RAILWAY DEVIATION

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160737, 25 August 1920, Page 7

RAILWAY DEVIATION

LEYIN-GREATFORD PROPOSAL. NOT FAVOURED BY COUNCIL. Whether the Council should support or not support tbe proposal to have a loop railway hue from Marion to Levin, to shorten the distance between Wellington and Auckland, was debated at the meeting of the Borough Council lasi night , and a proposal to support it was defeated by a narrow margin. Tin Bulls Town Board forwarded a copy of a petition to parliament in favour of the proposal for signature by the Council, When this came before the Council last night the Mayor moved that the petition should be received. He said that railway lines were run to serve the people, and he considered that tho proposed line would not run through payable country. Such towns as Feilding Palmerston, and Shannon would be off the route, and these would haw to be served by a railway. He did not think it would be advisable to spend a large sum of money on such a proposal at present. Cr. Spiiggens moved art amendment supporting the proposal. He considered that the Council should do a good turn I to its neighbours, lb might want assistance if it over advocated the Wangaehu i deviation. Cr. Burnett supported the motion. said that tho proposed line would run through fertile country, which would bo opened up to the benefit of Wanganui. The line would not be expensive to constructor. Lxixford also supported the proposed line. The towns mentioned would not be cut off from railway communication Cr Liffiton supported the amendment. He did not think that the Government, if th-a proposed line were constructed, would tear up the existing line. The Mayor said that when the Government required as much money as possible lor extending roads and railways in the back blocks it was not advisable to promote the construction of the line ,at present. It might come in the future, but the time was not yet. The Wauga-ehu deviation would not traverse, if it were constructed, through a populated country, and no large centre would he deprived of railway communication. The amendment was lost by five to six, and the motion was carried.