LEVIN TO MARTON

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 1186, 8 December 1924, Page 2

LEVIN TO MARTON

DEVIATION SCHEME. COMAIISSIONERS HEAR EVIDENCE 'l’lie case for the Levin-Marton railway deviation scheme was placed before Sir Sam Fay and Sir AGncent Raven, the British experts now reporting on the New Zealand railway system, at Levin on Saturday by Mr J. Chrystall, chairman, and other members of the Railway League.

The commissioners, who were accompanied by Mr R. W. McVilly, the general manager of railways, and Mr C. J. McKenzie, assistant chief enyineor of the Public Works Department, arrived at Levin from AVellington shortly after 11 o’clock, and were met hv the Mayor of that town, Mr Hobson, and Messrs Field and Linklater, M’s.P., together with Messrs Chrystall, Matheson and Holms, members of the Railway League. As reported in Saturday’s “Standard” the commissioners were welcomed to the town at the Council Chambers, following which Mr Chrystall delivered the league’s official statement in support of the proposed deviation, a report of which also appeared on Saturday. Having read the main points of the statement, Mr Chrystall proceeded to read portions of one he had drawn up personally. Mr Chrystull’s in the main was :t recapitulation of the arguments set out in the oilicial statement, but it contained considerable detail on the question of costs incidental to the proposed undertaking. Mr Chrystall sought to convince the commissioners that the Levin-Greatfold link would be more economical and a more practicable scheme than would be the Palmerston North project if given effect to. The benefits conferred upon the district, the travelling public and the cotters of tho Railway Department, Mr Chrystall maintained, would be infinitely greater if the Levin-Greatford scheme' were proceeded with than would be the case if the Palmerston North undertaking .were put in hand. While the initial outlay would appear considerable, the scheme, lie said, would fully justify itself and the revenue that would accrue from, and the saving that would be effected by the adoption of the direct route would in time warrant the initial capital cost- of the work. He quoted detailed figures as to running costs and other financial factors to support his contention.. He instanced the remarkable development in recent years ol the area it was proposed to serve, and the evidence of that progress, which was apparent on all sides, must have impressed the commissioners. He concluded by thanking the visiting experts for coming to look over the route, and he expressed the hope that they would appreciate the national importance of the proposals which were being placed before them for their consideration. Mr A. C. Holms then stated that he had it considerable quantity of written evidence on hand which he proposed to file.

Air Chrystall then called upon Air R. AY. Holmes, ex-engineer-in-chief of tho Public AVorks Department, and who had reported on the proposed scheme on behalf of the league, to address the commissioners. AiR HOLMES’ PLAN.

Mr Holmes opened, liis remarks by saying he had a first hand knowledge of the district under discussion, acquired during a period of 50 years. Ho itad seen the district grow from a wild state to its present fertile and welldeveloped condition. Air Holmes, after speaking in support of tho proposal, proceeded to disj cuss the position obtaining at Palmersj ton North. tie had suggested sonie I time ago, he said, that the station 'problem at Palmerston North could be I overcome by lowering the station yards, I which could be carried out at a cost ot ! £240,000. Another method of dealing with the traffic problem would be to have a marshalling yard at Terrace End, which would cost £IOO,OOO. AYith regard to the Levin-Marton deviation, he o estimated the cost at £SBO.O(J(h The 1921 estimate for the Palmerston North scheme, lie said, was £700,000, so that, taking that estimate for purposes of computation, it would be seen that | there was room for favourable comparison in regard to tho Levin-Marton project. Reverting to the question of 'lowering of the Palmerston North station yards, the speaker said that no inconvenience would result therefrom. In 1921, before the last commission, evidence was given about the difficulty lof level crossings in Palmerston North should the borough desire to install electric trains, but tlie speaker had stated that the difficulty could be overcome, as it had been in Christchurch. AA’ith regard to electric trams, lie did not think any borough in New Zealand would think of putting in tramways now. The tendency to-day was to develop the motor bus system of transit. The level crossing question in Palmerston North could be solved, if necessary, bv lowering the yards. ' Sir Sam Fay: Would the sinking ot the yards get rid of the crossings!— Yes Sir Sam Fay: About how deep would you lower the yards P—About 16 feet-. “Well, what do you estimate this would cost” P—Aly estimate is £240,000, including the necessary recouj structiou. Air Holmes added that tlio land through which the railway ran at Palmerston North was mostly gravel, as could be seen at Terrace End. Sir Sum Fay: AVhat would be the position at Palmerston North if your proposals were adopted?—l consider that Palmerston North station would be reduced to a position of secondary importance. He added that the distributing centre for outside traffic would be at Terrace End, and only local traffic would be' dealt with at Palmerston North, as regarded goods, and perhaps the east and west passenger traffic, v Sir Stun Fay: Are there any Palmerston North people here to-day P Mr Chrystall stated in reply that delegates from Palmerston North bad been expected, but they had not put in an appearance. In reply to further questions from the commissioners, Air Holmes stated that lie had framed his estimates on the basis of the work being carried out by contract. Sir Sam Fay: I understand that your experience of contract work in this respect in the Dominion lias not been too favourable to the State? Air Holmes replied that a number of the New Zealand railway lines had been constructed by contract in bygone years, and, in bis opinion, as soon as the Railway Department reverted to the old system the cost of construction would come down.

Sir Vincent Raven: You contend that contract work is better than if it is carried out by the Public Works Department P—Yes. PUBLIC WORKS’ STATEMENT. The statement of the Public Works Department on the proposed deviation was then handed to the commission, but there were no spare copies for the use of the press and the league’s copy, it was stated, could . ..ct be released that day, although the salient fea-

tures of the report were communicated verbally to the press later bj’ Air McKenzie* the engineer responsible for the report. A summary of it appears in another column. OVER THE ROUTE.

The commissioners were then motored to Foxton where lunch was served. There were no speeches, and, following the meal, the party proceeded to Marton by motor cars. On arrival at the station the commissioners were welcomed by the .Mayor of Alarton, Mr Purnell, Mr Glenn, ALP., and various members of local public bodies. Speeches were delivered by the Mayor and Air Glenn, and the commissioners briefly returned thanks. The party then left by train for AVellington, but no further evidence was heard on route.