Railways dispute delays town plan

Press, 20 April 1979, Page 10

Railways dispute delays town plan

The development of a new commercial and civic centre in Cui verden is being delayed by a continuing row over the lifting of the Waiau branch railway line. When the line was closed in January, 1978, the Amuri County Council hoped to obtain a triangular block of railway land in Culverden for the development.

The centre would provide extra services required by the town, which is expected to expand by as much as half its present size when the Waiau irrigation scheme is completed. In January, 1979, the Minister of Railways (Mr McLachlan) told the council that work on lifting the line should start in the first quarter of this year and that the land would then be disposed of in the usual way through the Lands and Survey Department. But the first, quarter of the year has come and gone ’ and the line still finks the North Canterbury towns with Christchurch. The delay has been caused by a dispute between the National Union of Railwaymen and the Railways Department. The union has put a ban on removing the line to pro-

tect the interests and livelihood of railwaymen in the area, according to the Canterbury secretary of the union (Mr T. P. Foley). “As far as the union is concerned the line will stay,” he says. The union maintains that the line could be profitable. Mr Foley cites the increase in road transport in the Waiau area since the line was closed. The line would, in his view, be an investment in the future should there be a return to railway services. The Hurunui County Council took the same view and made representations to this effect to Mr McLachlan. The conventional way of disposing of the land is a slow process and does not ensure that the council will get the land. If the Railways has no further

use for the land when the rails and sleepers have been disposed of, the land will be transferred to the Lands and Survey Department.

Other Government departments will then be offered the land. If they do not want it. it will then be offered for sale, giving the council its chance.

The Railways is not treating the issue with any urgency, according to a spokesman in Wellington. There are no official talks in progress with the union.

If the Amuri council gets land it would use it to set up a town centre containing all shops, banks, a post office, a community centre, a tavern, motels, stock and station agencies, and service industries.