NEW RAILWAY STATION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 7 October 1924, Page 4

NEW RAILWAY STATION.

MINISTER’S PROPOSALS. QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED. Questions concerning the. statement in the Minister of Railways’ report that £20,000 should be spent at fiawera in the sixth year have been drawn up by the Hawera Chamber of Commerce, and are to be placed before the Minister by Mr J. it. Corrigan, M.P. The decision was arrived at at a special meeting of the chambei* yesterday afternoon, when there were present: Messrs J. B. Murdoch (chair), L. A. Bone, E. H. Harrop, P. - Bond, R. D. Douglas and D. R. Sellar. Mr J. R. Corrigan, M.P., was present by invitation. The chairman pointed out that the position that had arisen was quite different to anything which had been anticipated. The scheme had been to c'arry out improvements in the railway facilities at Hawera costing approximately £BO,OOO, but it now appeared that the expenditure here could .not exceed £20,000. However, the department were already buying the land, apparently in anticipation of commencing the work. Mr Corrigan said .there had not yet been an opportunity of discussing the report in the House, but he was certain that the department were not depicting from the* £BO,OOO scheme. The chairman said that they should first find out what was meant by the £20,000 expenditure. Mr Corrigan said he would undertake to find that out. Referring to the present station, the chairman said, that the congestion there was getting worse and worse. If it was not going to be remedied before six years thev were going to have trouble. Mr Corrigan pointed out that the trouble at the Tawhiti crossing could not be remedied until the new work was taken in hand. He thought that the department realised: that the Opunake line would come into Hawera. Mr Corrigan drew attention to the fact that the two English experts would soon be in New Zealand, and the comprehensive report which they were going to make might upset the present position. It was left to the chairman and Mr Bone, together with the secretary, to draw up., questions to be submitted to the Minister by Mr Corrigan.