SUBURBAN RAILWAYS,

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16983, 17 October 1918, Page 7

SUBURBAN RAILWAYS,

'$OITY TO MORNINGSIDE. jpUSTRE FOR SHORTER ROUTE. .TRIAL SURVEY PROMISED. The arguments in favour of the proposed *w direct railway route from, the city to klcrniiigsido were placed before the General Manager of Railways, Mr. E. H. Hiley, yesterday, by a deputation from tho Northern Suburban Railway League. The chief traffic manager of railways, Mr. g, Buxton, and the chief engineer, Mr. y.W. McLean, also were present. Mr. C J. Parr, M.P., introduced the deputation. Mr. Parr stated that the principal object of the league was to shorten the railway distance from the city to Morningside by avoiding the circuitous route by way of the Parnell tunnel and Newmarket. The league desired that the Department should make a trial survey of the proposed new tUWiel route, from the vicinity of tho

Town Hall, under Karangnhape Road. The residents interested, said Mr. Parr, were concerned regarding the report that tho Department was considering the question of a new Parnell route by way of Point Resolution. If the scheme advocated by the league were adopted the distance from the city to Henderson would fa- shortened by about one-half and tho distance to Morningside would be reduced from five to two and a-quarter miles. Mr. W. Robertson, ot Swanson, president of the league, said that the northern gubufban service had not received due attention from tho Department. More season tickets were issued at Avondalo tliaa at any other suburban station in the Dominion, with the exception of Petone. Ito essence of a satisfactory suburban eerv*.c3 was quickness, but people using the Northern line were subjected to a great waste of time. The adoption of the proposed shorter route would mean a eaving of at least an hour a day. It was not expected that the line should run to a dead-end near the Town Hall, but it should connect- with the main city station. Other members of the deputation spoke to a similar effect. Mr. Hiley said that the Department was quite sympathetic towards the idea of shortening the route from the city to the North, but the proposal must be considered as a business proposition. The scheme for a terminal station near the Town Hall was impracticable from a traffic-working point of view. The adoption of the proposed route would involve ji line from Morningside to the city station, and the greater part of the distance would have to be tunnelled. This work would cost about £1,000,000. He did not see any prospect of th"e northern suburban traffic alone paying interest and working charges on such a large expenditure. Any sceheme for improving the connection'with the North would have to include tie improvement of the whole Main Trunk service. The most serious objection to the proposal, from the Department's point of view, was the steep gradients between Morningside and New Lynn, which' would still remain. He had given some attention to the subject, in his special railway report in 1914. He then referred to the proposal for a new route through Ponsonby, joining the main line at New Lynn or Kumeu. If such a line were constructed it would connect with the city station, either by way of the Town Hall, with a station there, or by the waterfront route. . Mr. Parr- remarked that a branch route joining the main line at Kumeu would be of- no value to the residents of Avondale, Now Lynn, Waikuraete, and Henderson. Mr. Hiley said. in his 1914 report he referred to the question of improving th.9 present Newmarket-New Lynn line by duplicating it and improving the grades. He would- have a trial survey made of the tdute from Morningside in the city, but Ke could not hold out much prospect of this scheme being adopted, i.-. HHr. Parr said that when the result of 'the survey was received the league again Vsdid ask permission to go into the matter with the Department. iff .