BATTLE OF ROUTES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 641, 19 October 1909, Page 9

BATTLE OF ROUTES.

X^vpSisON* RHMTaaNZIEJCOMEATiyE.',:; '■ :,•'- .■-:■• >Li&i^ipnfe'(ion\ ; whicti"--T»iteS-VonCtho':Priin». ■;:;v':U!ini3^.:and v !the? Slini*ter:'for Publio: Works ; , is;. yMterHayji'toi'.protest: against.: , diversion of;-Iho .;'■'/■}-..' north'lj'ofjiAuckland' railway \: from- thV east to ';'.?,:, ■tho-V^t'-'.Coast..did : -;not^^ ; cnjoy ~an ; .altog>ther S.' ; pleasaht reception from the'Hon.'R. ? ■; : : Mri'';Mandef,. introdiiced'.the, deputation.. •; : %:.. The f first■;^^spijakcr, , '.Mr.'Purdyi'urgeir.that.a ' : ' :t fair^uiry -should ; 6o' heldvihtd, the ; r'pnto to. ?:;..vbe.-followed,,from'Kalwhakaite..tho.-iMaunga- '■'"-. ;c- :It-vwns; urged that, two prevnus ■: /.-vMinisters ,and:all :.tho ;engineers':.had.been m : ? .>.'.fay6nr, ibf.,;the.:^^easterni'-. routei^iand ''diat { good ■'.:'. i'MeaaaS; ;-should. :'.be ; anothor. 'route ; ; i: ; O(rag~'aQpi]tcd. : . ■;'' '-':.;:'-V.".^■■!.'-.•. . ; ...' : ' : ; '■'}'"-■ .v":%'--': ! -Mr;;-Fnrdy made>.istilqa. i without rousing any .;:bpTO3itibh, but Mr; "lullen, who followed him ', ..'^t'tergSir;!'Joseph -Ward rhad: temporarily.. Jolt ;• ■■■ vthe"''rQ6m, ;r was soon.'at;loggerheads ; with Mr. '',: , i-. M'rteririeV, Mr. '. Killon said that if the railway ":? "wentvwest/.Whaniafei.wouldibo, excludedifroni ..'.:': : ita •.'heneTits...- It -to - the. interest ; . ; of the ' ns a'wholo that the''.eastern :route •■■'':'.shi3uldfbe,-taken.' : Some -people-.'might .think; ••?■;'., that other interests.than those'of Dominion; - ; . : .* ,haa^pecn ; -'considercd.' ;..',-:.',-.; '."fx,V.; {■■■'■:'■ '■.•■■■'■.•.'; v"•>!. "Mr.'M'KeinisierAroTyoa reflecting 0n.m0?.. . ;, '.'.:.f.---:.Mt^KiUonV>:Nofy-^;.:-'..,,. : -■ . ;i. /:.>;.;,;_.; -. ■:■- ■,-',' llr,''M'Kenzio'ir ; '. fiu are making insinuations, ''■?, ' ."■'■.Mr;-"iKillon: '1., am makint no ■ insinuation: at • \ :;p all.^but/peoplf '.think;;that other influences : -;v.'JVVwa.vlicen>afe".'irtrk. % -:>'J-r'.'. : .j-- : -.'-' ; v."r. , -;" : ''-.'■','■.' . : - ;, v' : '.;- your innuendoea to ■'J?W'yoOTS«l^^;:wy*i'i:'rs.» , ;.^:;!^ : K:'': , -'-.'v';; ■.'.■■ : .''-'- :5.■-,.'■ ■■'vlawjon Mr^-Killen,,^q»oted'.figurta..to support ■.VV;his;-advocacy. of the eastern route. :'• .-. . ■ :; ■ : • i-, -V-,v.,'-'l?.dbn't- -mind Stelling . you,' ..■Mγ, :.\ MTieniie ";',.':';eaid,'-.''that; ao : per;:cont..;of your.figures :are '-:■. ;■ i. i •■-; '; '< : -v •-'".'' ■■ ' ■ '. ■'■ "^^'Mr.r;K l illeh':;:^hey;;are.ithe-.'figures,;of.: tho i^^GoTernment,rcturns.v. : v ; ;':;; • :.;■;:■; ■ "•-'; .'■ : : :-:'VvMr; l .JlflCenrie.CTon-.included the whole of tho, Vi' : .Ba^bf^lslands'>ilistrict.i:::.v:,r : :V,- ,;:■!,.'■;::. : : ■;;; JtrS?Killen: : .'?No. -.