RAILWAY FACILITIES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8474, 8 July 1913, Page 11

RAILWAY FACILITIES

IE ARO LINE ELECTORS’ PLEA FOR IMPROVEMENT. Proposals for the extension of To Aro railwr.y and for the provision of a terry wharf at Te Aro were debated at the meeting of the Greater Wellington Municipal Electors’ Association last night. Mr H. G. Hill, vice-president of the association, was in the chair. THE AFFIRMATIVE VIEW 7 . Mr A. Leigh Hunt submitted thH -he benefits prov.ded sliouid be for the greatest number of people. Transport mduties should be near the lenlre of Le city, wh.ch was nut at the Government Buildings, but was somewhere near the Basin Reserve. In the northern portio. of the city there were otlo.; houses ana the land was all fully built on, while at the southern end there were I_,OCO houses and plenty of room for development. In Miramar alone it had been said that there was room for a population of 20,000 people. It was intolerable that all inward goods should he handled at the further end of the city. There were three railway stations belonging to the State, and there was no means of interchange of parcels. Cartage Was a heavy expense, and loomed large in the cost of commodities. If the railway was not run to Te Arc the congestion on Jervois quay would be very great indeed,, although it had been stated otherwise, i’en years to come hundreds of waggons would be running along Jervois quay. Wellington was not alone in respect to the running of trams through the streets. As the traffic increased the railway would have to go overhead or underneath the ground. Twenty years ago the Premier of the day promised a goods-shed and a timber siding at Te Aro, and if these facilities were provided there would be a saving to meroharts in conveyance and the cost of goo as would be less to the consumer. Another greater saving would be the relief of the street traffic, and consequently a much lessened cost of the upkeep of the city' streets. The marshalling of trains in the Thorndon yard, for Te Aro, would be done away with if the Te Aro railway station was given more facilities for handling goods. Hq combated the statement made by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce that Te Aro railway would always be a great loss financially. Mr Hefries, Minister of Railways, said when a deputation waited upon him: “ Sou have a good case. What you require is a large goods-shed, not a small one.” Such a statement, said the speaker, proved that the necessity, of facilities at Te Are was recognised. If facilities were given passengers at Te Arp railway station the trains would be well patronised. On race days trains were only advertised as running from Thorndon. Khandallah, Porirua, and residents on the Manawatu line strongly advocated the running of trains to Lambton station, showing that they, were desirous of being detrained nearer the heart ot the city. Mr Marchbauks advocated that a wharf should be built at Te Arp to accommodate the Sydney and southern ferry steamers. This statement the Harbour Board* had been Hying'to disprove ever since. Mr Hunt suggested that twenty acres of land should be re-: claimed at Clyde quay for a railway yard. This would give ample room. It was not intended that the Harbour Board should reclaim land and hold it for more or less speculative purposes. 'The aspect should be always considered from a" town-planning point of view. The land was available; it was a unique opportunity, and should be ‘ availed of. (Applause.) THE OTHER SIDE. Mr O. D. Mazengarb. who took the negative, contended that Mr Hunt was * wrong when he said the Te Are railway station was going to be the centre of the city. It might be the residential centre, but the business centre was wiiere the great industries and business houses were situated. The reclaimed land brought nothing to the Harbour Board at present, but in years the land would bring ten per cent, to the board on the outlay, unless the land was taken for a railway. The Harbour Board must' have outside revenue to work the harbour', otherwise dues must; be increased, which meant that • the commercial interest would be driven to other centres. The Te Aro railway was not in the best interests of the Railway Department. Passenger trains, to Te A'ro have had to bo discontinued for want of support. The true terminal point of the railway system was av Thorndon or Lambton. The train running to To Aro did not go empty, for certainly there was the engine-driver and the fireman and the guard. A voice: What about the dogP Mr Mazengarb urged that the Minister was not an impartial judge, he was partial, and considered the electors of the district. There were only a few fruit merchants to serve at Tis Aro, most of the goods going to the big merchants in the city. A voice: What about the population? Mr luazengarb said that a goodsshed at To Are would require two staffs, which waa not in the Best interests of the community. ■ A voice: Have it at Kaiwarra■

Mr Mazengarb: Kaiwarra would tie better than Te Are. (Laughter.) Ha added that iu the interests of the residents the railways should be kept as far as possible from the residential area, which was Te Aro. On this ground Mr Hunt’s arguments in . regard to town planning did not hola. The bringing of .the trains to Te Aro was against the interests of the tramways. Freight tram-cars would serve the purpose as well as trains, and would be less dangerous to life as would be great lumbering trains. The railway passenger came from the north, and the north only, and why in the name of goodness should he be taken right to the other end of the city to embark on the passenger steamers, as suggested by Mr Hunt ? Why ask the Harbour Board and Railway Department to at once combine and spend £IO,OOO to foster the confiscation policy of .the Government? It was not in the best interests of the community and the country if this doubtful suburban experiment were carried out. (Applause.) A CENTRAL STATION. Mr H. H. Cornish advocated a cen

tral railway station for the city, ant suggested .the transportation of» good: by light motor lorries. Railways ii residential districts tended to depre eiate the value of land in the district Experts had said that the running oi trains into residential areas was no: in'the best interests-of the resident of such areas. The reclaiming of land at Clyde quay for railway purposes would ultimately depreciate Oriental

Bay, which was one of the city’s best scenic reserves. (’Applause.) Mr P. A. Townsend, in reply to the last two speakers, said that in a few years’ time they would be able to argue the question to better advantage. As a resident of forty years he maintained that Te Aro was the centre of the city.

A. voice: And Miramar. Mr Townsend: Yes! and also Miramar. (Laughter.) It had been stated that the Harbour Board did not receive much from its endowments, bui if greater railway . facilities were provided at To Aro the board would receive much more from its endowments.

Mr J. D. Sievwright said Mr Hunt had put forward a very good argument for the Te Aro Railway League, and if the league came forward and subscribed the £SOOO to enable the trains to be continued to Te Aro they would be doing a good thing and would be showing they were earnest in their advocacy of the Te Aro railway. Personally he was not in favour of running trains to Xe Aro, although bo was a resident of the district. Mr F. G. Bolton supported Mr Hunt’s argument. He stated that the trains were not patronised at Te Arc because they were run at irregular intervals and persons seldom knew when they started. Mr George Winder said that there were 45,000 people in Te Aro, and they ought to .be considered. Those who had spoken against the railway were not residents of Te Aro. Houses could be built at Te Aro from £4O to £SO less if there was a timber s'ding at Te Aro. The delay at Thorndon was a" causa why the Te Aro railway had not been a success. Messrs Mazengarb and Hunt having briefly replied, a vote of thanks to the chair concluded the meeting.