HUTT PARK RAILWAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 6870, 14 July 1909, Page 5

HUTT PARK RAILWAY

DEPUTATION TO THE MINISTER OF RAILWAYS. GOVERNMENT ACQUISITION URGED MINISTER'S CANDID REFUSAL. A deputation consisting of T. M. Wilford, M.P. for the Hutt, J. W, McEwan, Mayor of Petone, E. P. Bunny, Mayor of Lower Hutt, Robert Stevens and W. C. Cuff, chairman and secretary respectively of the Hutt River Board, M. W. Welch, chairman of the Hutt County Council, and Mr D. Nathan, representing certain property holders, waited upon the Minister of Railways, the Hon. J. A. Millar, yesterday, to urge the Government to acquire the Hutt Rank railway. The Minister declined to ivavo anything at all to do with the project, but promised tho deputation that lie would support a proposal for tho municipalities concerned to take over tho property and make a tram line of it. THE ADVANTAGES. Mr Wilford, who introduced the deputation, said their object was, shortly, to ehow tho Government, from a financial point of view, tho advantage of acquiring tho Hutt Park railway- In order to do this ho would place before the Minister the position in regard to the Hutt Park Railway and Company and the Gear Meat Preserving Company. The latter’s position was defined under a deed dated July 22nd, 18SIL Mr Millar; 1 have the details. Mr Wilford said that under clause 8 of the deed the Gear Company x>aid to the Hutt Park Railway Company on extv cation of the deed .£2500 in cash as the money for the rights and privileges conferred by tho deed. Claus© 16 of the agreement—which ho read—also mentioned the <£2500, and ho considered that if the Government purchased the line it would, according to his reading of tho clause, be in a position to say to the Goar Company, “Wo have noticing to do with you. The .Railway Company will pay you the money you are entitled, to/' He hod waited upon tho Railway Com-, pany, and, he could assure the Minister the company was prepared, to sell its interest in “the whole show" for *£looo, it being understood that the Government would have to arrange withi the Gear Company as to the payment of the balance of tho .£2500. Some time ago he

haA informed the Minister that the whole concern could bo bought for .£4OOO, but that was a little over the mark. The Government could obtain possession for a little over .£3OOO. The first reason why the Government should acquire the line was that the Minister had always preached that all railways should be owned by the State. In the second place a service along the line would open up and bring into line with the city Government property purchased in Petone, which was at present unremunerative. The Wilford settlement, roughly speaking, contained ninety acres of fiikt-class land. This block was almost at the end of the company's line, and the Government acquisition of the railway would ensure the land being served. The Heretaunga eettlement would also be brought into uso if a service was instituted. The distance from the Petone railway station to the places mentioned was considerable. The eastern side of the Hutt river would also bo served by the line. A RAILWAY BRIDGE. The construction of a railway bridge over the river would bring into close touch with Wellington a piece of land owned by the Government which a proposed co-operative farmers' freezing company considered an ideal site for the erection and carrying on of works. He pointed out the advantages of having such works close to the centres of population. Experience hod shown that freezing works in small places euoh as Waipukurau. and Woodville were not successful. The extension of the line over tho river would open up the whole district around Bay's Bay, Lowry Bay, Eastbourne, Wamui-o-mata and other places. All this could be done ‘for the expenditure of .£3OOO odd. Revenue would be derived from freight and passenger traffic and the Hutt Park—an ideal recreation ground—would further help to fitfell the revenue. The interest on the outlay of ,£3500 would- be very, small. Then there were the proposals of the Hutt River Board in regard to certain improvements to the mouth of the river. Messrs Laing-Meason. and Marohant had drawn up a scheme, ■ which he assured the Minister was not “visionary." The W ellington Harbour Board proposed week to receive a deputation from the Hutt River Board on the question, in order that some concerted action for carrying out the suggestions could be discussed. He pointed out the advantages of having a Government line running in the vicinity. A HEARTY ENDORSEMENT.

Mr W. McEwan eaid the Petone Borough Counojl for a number of years had interested itself in regard to the taking over of the Hutt Park railway. The council would heartily endorse anything that was done in the way 'of Government acquisition. The council was in full sympathy with the Elver Board’s scheme at the mouth of the river, and also with the proposed freezing company s project. t Mr Stevens emphasised the necessity of the acquisition from the River Board's point of view. He pointed out that the board had 110 acres of land, which was suitable for the carrying on of industries such as freezing. The land was now only used for grazing. Already the board had bad applications for considerable portions of the land, bnt the establishment of works depended entirely upon railway access.

