that the deputation should consult with the General Manager on the subject, and ask, for instance, what extra charge would have to be made if the goods shed was built.