NORTHLAND'S FEARS

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 51, 29 August 1922, Page 4

NORTHLAND'S FEARS

DEPUTATION TO T&AMWAY

COMMITTEE.

v Fearing that the discussions over the .tt&roa,. road and Ifelb.urn routes will imperil the chances of securing, a branch line to Northland from the- main Karori line from the western side of the Karori tunnel, as provided for in the loan Schedule, a deputation from the Northland Progressive A&sociatioD yesterday waited on. the Tramways Committee to state the c-laims of that district for a tram service. "

Colonel F. B. Mabin congratulated the City Council on having provided a tenminutes service to the tunnel, at the busyhours of'the. da)', but sard the deputation wanted. to know how soon it would be' before the trams ran right into Northland. Until ,the trams went right into the heart of that suburb the district would remain dormant. A 'bus service might bd provided until the tram extension was completed. ■ Mr. S. F. Aston also supported the request of the deputation. There were, ho said, almost as many houses in Northland as in Wadestown nnd Seatoun, both of which suburbs had tram services. Assurances had been given that Northland would receive consideration, and the deputation wanted to know when. It was asked that Northland should not be-shelved while the Earoa rond and Kelbiun proposals wore being considered by tile City Council. ' .'

j "in reply'to Cduncillor t. Forsytli. Mr. f Aslon said Hie deputation was quite ■ 'ncainsl/ tlio Raroa vo'ad rnntc, '■'Mr. J. A. M'Qticen sairl i.he Northland [residents wanted a short route to towu

.via Kelburn. They favoured the extension to the tunnel as originally planned. Councillor H. D. Bennett said that the proposed /oute from the other side of the Karori tunnel to Northland was a distinct and separate' part of the Raroa. road scheme, but Councillor Forsyth dissented, from this view, contending that the proposal, as agreed to by the ratepayers, could not be dissected. . Councillor Fowsyth said that it had been suggested that a trackless car might use the present road from the tunnel to Northland. \

Councillor P. Frasw, M.P., said that a case in Wangamii had resulted in the borough council being tied down to the exact wording of a loan proposal. The legal difficulty before the Wellington City Council was whether it could'depatt from any portion of its loan schedule.

In reply to the deputation, the Mayor (Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P.) said there had never been any intention of shelving the Northland extension-, but the money had still to be raised. The council did not want to have too much loan money on hand at once, and that might have been the cause of the delay to which the deputation referred. The council wanted to know what was best to be done, but afc present there was "a broad streak of daylight" for Northland in the proposed purchase of the Kelburn tram. Personally, he favoured the route via Kelburn. However, he would not make any promises, as these had not always been capable of fulfilment in the past. The representations jof the deputation would be fully considered.