A SEP FURTHER

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 100, 1 May 1925, Page 6

A SEP FURTHER

HUTT VALLEY RAILWAY

DEVIATION

LARGE MEETING AT PETONE.

The protest made recently to the Hon. J. G. Coates, Minister of Railways, against the proposals to take ,the road over the railway where the' proposed Hutt Valley deviation crosses the Main Hutt road and Cuba street; was carried a step further last evening, when Messrs. Widdop (Railway Department) and Wood (Public Works Department) met a large gathering of interested Petone citizens to explain the details of the proposed scheme. 'i..c Mayor of Petone, Mr. J. W. M'Ewan, presided^ Mr. Widdop explained the purpose 6f the railway, and the proposed route, Stating that stations would be: ■ erected in the vicinity of Ava street, Petone, and .White's line East and Waterloo road, Lower Hutt. It was proposed to erect ramp roads over the railv/av at both the Hutt road and Cuba street.

In.answer t6"a question by Mr. JacobSon, sen., Mr. Widdop said it was proposed to close Ava street and PlUnket avenue, but that residents in the area Would be given access to Cuba street by a branch road. It would be a more difficult proposition to take the road under the railway, as the road clearance required was greater, and also there was the question of the depth of the heavy girder needed to carry the railway. Mr. Jones asked if :it would not be possible to keep the line up on an embankment from the Hutt road to the river, and let the streets go under. It was explained that ,this would mean probably a 25-feet nigh embankment running alongside Wakefield street to the river, and such an embankment would preclude the granting of a railway siding to the gasworks.

LINE ALONG THE FORESHORE?

After a general discussion, the chairman asked the meeting •to express its wishes by means of a motion. Councilor Cook moved, and Mr. Jacobson Beconded, that the Department be asked to take the line along the foreshore.

Mr. London supported the proposal, objections' to which were raised by Mr. J. Piper and several other speakers, on the grounds of the unsightly nature of many overhead bridges to allow access to the, beach, and the future danger When the toWn grew into a city. This proposal was negatived by a large majority. ; ' . . '

After the difficulties of carrying railway by mdalis of- ah embankment had been fully discussed, the meeting was apparently of opinion that this idea was not a feasible one, on account of its unsightliness, the cutting out of the gasworks siding, the high-level railway stations, with the difficulty of access, especially for goods traffic. The chairman then explained that he and the borough engineer, Mr. Cowie, had proposed to Mr. Widdop that the grading down of tho railway should be started further back, so that a depth of, say, eight feet could be reached before the line crossed the Hutt road. This would mean that the road over could be kept down a corresponding amount. ENGINEERING DIFFICULTIES. It was explained that this meant engineering difficulties in dealing with Percy's Creek, which Would be met if the railway Were graded down sooner. It would also be, more expensive. The meeting, however, decided, on the motion of the chairman, to request the Railway Department" to accede to this suggestion. .

Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P., who was present, stated that he considered the meeting had come to a wise decision, and he would have much pleasure in asking the Minister to carry out the desire of the people.

Mr. Widdop'explained that the proposal made by the meeting was along the lines already planned by the liailway Committee. ■ • '

The plans produced by Mr. Widdop show that in it'ont of the existing houses on the east side of the Hutt road a road half the width of the .present road will still remain on the same level fenced across on each side of tho railway line; and that a ramp road with a vehicle way thirty feet wide, with the addition of two footways, will deviate from the present road through ; Percy's paddock, coming back to the present line at Wakefield street. This road will start to xise about the point where Nelson street extension touches the Hutt road, and come back to the level at Wakefield street. This bend, it was explained, would give persons approaching from either end an opportunity of seeing the approaching traffic. It was also intended to adopt the same idea in Cuba street.

The meeting 'closed with a vote of thanks to the engineers for attending, and to the chairman for presiding.