TE ARO STATION

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1436, 10 May 1912, Page 6

TE ARO STATION

GOODS SHED WANTED. MEETING OF BUSINESS MEN. In response, to an invitation by fho Wellington I'aiiway Extension and Improvement League, about 10 business men of "Wellington attended a .meeting at the Tiffin Tea Ivoonis "yesterday afternoon to di'sriW the question of. agitating for facilities for handling good-! traffic at Te Aro Station. Mr. A. Leigh limit-presided, and. in opening (he 'proceedings, outlined what had been done ill the past in regard to this matter, and remarked that the then Minister for Hail ways had objected to the establishment of a goods shed at 'le Aro, as there was no space, but the reclamation of the dock site had disposed of that difficulty. The line at present was practically a dead letter, and the Lanib-toin-To Aro trains were frequently empty, except on holidays, and in tho morning and evenings. A somewhat noisy section had been advocating the pulling up of the line, but they had nothing to apprehend in that respect, for the plans for the new station made it clear that the line would remain. This section cf line should be developed, and its .usefulness extended in the interests of future indusMr. 31. N. M'Leod', (Mayor of Miramar) urged that every facility should bo given to the residents and business people of the lame area to the south. Mr J. I'. Luke endorsed Mr. Hunt s remarks. Evans Bav and the Miramar Peninsula would be the centre of the city's industrial area in tho future, and tho ra'lwny must be retained, or the industries" would go elsewhere. In this connection, the Te Aro Station, as a first step in the development of transit laeilities for those areas, should be improved. He moved that those present should become members of tho league and co-ouerate in the preparation of a petition and the collection of data for presentation to the Minister for Railways. The motion was seconded by Mr. F. G. Bolton. The proposed central station would be a long distance from where three-fourths of tho citv was situated. The Harbour Board had a report from its engineer conveying the suggestion that ft wharf should bo constructed between the Clyde Quay and Taranaki Street wharves, to which mail trains, connecting with the Lyttelton and Sydney boats, would run.

'Mr.' B. Dawson, speaking as a past local traffic manager, said that there was ample room at Te Aro station for a goodsshed and the handling of a large amount of trnffic. If, however, all kinds of traffic were going to be catered for, it would bo necessary to acquire the dock site. It would be a ridiculous proceeding to tako up the Te Aro line. The Hon. J. E. .fenkinson suggested that people might lie ..educated to the idea that Te Aro was the proper site for a central station. The corporation destructor would require to be removed—the site was too valuable—and the area would be. available for railway purposes. In conversation with the City Engineer on that point, Mir. Morton had agreed that it would be practicable to Tenibve tho destructor'to Adelaide Hoad, but. he foresaw a difficulty about the pumping, station at Clyde Ouay. There was no doubt that the railway 'Tine -must eventually g0...t0 Miramar: : •■' '.'. '•'.,.".'■'." .. .' The,''motion-.was. carried, -and the-, following e'xeciitive committee appointed:— •Messrs/if."P.' Lhk'e, \V. J> Thompson,' H. N.-:M7.eod,;A. : Leigh Hunt, F. Cx. Bolton, TV Ea! linger; D. Robertson, F. Townsend, G: Winder, 1 W; 'J. .Qaudin, and J. Brodie, wifli power to'add to the number. The membership' subscription was fixed at 55.. and in that connection it was pointed out that persons signing the petition were not thereby pledged to become members of the league. Tho chairman remarked that the committee might consider the question of seeking the co-operation of the City Council and Citizens' Leaguo in the matter. The petition to bo circulated sets forth :- "(1)/ In view of tho great expansion of industrial and commercial interests and growth of population in Central, South, and East Wellington and suburbs, and of the inevitable extension of the railway at no distant dat.e, an improvement of the Te Aro railway station both in respect of passenger traffic and Mods facilities is must urgent. (2) The Te Aro'.station is situated near the geographical centre of the city. (3) The development and improvement of the Te. Aro station must necessarily remove the present acute disabilities suffered by the majority _ of the citizens owing to the present main railway stations beini situated nt the extreme northern end of the city. (+) The suggestion of the Harbour Board's engineer, to provide special - wharf facilities near the Te Aro station for the Lyttelton and Sydney ferry .traffic, further justifies flic requests contained in this petition. (5) The heavy cost of carriage of goods to and from the Lambton and Thnrndon stations would be greatly reduced bv the establishment of a goods-shed nt Te Aro. "Your petitioners therefore humbly pray (1) that the mail and other passenger trains may be run to and from the Te Aro station, and (2) that n goods-shed may be established at Tc Aro station."