STILL WAITING

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 50, 27 August 1925, Page 9

STILL WAITING

WELLINGTON'S NEW STATION

WHEN IS IT TO BE BUILT!

When will the new' Wellington railway station be completed! That was the query raised by Mr. R. A. Wright (Wellington Suburbs) in the House of Representatives last night. Mr. Wright said he would like the Minister to say whether the programme of railway works as they affected this city had been modified in any way. He did not say that it had, but it looked as if the work would be completed in ten years instead of eight, as stated in the programme of development presented last year. "We in Wellington are beginning to wonder if there is to be any further delay," said Mr. Wright, " because next year there may be Tnore delay again. Is the new railway station to be erected in the next ten or fifteen years?" A Reform member: " Keep believ-

ing." Tl It is of vital interest, nob only to the people of Wellington but to all people who travel to Wellington," proceeded Mr. Wright. " I am sure the people of Wellington will be glad to be reassured as to the approximate time when the railway station is to be ereo ted."

Commenting on the refusal of th» Railway Department to run the Manawatu trains through to Lambtony Mr. Wright said that was sound enough, provided that the completion of the new station was not going. to bo postponed indefinitely. He would also like to hear something from the Minister regarding the Tawa Flat deviation, on which very little had been done, although £75,000 was put on the Estimates for the work last year. " I think it will be admitted thai Wellington members have not been overselfish in regard to pressing railway matters," said Mr. Wright, "But because we have been patient, not wishing to be selfish, and realising that other parts of New Zealand have equal right with ourselves to have their wants attended to, that is not a sufficient reason why we should be absolutely neglected or overlooked. lam not suggesting that the Government is doing that. I will Bay that the present Government in the last few years has turned its attention to the Tawa Flat deviation and the new railway station, but I am urging that no stone will be left untamed, and that everything possible will bo done in order to have the railway station erected." Mr. G. E. Sykes (Masterton) expressed satisfaction at the improvement that had been effected on the Wairarapa lino in the matter of speeding up, but there was. still considerable delay at Cross Creek. It was hoped that engines would be available to overcome that difficulty. The provision of such engirres, however, would not do away with the necessity of the Rimutaka Hill. Mr. Sykea dwelt on the delay which occurred to business men using the Wairarapa lines, and he expressed the hope that something would be done in the direction of enabling business men to get from one town to another with the least possible delay.