RAILWAY SUB-TERMINAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18396, 11 May 1923, Page 9

RAILWAY SUB-TERMINAL

MAUNGATUROTO PREFERRED.

REASONS FOR DECISION.

PROTESTS FROM PAPAROA.

TBT TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON. Thursday. A North Auckland deputation, introduced by the Hon. J. G. Coates. this morning presented to the Prime Minister, who is Acting-Minister for Railways, arguments against the decision of the authorities to establish a sub-terminal railway station at Maungaturoto in pre- | ference to Paparoa. The chairman of | the deputation was Mr. N. Skelton. of Paparoa, and the other members were Messrs. George .Smith, of Matakohe, a member of the Otamatea County Council, Roland Hames, of Paparoa. T. J. j Fitness, a member of the Raupo Drain- | age Board, and W. T. Hunt, chairman i of directors of the Ruawai Dairy Faci tory. The General Manager of Railways, Mr. R. W. McVilly, was present durI ing the interview. The members of the deputation stated I that Paparoa station had originally, been ! selected by the Public Works Depart- | ment as the main station for the Otamaj tea County. Twelve years ago the | County Council had defined a reading i policy, the main feature of which was i provision for an arterial road from the | Wairoa River, via Ruawai, Matakohe. i and Paparoa, to the railway station at Paparoa, at an estimated cost of £40,000. Recently the Railway Department had altered its plan and decided to build the > terminal station four miles nearer Auckland., at Maungaturoto. In so doing it had gone directly counter to the accepted and defined policy of the local body. The area to be served by the Paparoa station within the county consisted of the ridings of Paparoa, Matakohe, Ruawai, and Tokatoka. The areas served by the Maungaturoto station consisted of the ridings of Wairau and Whakapirau. The ridings dependent on the Paparoa station had a capital value twice as great as that of the ridings dependent on the Maungaturoto station. Moreover, the parishes of Whakahara and Arapohue, on the cast of the "Wairoa River, would depend on the Paparoa station. Road Connection Difficult. The road to Maungaturoto was a difficult one and not suitable for a main traffic road. The people of the west strongly objected to travelling over the road from the- Paparoa Post Office to the Huarau railway station. In addition, they objected to travelling two and a-half miles parallel to the railway after reaching the line at Huarau because it meant an extra cost of at least 7s 6d per car load. The deputation made a detailed comparison between the traffic dependent upon the Paparoa station and that dependent upon Mauncaturoto. Mr. McVilly said it was quite true that originally Paparoa had been considered to be the point at which the subterminal station should be erected, but the physical features of the country were such that it was utterly impossible to put a terminal station there, and the departmental engineers, after full consideration, had decided that the only place near Paparoa where it was possible to build a terminal station was-, Maungaturoto. The decision had not been reached in five minutes. It had been the result of months of consideration. He had been through the district himself recently, and from his knowledge of the requirements of the department from the traffic point of view he was compelled to say that he agreed. ' . Paparoa would have the usual facilities of a country station. Had there been room at Paparoa the place would- have been chosen as the verv spot for a subterminal station, but •Maungaturoto had had to be selected because the land required for building was not available at Paparoa. The facilities at Paparoa would be increased as the demands of the traffic grew. He had already said that the express would stop there. Mr. Massey: Would the traffic justify the appointment of a stationmaster there? •-.• ■•-•■' -■. No Stationmaster Meanwhile. Mr, McVilly: Not at the start. I pointed out to the people that whenever the necessity arose and the business was there to justify the appointment of a stationmaster, a stationmaster would be appointed. • Mr. Skelton asked when the department discovered that the establishment of a sub-terminal station at Paparoa was a physical impossibility? Mr. McVilly replied that the unsuitability of Paparoa had been recognised' as soon as the plans had been submitted to the Railway Department. Railway conditions were changing day by day, and what would haVe sufficed years ago would by no means suffice to-day when there were larger engines, larger trains, and larger loads. The Prime Minister said it had been made clear that the original intention had been to put the sub-terminal station at Paparoa, and that Paparoa was regarded by the Railway Department as unsuitable. -Mr. McVilly had not shown any prejudice in favour of Maungaturoto. What Mr. McVilly had said was that Paparoa would be given facilities as it required them. The deputation had better leji time > effect its cure. In his opinion it would not be necessary to wait very long. He thought the deputation had made headway, "but it had better leave the matter there. He would consider the whole question with Mr. Coates and Mr. McVilly later on.