BAILS IN QUAY-STREET.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14808, 11 October 1911, Page 5

BAILS IN QUAY-STREET.

LINKING UP QUEEN-STREET . \ WHARF.

HASTENING THE WORK.

HARBOUR BOARD'S DECISION.

The advisableness of laying rails along Quay-street to provide railway communication with the Queen-street Wharf: was the subject of further discussion at the' meeting of the Auckland Harbour Board yesterday. .»

Reporting upon the proposed agreement with the Railway Department regarding the working of. the Railway Wharf and connection with the Queen-street Wharf, the Board' in committee recommended: —"That the Department be notified that tho Board is prepared to execute an agreement with the Department regarding the control of rail traffic at this port ;" " that in view of the pressing necessity for further rail facilities the Department be requested to link up without delay the Queen-street Wharf with the railway connection."

Mr. J. H. Bradney entered his protest against any railway connection being made with Queen-street Wharf, and moved as an amendment that the recommendation be referred back to the committee for . further consideration. He thought it was a very short-sighted policy seeing that tho Board had now practically decided to have a line broad roadway running' from College Hill right through to Orakei. If they had that roadway they would probably have ■ tramways running alorig it. Mr. J. £. Taylor seconded the amendment.

Mr. J. S. Bond submitted that the business of the Hoard was to provide snipping facilities. li the present proposal was defeated the railway on the Queen-street Wharf would nave to be abandoned, and in that event the goods would have to be carted to the whan irom the goods yards, involving extra handling. j\t the meeting of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce the previous night it had been decided to urge the Hoard to link up : the whole of its wharves at once with the railway. This was absolutely necessary if Auckland was to be made a final port of call. if they wanted to make this the leading' port in New Zealand uiey must grant every facility for handling cargo. ' ■ ' '■ ■ , * ' Mr. M. D. Heather said that while formerly opposed to the laying of rails dow;n Queen-street Wharf, he was now convinced from experience that it was absolutely necessary. ; Air. W. E. Hutchison submitted that not only would the railway on the wharf save extra cost in handling, but it would also save a good deal of the damage that .was done. ' * " ■, ■.■'■■'.''' .

Mr. E. W. Alison inquired who had asked for these , facilitiesthe shipping people, the ■ .Kaiiway Department, : or the Harbour Board? Was it not a spontaneous action on the part of the Board? He submitted that the Kailway Wharf with its railway facilities was sufficient to meet the requirements of the port in this respect. In Sydney, where there was very much more shipping, no railways were run on to the wharves. Quay-street was the busiest thoroughfare, bar Queen-street, in the city, and would become even more so in the immediate future when that fine scheme by which it would be extended as far as Campbell's Point was given effect to. v

i The Chairman (Mr. J. H. Gunson) submitted that, the railway lines along Quaystreet were essential in the interests of the commercial life of the city and the province. The Auckland Harbour Board was the chief port authority for the district of Auckland, not for the city of Auckland, and even if the city interests were prejudiced somewhat, he ■ submitted that the greater interests should be considered. So far as the laying of the tram line along Quay-street, was concerned that could not be done '■ for very many years. As Mr. Alison well knew, Quay-street would not go through as far as Campbell's Point in the lifetime of anyone in that room. The railway line along Quay-street would not present any dangers. It would run flush with the street, and the traffic would be well regulated. The row of carts in Quay-street at present presented a more serious difficulty. 1 Moreover, the Board could not get the depth of water required at the Railway Wharf, but it could get it at Queen-street. Were they, he asked, to continue in the. position of having to inform the masters of the big White Star liners that they could not berth their steamers' here because they did not have sufficient depth of water in Auckland, and so lose the opportunity of having Auckland made the final port? The salvation of this port from a commercial standpoint was to be found in linking up Queen-street Wharf with the railway system. The amendment was -lost. , ' Mr. Alison moved as a further amendment that the Railway. Department be requested to inform the Board whether the Department recommended the linking up of the Queen-street Wharf with the railway system. '' The Chairman said the Railway Department and the City Council had both approved of the laying of lines along Quaystreet ,to Queen-street Wharf.* '.'7 *: The amendment was lost, and the recommendation was adopted. A letter was received fromTMr. T. Ronayne, General Manager of Railways, stating that the proposed railway '■■'siding"' to Queen-street' Wharf would be provided at the cost of the Department, but the Department could not guarantee a satisfactory service until such time as the engine sheds were removed and the yard sidings were rearranged. Delays would probably occur, and the Department would make a charge for shunting on all the Board's wharves. The letter was referred to the Board in committee. '