NEW CITY OUTLET

Evening Post, Issue 56, 7 March 1934, Page 11

NEW CITY OUTLET

A RAMP WANTED : DEPUTATION TO PRIME MINISTER | QUESTION OF COST : Remarking that the people of the Dominion could scarcely be expected to pay, either in taxes or in increased railway charges, for something that was of special value to Wellington and the neighbouring district, the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. G. IV. Forbes) today advised a deputation from the local bodies in and around Wellington, in addition to the Wellington Chamber of Commerce and the ""Automobile Club, that the bodies eonccrne'd. should hold a meeting at which they could discuss the allocation of the cost of the work which they wanted done. The work referred to was the suggested overhead bridge (or "ramp") over the .railway line near Kaiwarra where the city's proposed new outlet will join the Hutt Road! All the local bodies in the district were represented, and the speakers were the Mayor of Wellington (Mr. T. C A. Hislop), the chairman of, the transport committee of the Chamber of Commerce (Mr. P. E. Pattrick), and the chairman, of "the Automobile Club (Mr. E. A. Batt).. After referring to the purpose of the deputation Mr. Hislop said that it was a matter which had been debated for some months. A deputation had previously approached Mr. Coates when the Minister of Railways was also present. The reply from tho Kailways Board was that it could not do anything. "It is our view that this is not essentially a jnatter for the board," said Mr. Hislop. "The Government should-.consider.it, for it is a matter involving the safety and convenience of an enormous number of people. When a new railway work takes place, as now, it is a duty upon the Department to sec that the construction does not involve a risk to the people of the district." Mr. Forbes: The Government has a. lot of duties, if it can only carry them out. '. .. ■ . •:■'.•' LAND TAKEN" OVER. Continuing, Mr. Hislop said that some years ago the Department took over from the City Council,' under statutory powers, land on the Thorndon waterfront, which, included a road area. The matter of compensation had finally, been settled "in the" ; Supreme Court, the terms laid . down by '• the Chief Justice; being.that' the Kailways Department was to proyide a new "road and also pay a sum of £20,000.' During the hearing' of the case, and previously, the question of an overhead bridge certainly arose, but the Department would not agree to provide it, and' tHe Chief Justice pointed out that, he could not insist upon' if, as' it was not there before. That did not involve in any way the question whetherj in the public interest, a ramp should not be put across that piece, of road. That part of the case, therefore, did not concern the present matter. , . ■ Producing a. plan of the locality, Mr. Hislop said it was the view of all the local bodies concerned that the new road would carry the. great bulk of the trafiie to and from the. city, since it provided unimpeded access to the centre of the city. It was therefore vitally necessary that something other than1 a level crossing should be provided to carry it across the railway line. : HEAVY TRAFFIC. % From information supplied by the secretary of the Automobile Club, there would be 40 trains over the crossing during the rush hours, night and morning, with 120 trains between. 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Only by being compelled to wait for the trains to pass would the road traffic be able to use that route. Throughout the day there would be a grave risk of aeeident., Mr. Hislop then referred. to Davis Street, which he said was to be closed, and when a street was closed the city was entitled to some provision' for its replacement. A discussion had taken place between the Corporation and the. Railway Department, and as a result a definite general scheme had been'prepared' whereby an overhead crossing was to bn given to the city at" Davis Street. The scheme was never' completed, but he had been advised that the Department was agreeable to a ramp at Davis Street. It seemed'to him that the general interest would 'be better served by a ramp at the other end "near Kaiwarra. 'The city ."would be prepared to consider the best placefor an overheitd crossing, and he suggested thai' since the city was entitled to an overhead crossing at Davis Street, an agreement could possibly be reached whereby it would be provided at Kai: warra. ■ MAN ON DUTY. . A suggestion had been mad© at the previous, deputation . that there 'would be no danger, as men with -flags would be on. duty; That was not abound way, because of' -the vast amount of. traffic' at' the peak" hours. It might save fatalities but" only at the cost of time. Ho wanted the Government to consider' the principle of the thing so that perhaps' representatives., of * the Government could meet the local body representatives .-and a settlement be Teached. • i Mr. Forbes: You have not said anything regarding what contribution towards the cost might be met by the City Council. Mr. Hislop:'A "suggestion has been made regarding'an 80ft-wide ramp, but I think that is far beyond the requirements. .I. think we should ascertain the necessary length and width and then decide on a basis of payment. He did not think it was necessarily a matter primarily for the Railway Department. The Government should exercise its influence in the direction of having a ramp provided, and should make some contribution. He referred to. a letter from the Railway Department in which mention was made, of the Hobson Street and Davis Street schemes. : Mr. Forbes:' Did they consider all those liabilities when they decided to put the new railway station where it is going? I was out of the country at the time. Mr. Hislop: They were all subjects of investigation. He said that the fact that the overhead crossing was no new idea was shown by its paving been indicated in a plan included in the Wellington Harbour Board's Year Book in 1923. SOME PROVISION IN FUTURE. Mr. Pattriek said &at the Chamber of Commerce ■ considered it would be very ill-advised- to ■be satisfied with a level crossingl ■at that point. If the ramp we're "not provided now.it would have to be in" the course of time. : Mr. Batt produced, a plan of the Thorndon reclamation' scheme prepared by Mr. Coates. in 1924 and including an overhead- crossing-to the Hutt Road. He said ■ that the Department's policy during recent--.years had been to provide overhead in preference to level crossings. A level crossing at the point under discussion would cost only a fraction of the expenditure on the whole scheme. He suggested that if there was a real difficulty over the cost of the work, the Main Highways Board might be given - greater borrowing powers and-the work done-in that way. THe Wellington City Solicitor (Mr. J. O'Shea) explained that-the. £.20,000.

awarded in compensation for the Thorndon area could legally be used only for certain purposes, and could not go towards the cost of the ramp. SOME MISCONCEPTIONS.'-/ Mr. H. H. Sterling said'that he wished to clear up several misconceptions. It was not whether . the ramp was necessary that concerned the Railways Department, but who should pay for it. Mr. Batt had made a strong point of the previous policy of the Department lin regard to crossings, ' but 'he .would ipoint out that ramps had been provided in cases where a new line was being built. The crossing now under eon--sideration was an entirely different proposition. , The fact that the Chief Justice would not order the Department to-build a ramp, was very relevant, to the .present matter. He pointed out that the new road would be of great benefit to the City of Wellington, but would ,be of little benefit to the Railways Department. In regard to the-Davis-Street scheme Mr.. Sterling considered; that that should stand on its own, and should not be brought into the present discussion. Also, the fact that an overhead crossing at Kaiwarra had'been included on a previous plan of the Department did not render the Department liable to construct it. .'■•'" ' ' -•••.; MINISTER'S REPLY. The. PrimV Minister said there could" be no question that, if the "road was ia be constructed a'ramp was absolutely necessary. The question remained as to who Was to pay for it. It was a new road which would relieve the congestion on the outlet.ffom;'Welling-' ton, and its value to the City Council must run into thousands of pounds. Its value to the Railway Department was not nearly so great, and if the Department spent money on it it would have to recover it from the users of the railways all over New Zealand; : > The City Council, in asking .the Railways Department to pay, for the ramp, in addition to the compensation it. had already provided, was certainly .asking for its pound of flesh. The council did f not say that-it would; take the ramp in place of the £20,000. He suggested that the. bodies represented- by the deputation should hold' a ' meeting Ant which a scheme in regard to;the cost could be discussed. .. Doubtless Mr. Sterling would be prepared to' discuss the matter with those concerned, y >*•