TE ARO STATION

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8108, 10 May 1912, Page 1

TE ARO STATION

PETITION TO BE ISSUED ITS IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT URGED.

At a meeting of persons sympathetic towards the improvement and development of Te Aro railway station held yesterday afternoon under tho auspices of the newly formed Wellington Railway League, it was decided that petitions be circularised in support of the leagues aims. Mr A. Leigh Hunt, the chairman, said that in the past the then Minister of Railways objected to the establishment of a goods shed at Te Aro because there was no space. The difficulty in regard to the dock, however, had altered the ( position. At the present time the line was almost a dead letter, for the trains were generally empty, except on holidays and in the mornings and evenings. A somewhat noisy minority wanted the line pulled up, but apparently there was nothing to fear in that direction, a.s it was included in the plans of the new station. It was desirable that the lino should be developed for the use of future industrial areas that would be useless without a railway. The number of people who had offered assistance in the matter was surprising, and ho believed they were in a great majority. Mr H. N. McLeod urged that every facility should be given to Te Aro to moot the requirements of the largo area lying to the south. Mr J. P. Luke said something must be done if they were to circumvent the desire of those who wanted the railway facilities to be at the other end of the city. Sir F. G. Bolton said they were not asking that the only goods station should be at Te Aro. They were only advocating some reasonable and proper facilities for goods at the- Te Aro end of the town. They hoped the public would join this league and that they would sign the petition in their thousands. This was a question affecting three-quarters of the population of Wellington. Mr B. Dawson said there • were no difficulties in the way of tho Government taking the dock site, as they had power vested in them to take reclaimed land. There was ample room at Te Aro at tho present time to permit of the traffic required. It would be ridiculous to take the line up. They would require extra accommodation if they wanted to provide at Te Aro for all traffic. 'The Hon. J. B. Jenkinson said he was one who advocated the location of the main station at T© Aro. With the dock and corporation yards included they had there about twenty-eight acres of land. To Hike the ‘ corporation yards would mean meeting claims from the city for about .£30,000. A rough estimate of the cost of constructing a subway (double lined) from the railway head offices to Te Aro set down the price as from .£75,000 do £IOO,OOO. They should not be satisfied .vith the improvement of To Aro station—.hey wanted the “whole hog/’ THE PETITION. After further discussion the following petition was agreed upon:— TO THE MINISTER FOR RAILWAYS, WELLINGTON. Sir, —The petition of ns, the •undersigned, being citizens resident in the city of Wellington and its southern and eastern suburbs, showeth:— 1. In view of tho great expansion of industrial and commercial interests and growth of population in Central, South and East Wellington and suburbs, • and of the inevitable extension of the railway at no distant date, an improvement of the Te Aro railway station both in respect of passenger traffic and goods facilities is most urgent.

2. The Te Aro, station is situated near the geographical centre of the city. 3. The development and improvement of the Te Arq station must necessarily remove the present acute disabilities suffered by the majority of the citizens owing to the present main railway stations being situated at the extreme northern end of the city. 4. The suggestion of the Harbour Board’s engineer to provide wharf facilities near the Te Aro station for the Lyttelton and Sydney ferry traffic further justifies the requests contained in this petition. 5. The heavy cogt of carriage of goods to and from the Lambton and Thorndon stations would be greatly reduced by the establishment of a goods shod at Te Aro. ‘ Your petitioners therefore humbly pray—(l) That the mail and other passenger trains may be run to and from the Te Aro station, and (2) that a goods shed may be established at Te Aro station. COMMITTEE SET HP. It was decided that the subscription for members be ss. The following executive was set up:— Hon. J. E. Jenkinson, Messrs J. P. Luke, W. J. Thompson, JEL N. McLeod, T. Ballinger, F. G. Bolton, D. Robertson, V. Townsend, G. Winder, J. Brodie, W. J. Gaudin and A. Leigh Hunt. Matters of procedure in connection with the circulation of the petition-were left in the hands of the executive.