A COSTLY WORK.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20094, 25 November 1930, Page 16

A COSTLY WORK.

NEW RAILWAY STATION AT AUCKLAND. OFFICIAL OPENING". \PKSSS ASSOCIATION TELEGSAiI.i AUCKLAND, November 24. Auckland's new railway station was officially opened by the Hon. W. A. Yeiteh, Minister for Railways, this afternoon in the presence of a large gathering of people representative of all shades of politics, as veil as tho business community and railway officials. After a number of speeches the Minister for Railways opened the station building with a gold key, which was presented to him to commemorate the occasion. In the course of his speech Mr Veiteh mentioned that criticism might be levelled against tho location of the station and the relative positions of the building and platforms, but these had been enforced by circumstances which had Lad tho fullest investigation. Incidentally, he mentioned that the cost of the \\ estfield deviation was £790,000 The cost of the complete rearrangement and construction of the Auckland railway (station, with yard and all appurtenances, had been £l,"50.000. Some of the leading items in that sum were C Station buildic.g (including platforms, verandahs, passenger subways, retaining walls and forecourt ... 3(35,000 New engine depot 96,000 Outwards goods shed '22,000 Inwards goods shed 22,000 Signalling, interlocking, and flood lighting 75,000 New yards, approximately ... (300,000

A very substantial offset to the cost of the project was the value of the old station site, whach had been abandoned e Mr Veitch congratulated Auckland on its now station. The work had been done by New Zealanders almost entirely, and with New Zealand material. Other Speakers. The Hon. J. B. Donald, PostmasterGeneral, said he was a proud man, as the station was in his electorate. JHe Hon. A. J. Murdoch, Minister tor Agriculture, said Auckland had a station which would meet its needs for "® next twenty-five years, p* ea< ier of the Opposition, the j 'Hoi J- G. Coates, and the Mayor j Au ckland (Mr G. Baildon) also adlu Se iu le gathering. r J- lavage, M.P., representing r? e Reader of the Labour Party, Mr „ J 1 "-, Holland, said that Auckland •T u I ? ,ore than a railway station, winch might, remain as a monument to what might have been a useful rail"fy. service. Auckland, like other <»i' Dominion, needed a corainated transport system that would ge the best out of all forma of transIf?,*-' P rlva *- e and public. If the new # l* '° n ., wer e to mark the passing of ? ai 'way system, it seemed an exj? ? u ' e way of recording the people's P- for other forms of trans+r. ' res P' J nsibility for legislation i-n<tto.?~ or^ l i. na 'i e r^e transport system ~or ™ , the Minister for Railwavs °, f colleagues. No one else wav= o Hi th ? * on , ly be ""edited with what need *+ ,-° them, there would be no inrr nrvL t * lsc -barge men who were giv--2 good sernce "to-day.