-I ,am, speaking, ,of 'jtho = :".:Whi\iigarei county and-borough,.alone. .■ .The ';■ ■:. "■ figures -he; had:.'used.:-were•' the,... only■: .figures. v,' -ovailable, -andv.-if r they : -.-wore; incorrect it was ■ v : ; :i'notshis'j:fauit<f:o i:~;">-■■ :'■''.'■ '-, "v ; . Mr. James.-Stewart,- engineer, -.was; the next ••;-;; Bpcaker,'' - :Ho ..said -he : .tho.vght: that Jlr,,M'Ken-•-v'-zio/jwas acquaintediwith.a report,he had.givpn :: onj-tilei-lino.' viHe/folt |; snre,that.if.ttho,,Aisr : .::-r:crep'anciJ3''as:.to -lengthsjpf, tnnnels. etc.,,indu ; '':cated? b'ii -the-Minister, were looked \mto they ■'■ .•'•'- would 'i b'e.,cxplained,:,otherwise, he would/- bo - ; :'quiter'piepared.-to:ackhowledgo>hi6..crror, ~lle: :-:: .'had.-gone into:;tho estimates.very-carefully. ' : .v;-;:.,llr:,;Jia'£inzie.nßked whaf: ; length,;of ..bridgiS. ■'■ v/.wns%e'quire'd at,Young's.,Catting,.;,; 1 ,. 5 v'; , ;.;;- : '.: .':'::MrV{Stewart -ipaid W..chain i.:-^ -'■.. ;■' ■■','> : ! • The; iliniste^.replied;'that;cightchains would • -'■■' '■' -hi -sufficient,-with 'a,,piece of.-ari'ombantmont. : ; ; ■■•■; eiperienco; should.: publish .data• as if ■: ho knew all about tlioimatter.-'whoreas he did not know. .- . ; ;'Mr;.'rlHKen?io.-;said;th'at hi) himself had had: : 0f,.,, building :'■ '■■-.'■> bridmej-'and knew .something, about it...,H0 then : ■-.•'- juestioned itt:7 Stewart.>bniowhat sharply'.-rq-■ ■ :- -'lardiu iivaribas-detaila''ofihis.''eetimiitesi■. '. . '■•-■'■ v ■ Mr;;StewaTt;urgcd ;that a'commission. should '■: bo to ;obtain ;roliable,; data! in',regard- - ■-' to :the; '■', '_ : -v\ .'' ,-iV-,-v.-.,'■-,"■- .*. • v.. ihorevyo.'i'tnlSrijircsented:the wcstern.route 1 the •• .bettei.it wonU'Dleaje yow.employers." , V-O;^ that:i^hirdlj(; fair/to' ~.::^me.;';i:.v>,;-; - >-\AV4 ;v ' ! V''':' ; J" ; --v;.-;-'- : '- ; '< '..-'':-..••' ' i-'>-. aekedrif ;Mr. '-'Stewart's report that the western' route would ' ; : cost : i.£ii,m man-. tKan: the\ : :eastnn:; was.:iiet '^■■■■^ :: 'r- : :■'■,.■ :■,■ Mr> Stewart'sold the ■,repertv,was,-not -:-.-"■■ >Vaeed , 'oa:sueasrirerk;-;All-the preliminary esb- "■:-; matiisifor-railwiyicenstruction were.based on' W ; M ; e xaetly'fthf.*eame'ground3. J . , :..:,/:;;'• ;\"-C, ; '■>'-:. :. ; .::-i'y. The Minister me^they,are,not.' Mr, .v:- r :^M^Ce•n«e.stat«l;thit;3^^■,gtβwart t ,.nβt.havlnß : ~:'-;: :liad.the data,;Coal : d net, possibly, sab-,. ■::>:;.etahttate;his ■vv;--.. ; ' ::: vv!'i:i:',-■- •'• ■'■:: :.Mr. : ,Stftwart; : .who.;is'nearly,Bo r X.':.''Baid,hft.had hadiOO years', oxpcrionco o^railway ; .:*:^ ! ;cohjjfCuction: to,,' draw;vuppn.:; .He.. referred . to ';. ,v various-!'disadyan.tag.es,,.of -~the,y western -route,. -'.-:.: which;he.thpugh,t,.shou.ld'b,e, carefully;inquired ..'i-;- 1 into.^ , ;>:-,, r ;■ ■■■■xi;': :■-'.