RAILWAY OR ROAD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20989, 28 September 1931, Page 9

RAILWAY OR ROAD.

NAPIER-WAIROA LINE.

CONVERSION TO HIGHWAY. SUGGESTION AT HASTINGS. The conversion of the unfinished railway line from Napier to Wairoa, in the event of the work being suspended, into a first-class road was* suggested by a member of the. Hastings local unemployment committee at a meeting last Friday. "The newly-formed Railways Board," said the speaker, "has recommended the suspension of the construction of the East Coast railway on the section between Napier and Wairoa. The work has been going on for nine years and £2,000,000 has been spent on it." The speaker said that if there was no intention of returning to the railway it might be possible to convert it into a first-class road to replace the present poor one. The embankments were completed and bridges, tunnels and cuttings would not present any difficulties. The embankments could be widened and the bridges would be for one-way transport only. Then there was the fact that the line had been graded. It was a pity to allow it to go when it could be turned into a first-class road and find employment for the large number of men who would be thrown out of work by the stoppage. He moved that his proposal be a recommendation to the Unemployment Board.

Mr. W. C. Whitlock said there were great possibilities in the suggestion, although it might be a little premature to discuss it, as the Railways Board only made the recommendation and it had yet to receive the sanction of Parliament. He did not think there were any engineering difficulties, even with the tunnels; they could divert the road traffic and come round again. The Mayor of Hastings, Mr. G. F. Roach: There is a lot to be said in favour of the suggestion. Judging by the favourable manner in which the Railways Board's report"was received it is apparent that it will be adopted. The member who made the suggestion said he was looking at it purely in the light of the unemployment question. There were 390 men employed on the railway and if they were thrown out of work they would come into the towns and work would have to be found for them. Mr. C. Lassen; I cannot see any possibility of it being brought into effect. There will be the railway road and the present road, and is the County Council going to have the two roads or are they going to abandon one'! The committee decided to further discuss the matter after it was known what was being done by the Government in regard to the Railways Board's report.