Palmerston North Deviation

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 42, 19 February 1938, Page 7

Palmerston North Deviation

Extensive Employment Not Yet Possible

RE-SURVEY NECESSARY (Special to “Times.”) WELLINGTON, Last Night. Though the Department is making every effort to start work on the Palmerston North railway deviation, it will be some time before any large number of men can be employed and construction started in earnest, according to a statement made by the Minister of Public Works (Hon. R. Semple) in an interview to-day. A sum of £25,000 was placed on the last Public Works Estimates for this undertaking. The Minister said that in order to proceed with the Palmerston North railway construction works, it was necessary for the Department to make a complete re-survey and set of plans before the construction could be put in hand, since owing to altered conditions the arrangement now proposed differed materially from the original lay-out on which construction was in hand when the work was closed down.

1 ‘At the time work was closed down it was apparently anticipated that there was no immediate prospect of the scheme being proceeded with, and consequently the majority of the land involved was leased io various farmers,’* said Mr. Semple. ‘ ‘ Notices of the Department’s intention to resume possession of this land are being sent * out, but under tho conditions of the leases a reasonable notice is required. “In order to carry out this work with economy and expedition, it will be necessary to employ modern machinery, and much of this, together with the necessary service rails, trucks, etc., has to be indented.

“It will be understood, therefore, that although the Department is making every effort to get the work started as soon as possible, some time must necessarily elapse before any large number of men can be employed.’*