- ;■'■<:■■ ■■■.'=,; .-:.':' Ward,.who.Tind re-entered /:.:.•;tlio'.roo'n ) 'said;th'at. the question of appointiii!;.| ' ■-.- a i'cbmmifsibn ,vfould. require carefar.considerii- '•' aribtheiAdoputatidn was. .■■■: to.'-.waifert'pon jtho' (aovernm.ehtVto, urge, the ''•••■''' 'claims'of,.ttio''iresteirn-"route..The 'portion ef ■ tho ;ii : vline:,.to?|M'Cnrjoll^';^ : .w^,4epided;M,^bnt •-.' '■■'''■■ from ■ there on;,tho.■ settled. ■V.- ,He>thonght that'.%*!' mombers;., of' Parliament ::' :after-'.tha.'s?ssibn; ehowd ■go:'6verr J the,'.route.be % i -\:'yond-VM'Carrell's-':Gap..to'jiidge.bf .'-, v: sentationsVthaf<ha,a '-Mα ' inaclMe r.tho Govern;' -■-■•'ment.^-''-N ! .iVdofinitp decision, had, been "arrival '-•"•'■' at ,by ,'a'h;irprevious'. Mjßistcr:;withj.rcga'Td to ;.the, • ■'- -.■ '"'line :,of would Jje ' .'•'/■'.-doho \ fromrM'Carfoll's";Gap ;6nwards.was.still ; i' ■ ThD GoTfernmenf'.howoTer, woiild' ' ; 't iiot;,alWw,:ttietliri6;to/boi,hijnt'Li)P,for. ; eevera] ■'■ .'•"' : . years-pci.-ding^discussiqns.pnj.theiro-atc-'.1t ,7 '"., .'■"•;■'• necc'ssuy -that ;the"othorrdepntation.Mould pe, ■(';';. heard befo'Te' : any further : 'a?surftnce..-was. given.. , ! ' .; : "'■'■ v.'Th,p;H6h. ! Ji.'''M'Keniie. ; siid-thovGbvprnmeht , :i i',Tr6reonly..'ahxions intprests', i ---'''pf-the 'coii'ntry;'".Ho protested against.th<i'etat^- ; -| ■.■■■•^Vfmentjtb'St"^ '.:• •-.:-' 'ern/.rpute.; Th'ci'.prosoiit .'.engineer.-' had '.never ::. :• ■gonoibve.v-'the Jwesterii^fiiuto;nntil,-hq-did/so'. ''■•.■',■':: with'.-lviiiift: more than, double the, :;; ; ::iVr6aVwWtipf.;the;rsiu(6'thau ; rthero.'ivasleast of, ;! v:-it.; '.Cojuiecti9ns,;by..b,wch' lines, might bo made ii:~i; h^yi^y:^.i::i\:-\iy^;::^y:-£,hW'^'hi■'{■,■" ;; '- : '

:•";-:""i■ MJTCHEIISpN'SiytEWS. : i ::, ■ !■: ■£':," -■: 'i v .' ;,:-;C ! \Tne'/ireuiuerits\for. 4he\ eastern , route.^and.j ' i Offainst'-.-the other are; , -.very.V.,sucoinctly given jr'-'invrir letter 'whiohvithe:;-Horn;' E,',;;Mitohel- ', '- ~soni-iof; : Auckland,"hae".writteh; fq'tluiMinister, -." ■'. ■'■■ '■'■■ forOPubliov.Worke':---'-I• have; a ; ,very Untimatc, .:-:;•' '-'knowledge,"•'-:he-'-states;/;"6f,- the..:whole of' tho r v'6puiibyHhat.--.yfeuld-:be.-'se"ryea''by'eithfir , -route, •if.'V- vnndi'the-.'morer-tho.ught-.that.-,l.fhave .givet) to : ' :*. the ;siibject ; the'imore 'dm" I ■ convinced -that '.he ■: ■-.: ■.. adoption of. tho /eastern '.route'" will much. mow '■ :-:- : :-direptly.i;beyin5.the/'bestHinterosts: of 'the -'.Dpj-:v.-:y^-*minfeh,'?;aßd/'ser.vie--.»;:'liirger:.-aMß:.of:'lahd:.and, : :■".a' greater: number ; of-p«ople ; .than :wenld ,be the Vi" , ;:-;;;'.- caee-'j/wthe'yresterni'route.l-was-iadopted/-:;. -V;.-.;."..■:.-Your,'decision,' ,wliich':-:Ir believe y;as -honestly ■:'■■■; arrived at.Js: quite.vcentrarj.