BIG DEVELOPMENT SCHEME

Chronicle (Levin), 25 May 1946, Page 4

BIG DEVELOPMENT SCHEME

■Press Association

ROAD, RAILWAY AND HOUSING PLAN COMPLETION IN TEN YEARS

Bv 'Telegraph—

WELLINGTON, May 24. A comprehensiye prograqnne of major development worlcs and pfdjecfs for the Wellington regional district for the next ten years, embodying' Government and local body proposals eovering the. territory from Wellington eity to Waikanae on the one coast and to Wairarapa on the other, was outlined by the Minister of Works, Hon. R. Bempie, at a meeting of represeutatives of all local authorities in the Wellington regioiial and adjaeent areas this afternoon. The schedule of works to be undertaken in the scheme is published in a supplemcnt to the Gazette issued tonight. The proposals embraee land develop' ment, improvement of comnmnications by radio, rail alid aeroplane, and harbour and wharf improvements. They also relate to water supply and drainage, honsing, development of new residential areas, the promotion . of social service sehemes and the establish ment of a Government centre in Wellington. Mr. Semple said it was necessarv to deal in a logical mahlier with the probleni of works which had been deferred during the war years by local authorities and private interests, and for the Government to give an indication of its own intentions. He emphasised that the works set out in the programme were in the planning stage only. Among the proposed major works set out as being in view for the next ten years under tlie scheme, were land development: Lake AVairarapa drainage, Hutt River control, Porirua harbour reclamat ion, Evan *s Bav reclamation, and Waiwhetu Btroam improvements. Communications (Highwavs): BetoneMelling highway improvements, Meli-ing-Taita new highway, Taita-iSilver-stream rail and highway, Petone overbridge, Haywards-Pahautanui highway improvements, Pahautanui-Plim merton highway improvements, JolmsonvilleTawa Flat highway improvements, Tawa Flat -Plimmerton highway iai--provements, Bilverstream-Featherston deviation and Rimutaka tunnel, Waika-nae-Paekakariki improvements, NgaioWadestown outlet, East-West arterial conneetion, improved access to southern suburbs, main northern Avaterfront outlet, Thorndon Quay-Northern outlet deviation, North-South tunnel Inqiass for Aro Btreet-Lambton Quay, and Lower Hutt Citv streets and briiiges. Communications (Railways): Wel-lington-Paekakariki rail way duplication and electrification, Waterloo-Kilver-stream duplication and electritication. Rimutaka tunnel, Haywards-Plininierton rail link. Communications (Airwavs): Pongotai aerodrome. Communications (ITarbours) : Harbour and wharf improvements. Utilities: Wellington water supply, Lower Hutt eity waterworks and drainage. Honsing: Hutt Yalley-Trentham and Porirua basin. Residential areas: Ohariu Valley access by tunnel, Makara South access by tunnel. Social Services: Health and recreational reserve in Paekakariki-Haumati area; Te Aro fiat slum clearance, Wellington Civic Centre, and Lower Ilutt Civic buildings. Public Adniinistration: Government Centre. Dealing ivith the Rimutaka tunnel project, Mr. Semple said the object was to eliminate the wornout track over the Rimutakas wliich was a serious bottleneck to railway operations on the "whole of the line. Tnvestigations in regard to t.hec project were fairly far advanced and he thought he would be able within the next month or so. to make a deliuite kstatcment of tlie Government 's intentions regarding the tunnel. An other interesting proposal submitte.d to the Ministry of Works by tlie Railway Department. was a proposed link parallel with ihe Haywards Road, from Hutt Valley 'th rough to join with the Main Trunk railway near Plimmerton. The proposal which' had only recently been bronght forward by tlie Railway Department, was still in the preliininary stage of consideration but the possibility of obtaining a cross-con-nection between the two svstems clear of Wellington and short of Palmerston North, would have nianv advantages if the engineering and economic investigations were satisfaetory. The eommeiicement of the individual works. the Minister said. must depernl on many faetors including: — Firstly, material resources; secondlv, local nocessity; thirdly, eonsiderations of fuli employment and full production to which the Government avhs pledged; fourthly, the finance available and the relation of the individual work to the general eeonomy of the country. "At the present juncture, therefore, the GOA'ernment is not Avilling to state oxactly Avhen any Avork will eommence, lmt a further statement as to which Avill be started and when. Avill be made shortlv, " said KTr. Semple. "All the Avorks in volve considera'ble preparation and iiiA'estigation and the absence o\'ersea.s -of technical staff has proved a serious handicap. but 110 time is lieing lost in translating ihe works from the planning to the programme stage."