Mr Cuff presented a report made by Mr Laing-Meason ou the cost of putting the line into working order. The Minister said ho would be pleased to have the report, but he had his own engineers' reports and would not think of adopting Mr Laing-Meason’s. MOST IMPORTANT.

Mr Bunny considered the acquisition ■of the railway by the Government a most important matter. The Hurt Borough Council had a very large area which would be served by the line, as well as the Petone Borough. Gear Island would be an ideal place for the establishment of small industries provided there was railway communication. Mr D. Nathan said the land-owners in the district saw the necessity of haring a railway bridge over the river in order that manufacturers could get cheap land for industries. "Wellington was at a great disadvantage compared with Christchurch and Dunedin, land being so dear hero that manufacturers would not start. The land-owners were prepared to support the Government’s acquisition of the line, even if it come to a question of subscription to defray part of the cost. THE MINISTER’S REPLY A CANDID EXPRESSION. l'he Hon. Mr Millar said the railway question was not a now subjet. He did not know why the previous Minister of Railways objected to the Petone Borough Council acquiring the line. He would toll them candidly that tho Hutt Park line was a tramway and not a railway, and should be owned by the municipalities concerned. Tho Railway Department had no power to purchase lines out of railway funds. Tho money would have to bo taken out of tho Public Works Ruud. It was quite true tho Government owned a considerable area of land in the district, hut the experience of building workers’ homos at I’ctono was.

not satisfactory. Fiona the reports received he was not inclined to put up anj more houses in the district at the prosent time. He did not know what the Government would do witli its land, but lie would like to see it made reproductive, by, for instance, leasing it out in four or five-acre blocks. WHAT WOULD BE DEMANDED. If tho Government decided to take <pei cho line there would be an immediate demand for a bridge across the Hutt rivor, and for the lino to be carried approximately to Day's Bay or Lowry Bay. This was tho railway point ot view at present. He would not say what tho future would be. There was nothing to justify the expenditure of seven or eight thousand pounds. It might be that industries would be started, and things might be sufficiently advanced in the future to justify Government acquisition. At tho present time it took tho Government all its time to find sufficient money to carry on railway works AUoady authorised, so that settlers could ■t access to their land and bring their -products to market. It was admitted that there was a fairly good train service to Petone, and he hoped to be able to improve it. He was going fully into the question of a motor service. If the local bodies took ux> the question of a motor service and purchased two or three cars to run on tho Hutt Park line, at the cost of abo»vt <£2ooo each, they could eonomically institute a five-minutes'tram service, stopping at overy street along the present line. Even if he was inclined to view the matter favourably, the Government would not do anything until the Gear Company's claim under the deed with tho railway company was extinguished. If tho Government purchased for .£IOOO it might afterwards find the Gear Company still demanding the running rights over the line. # The Government would allow no such rights, all of which must belong to the Government alone.

THE TRACK RELAID. His officers had reported that the track would have to be relaid to bring it up to the standard of other Government lines. It was no use him telling the deputation that the Government might do a thing which he knew it would not. I.is colleagues were unanimous that the time was not opportune even for the discussion of Government acquisition. Even if the question of the Gear Company's running rights was wiped right out, h© would not entertain th© proposal of purchase j ust now. Some .£SOOO would have to be expended over and above the purchase money before the line was equipped satisfactorily. Personally speaking, if the local bodies liked to move in the matter of ho ■would favourably consider the project and support it: It should be run by the local authorities as a tramway. Mr Nathan; The agreement prevents that. Mr Millar : You will have to wipe out the agreement. ft was pointed out that the Government was the only body that could purchase the undertaking. If this were done the local bodies could take over the line subsequently. WOULD SUPPORT A SCHEME. Mr Millar said if a scheme was brought down and the local authorities would repurchase from the Government, something might be done. Mr Wilford said th© thing might cause trouble. Mr. McEwan said the Tramway Board might do something in the matter. He asked whether the Minister would grant the board facilities to acquire tho Hutt Park railway works. Mr Millar: You cannot expect me to pledge my colleagues offhand. In regard to the River Board’s scheme, if it came about that ships were brought up th© river th© department might find it necessary to take over' the line. t That was a question for th© future. Th© deputation thanked Mr Millar for his straightforward reply.