-.to' what .1 :.con- ''-.■■•. .-' 'eider:;to .beithe'rislitvxqurse, inasmuch ns you '/■'-\:' firsfctcrbs3;;JaV.Hdal-:riyei;';(tbe_>:ptamatea),..;a : :^t': miles'.-distant '■■•: ; \ : ' fr6inrtH6;!-pr«scnt:.fail : i;cnd;;yon : ithen. proceed • .. ■: te-jekirt-.tho. western.-".side.^of, the. 1 .Tangihua. Northern Wai-. l-l-t'^roaVyiancthwiiJti^ ■: •, ■ vnavigable?;fori.yessels':drawing .20ft; of:■ water': :'-iV > ;-\"lor!SaV'-d«'tancevof , 'thirty'.;milM7np : .frotn tlie :..:•:.-.Knipara.'.Heads,-.:'und : for,• yeesfle.;:drawinß . 15it." '■-':.'■', ':';"of v water,: for- a-:distanco .■ of nearly 80 miles, ~v -;. :Mo.,mileaV above; where /voiir.. proposed bridEe. ■:..'■' -would', j::The-Nortii9rn. .Wairoa ■) ■ •■' v; r ßKte;is.^well :: knb\vn' ; as bne;pf' tho finest -water* "'■■':■:. ways"' in .the. wdtld, .and !bo. a !:f: ./':most-;r.succe,ssful;icompetitor, of- yoiir railway - > f ;if ;the westfiva'fbuta snould .fo'-i'dojited,'SPvac- ;■;';-. ,'ti(;ally,;,speakingp,tho.greater': portion of. both : :. , : ; .:tho.rHobson'and'th6 Otaiatea: Counties is -woll ■■':."',: Kai-. ■'... .: :.pnra,- arid the•Helen'svillc ; t6 ! 'Auckland,;rail i way. :,v- '::-/(f--'• tWpat bhanoe would your, railway-have ot: ;■' -. ■•'iompetihg:agairist : .tlia sen,and.-sucK.V splendid -'-;-, V.iwaferway. osthe ,North'ern ; :,Wairoa ?'Absolutely : -'.;■". ■^6i^-z^t;:isl:ii^p^&6Ti,\rWc: ! -- { }i\.io\it)saTi ■:,■ ■■■-'. :' : vrgcS',. 1 that should:be"."decided absolutely freo -■-: ■ 'tfi rom l» par ty - 'or ■': Xb, adopt • tho: w.estorn' .; ■ -.-/*outo(.yrduld.ba:to;practicaUy cutoff tho whple .-.-. ■•" :of :■ the aVhangarci.County; .with the, exception '.;. ;; portion j'ofiWaikiekie.lr.t'the .'cnil, ■ ;;,andvajsma)f..portibt| , 'pf. Ma'nsrakciliia.. Nt the .■;..■■.-... ■ 6tfcer;-.;i;. - 8y.,-the^^a(JiJpfi.on".,of:'.tHe,-ea'3terh.route ■-' '.'■.>"'-■ theuposienger.'-trafficr.wpuld.Vgain':' immensely ■■■■'■■■'■-:■ over, thit.:of the./jvestorn' route, as fully.thres- . . t:- , .-' fourths ,:.of;,, thpse-'';"r , e'side'n , f -i'in' tho 'ICaipara' :■:;■ : ;■ vwaters.'iwpuldv.stiU 'find -the. eteamch r and . .'■: '::.-Helensyillb; railway .connection'. tlis most ad- .. - -• vantngeous.:. The.; eastern Tqute;would draw a :■■ : : : portipS'-of V'thosa ; passfngeri ■ who ;.- ■'•■ now'trayel.by.sea-.'the'railway'DeiniT more-eon-:;:i.jvvenient; than travelling-by- eoa -llrV "Mitchel- ■'.--'.:■'-; son. i states:. that • when, Kf.; formtd; his present ;■:., ■;:.:• hid -laree.tracti of Innd that would : :. ■ .■■probab!y; : have benefited:larsely from the' een- ■..-.-. ~.strnchpn.;pf,-iu; r ailway on:the.western route,' ; : - ribiit.'he'wnsidM'o'd. 'only;: the;public interest- in '■ enppprts. the request for a .--.'■.'.•■-■■■. eommfaißn.-H:'^:,r\^^-r i: -: ; ,;.-.'--' : ' '■■'■[- ■■; ...-■' • ■'■'■