RAILWAY TO EVANS BAY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 674, 26 November 1909, Page 8

RAILWAY TO EVANS BAY.

DEPUTATION JO MIRAMAR COUNCIL. 'PROPOSED TEBiIINTTS OF MAIN TEUNK ■;'.'/' ;■■■■'- '.LINE;'.:. ; -: ■■■■•; ; - ;,-;.;,'!: . The project of A extending the railway system through Mt. Victoria to Evans Bay. and Miramar is not a new one. "It has been persistently advocated by' Mr,; Charles" Crawford, Mayor of. Miramar, who, is strong iii the belief that such a .scheme must be given effect to in the.course of.time. - . . . , . • ■■.'■.:■ • The Miramar Borough Council was waited on by a deputation consisting of Messrs. J. W. Easson, A. C. Blake, Androwariha, W. Taylor, and Purvis last evening, urging the co-operation of the council in'getting the railway system extended to Miramar., .. : •'■•'.'. ■ - Mr. Easson, said-that sooner or'later the railway must be extended to Kilbirnie' and Miramar, and now was the time to make a move, when land could be got at a reasonable ngure. The Government was going to great .expense to reclaim land at the Thorndon end in .connection with the requirements of the Main Trunk.railway, and before the Government went' to very much ' further expense at "Thorndon' its attention' should be called to the possibilities at Evans Bay. Such a movement would have the whole support of the people of South Wellington, which was becoming, very • populous. Their desire was ' that a strong-committee should be set np; , with the co-operation of the" ;sliramar Council, "to urge on , the Government the necessity of Buch'railway: extension being undertaken. To show the necessity of giving better, consideration to that part of the district, he pointed out that material required for the construction of the Miramar Wharf; had,to be. carried all the way from- the. Manawatu; Station. There was ample space at Miramar and Kilbirniefor various industries, notably for freezing and sugar, and there was no better' site than Miramar or. Evans Bay. In view, too, of the; oxtensive works being carried out by the. Harbour .Board ■at Evans' Bay some attention should be given t6 the representatipn of that district on the board. . ..■..■•,■.

Mr.'Blake dwelt on the fact that the trend of the - population in, , Wellington was towards Wellington South, and it was necessary' that the. industrial: area should.be in close proxim,ity to the 'residential atea. '.'.There;, was .deep water and safe .anchorage at:Evans Bay,, and where there were wharves there ttust be-a railway to ■serve; them and. the clistrictv.they tapped. Ho'was of opinion that.Miramar was the natural terminus'for the Main.Trunk railway.: •"•• •'■■,•■ ■-..' ■■ ■. ■■■■.:■■ ■:.■-. - ■ :,. ..•■.■'-

; Councillor Mleod: Have you any estimate of the population that Miramar could carry? ; Mr. Blake: No; but I should think it would carry over .20,000 people. , . .-:■ •:•■'..;.;. : ' .',;,■■. ■ Mr. : Cra\rford interjected that the sands (between Evans and' Lyoll Bay)' and Miramar would carry more like2oo,ooo people,;- V In rsplyto the deputation, the. Mayor. (Mr! C. J. Crawford); stated that the'eouncil had ■never considered the matter, and ho did not ,-luiow what their views wore.;-His-wero, well ]ci!own;\and; had been published in the press; All he coii'd say was that there was more flat land available both -for .industries ■' and residential purposes in the- district than in the whole, of -.',Wellington. He did. not Bay that -Miramar. alone, would, be affected—it : was Evans Bay, or rather all that land on theother side : of Mount Victoria.'- ,The speaker agreed with, ' the' suggestion that the" district isnould have, representation on the board. -He would advise the.setting up of a' commit■tee :to- work •: up' -the - scheme. and;''eiilist the sympathies. -of. Wellirigton cityi .and 'bring down' a- definite . schem.e,'. so ; that' .they, would have' eomething -to work '6n. What (they.-.really: wanted was.'that all .'parties should work;- together; to -bring' into-prominence' the jiinportanoe of these lands for industrial ; p'ur-' .poses. H<>.Avould like/to touchxuponthe point •of Miraniar as-a terminus for'the , Main line,.;and'to,'point :out''.the";large' area that < would be' needed storage .of tricks" and ; workshops, and ; the advantage i'of ■ haVirig-'that ■area in a'position %here riiatbrial; aud-'coods .ebuM.-'ljei landed; as .was'' the-'case ! at' Evan's Bay/-which ori v .-the"'-,oneVside was-Bhallow-and ;!ent. itself, to.'reciaination.. . With;-these tages, vho was convinced tliat' : 'tho : .ljayeh6nld he -the, terjninus of.', the; North ..Island- Trunt■Line. ..-■•,■;, -,- .'.- ; -:.'■;. "■ ... : .-'■ .' ■■.•:.■■;■.■;.;.. •..;•",

;■ Councillor.-H. Jf'Leod exptessed Byrapathy;, withrthe objects of the deputation,,and stated ■ that a seal had been placed on the district by the works that wre ; bei,ng,>'established, there by Conljpany .""ana , : the Gas' Company. extensivel'scnenie; aid'all;'were of irreat.imbodiW'tfere making" ftr-'-'tSo. fiitur«.\ -It ;was; the duty of. Wellington to provide for industries' and ; the-spread of. that; the t ,, r valuable,,,:rea6.on.- i addyced -would' l speedily. resultVin makinij.'-provieion. for: the Je--Bired.,ex] tensipri.'pf'the,railway. ; ; V.;r >■':■■.■,;■ . Connoillor Brodie dwelt on. the trend of thepopiilation,'towards the- district.'." They-could-look fqrwardl to ran: inorease-.of from; S),000 to 60,000 in: th'e population of iiWelifrigtori durinq the'next quarter of a oentnry,.and,if the railway was not extended' it- would mean-.'that , -pro-• gress. would' be hampered. .:•" -\.: .:■■;-'• ; The Mayor' then stated ; .that : '. tn« : >coanciV w.onld go into the;matter and report in■ due course;-the' results of their' delibpratiohs' tothe -deputation. . ■;<■'■■■':■ '■'.■ ; ...' ".';.•■•.;■■• ■ .