IMPROVED RAILWAY FACILITIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2983, 17 May 1911, Page 10

IMPROVED RAILWAY FACILITIES.

DEPUTATION TO THE HON J. A. MILLAR. A deputation consisting of Messrs' Souter, Cheyne, Aitken, Williams, M'Leod, Scofin (Mosgiel Borough Council), F. Docherty, J. Gow (Taieri County Council), J. Lindsay (Mayor of Green Island), and J. Loudon waited upon the Hon. J. A.-Millar, Minister of Railways, oa the Bth with regard to railway matters connected with the DunedinMosgiel duplication. Mr Loudon introduced the deputation, and mentioned that the subjects on which the deputation wished to speak were with reference to railway arrangements at Mosgiel and Burnside, and also as to the facilities for travelling. Mr Souter said the first point, which admitted of no argument, was that the station at: Mosgiel was in the wrong place, and did not suit a single customer of the Railway Department in Mosgiel. Mosgiel had spent £22,000 odd on improvements, such as water, drainage, and light, and could now offer all the advantages of the city, and all that ".vas wanted was a good train service lo make it a favourite suburb. There was much land suitable for suburban residence, and it anight be well if the Government acquired some of it for workers' homes on the lines of Mr Millar's popular scheme The deputation asked that the station be placed upon the town side of the Main road running through Mosgiel, which .would avoid, possible accident in crossing the Main street. This was a very real danger at the present' time. He thought they were entitled to a good suburban service. There were 60 or TO workers living at Mosgiel whose work lay in Dunedin, and these had to be up at 5 a.m. in winter, and did not get home till 7 p.m. These people had sent in a petition asking that the trains be run to the township. Two hours could be saved to the?e working men if the Hire was carried to there. The Mosgiel Woollen Factory hands, who now had half an hour's walk, would be within three minutes' walk of the factory if the train ran to the township. It might put the terminus beyond tjie 10 mile radius covered by workers' tickets, but the people were quite prepared to pay for the concession. Many other places had obtained new stations in connection with. the duplication scheme, and there seemed no reason why Mosgiel should not be considered.

Mr Cheyne said the station was undoubtedly on the wrong side of the road running through the township, and was practically on the fringe of the borough, whereas, if shifted, it would be almost in the centre, though somewhat at one end of it. He complimented Mr Millar on- the energy and enthusiasm displayed over the duplication work. Mr Docberty referred specially to the danger of having to cress the line to get to the station. The yards for live stock would naturally be on the other side and on the Main road instead of on the township side as at present. Mr Gow emphasised the benefit to be derived from loading stock next the road. Mr Lindsay said what was required at Green Island, was not a very costly affair, and would be of great benefit to 50 per cent, of the, residents. ' At the station at Burnside the train took people living on one side of the line a quarter of a mile out of their way. They had a footpath, and all they required was an overbridge. The same applied l to Green Island Station. The Minister said he had listened with great pleasure to what the deputation had had to say, but the requests about Mosgiel were similar to what he had heard nearly everywhere he went. It was absolutely impossible to do out of revenue one-twentieth of what he was asked for. Until last year the department was constantly blamed for running the railways at a loss, and the opinion was expressed that the general taxpayer should not pay any of the interest on the capital cost of the railways. To show the position he was in he would take his hearers back to the early days of the department. Thirty years ago stations were built which were to-day totally unsuitable and incapable of performing the work given by increased production and population. Now, wherever a station was condemned and a hew one built it had to be done out of revenue. He was trying year by year to get new stations built out of revenue, because the Government was told that as it had no depreciation account the railways were steadily going to the bad. He gave that a straight denial, for to-day the railways were in a better position than ever before, both as regards the permanent way and the station facilities added from time to time. It was only a few years 6ince Mosgiel Station was built, and he could not justify the expenditure of between £4oooand £SOOO w> shifting a good modern station with a good length of excellent platform. As he had written to thfin on i pre;ioua occasion, ho had not the money. and ho was sorry ho could not comply with the request. If the users of the railway* vould ccnfer.i to an increase in farea and

freights be would be prepared to carry out all necessary works. "At present, continued Mr Millar, "if I could get a couple of hundred thousands pounds I could spend it to advantage and make it remunerative. The new stations at Burnside and Green Island have been built as parts of one whole scheme, but I tell you candidly that had the department known that this duplication work was going to cost what it is costing it would have been a few years before the work was undertaken. The original estimate - was £150,000, but now nearly half a million will have to be spent before it is completed. The land compensation claims we have had to pay have been out of all proportion to what anyone could look forward to, considering that this is a great public work. You can quite understand that this is all borrowed money, and we cannot go in for anything except what is absolutely necessary." Mr Millar wemt on to say that a branch or loop line to the centre of Mosgiel township would bring the terminus beyond the 10-mile radius. A rough plan, had been prepared showing how suburban passenger requirements might be met, and he had instructed Mr Macandrew, the district railway engineer, to see what was practicable, and what the cost would be. If this report were favourable he would see whether he could put on one or two trains per day to run to Mosgiel township. There were thousands who would give a great deal to have a railway within 25 miles of them. He was sorry to see that MosgieFs population was not increasing faster. The census showed that it had only increased by 79 in the last five years, which was not even what the natural increase should be. Mr Souter: It will come when we get the double line. Mr Millar: "I don't know. I want a very big increase in traffic to pay the interest on half a million sterling. . Green Island is going ahead fast, and I hope the line further out will lead to advancement in the same way. As Minister of Railways I am always prepared to take a reasonable risk in going ahead of present requirements, but I cannot do so where I do not see a good prospect of a reasonable return within a reasonable time." The Minister went on to say that there was always a bigger commotion on taking away a service which had proved too generous or lavish than if it had never been granted. The Auckland people had been complaining about keeping South Island lines running and granting them facilities although the North Island lines were better paying concerns. It was a poor spirit to see displayed, but he could not unduly increase the lines in the South Island; As to the Green Island crossing, the traffic over it was infinitesimal compared with elsewhere. At Palmerston North, with a population of 10,000, there were two ,railway crossings right in the centre of the square, and 54 trains a day passed through. He would get a report on the footbridge at Green Island, but ho supposed it would cost £3OO or £4OO. The Mosgiel people would have to rest content with the station where it was until he had more urgent works out of hand. Later on it might be considered. Mr Loudon said ho felt satisfied that, notwithstanding the great cost of the duplication, it would pay the department. Mr Souter: There will be a great population out there. Continuing, he said the Mosgiel people wanted a rearrangement of the time-table. They hoped for faster trains, but he supposed it would be better to wait' until. the duplication was completed . The Minister said that was the only course open.