TE ARO RAILWAY SCHEME.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1553, 24 September 1912, Page 2

TE ARO RAILWAY SCHEME.

4 LEAGUE'S REPLY TO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. LETTEIi TO THE MINISTER FOR RAILWAYS. The Te Aro Railway Improvement and Extension League has addressed the following letter to tho Minister for Railways:— "Sir,—Wc deem it advisable to refute Statements contained in a letter dated August 13 lasr, forwarded to you by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. In its opening paragraph the Chamber of Commerce claims to "represent the bulk of the business community of the city of Wellington.' This statement is so far removed from accuracy as to warrant us in pointing out to you;— "(1) The chamber is seriously divided on the Te Aro railway scheme, as was shown by the voting at a special meeting called for the purpose of, considering the question. "(2) The annual report of the chamber presented lo members bv the lost council of that body 'on' .March «i, 1912, strongly recommended tho erection of a goods-shed at Te Aro, and this report was adopted unanimously by the last annual meeting. "In view of these facts, we think yent will at once see that the chamber's claim to speak on behalf of the business community of the city cannot be taken si-ri-ously. It is quite.true that past councils of the chamber have made repeated requests to successive Governments to remove this line of railway, and have on each occasion met with, a definite refusal. ' .

"You, yourself, Sir, have rightly stated your intention to retain this railway, and as it is generally admitted that a loss is being made on this sectiou on account of tho'fact that it is running at. but a fraction of its carrying capacity, then the only alternative fc to afford such facilities as will induce sufficient traffic to make it profitable. On this point, we think the recent deputation to you made out a clear case with reference to the probable traffic, provided extra trains are run and a goods-shed established, and the estimates then laid before you havo not. in any way.been questioned either by the Chamber of Commerce or any other body. ,

"the chamber lays stress on the fact that in the Public Works Statement of 1893 the estimated cost of u goods-shed was .£BOOO. A perusal of the statement referred to will clearly show that by far the greater part of this sum was for reclamation purposes, and the whole scheme was of an elaborato nature. Neither of these proposals is contained in the requests of tho League lately placed before you. "The difficulties raised by the Chamber of Commerce in connection with the working of goods traffic on this section can only have originated in" the minds of those unacquainted with railway management. Your Departmental officers can readily show that the goods-trains would arrive at both Thomdon and Larubton Stations with Te Aro goods wagons nearest the passenger cars, and in such order as to minimise shunting at their destination, thus obviating tho 'sorting out' and Melavs' at tho main city stations, as iudicated'by the Chamber of Commerce. The additional revenue arising from the extra U miles to Te Aro would, it must ho fairly assumed, si or the present loss and make this as profitable as any other section. .

"There is one feature in .connection with the league's requests for a goods shed at Te Aro I hat has not been previously mentioned, but is nevertheless worth'v of your consideration. The fact that the then Government promised definitely that a goods-shed would form part of the railway facilities at 1c Aro (and even went so for as to place a sum for that purpose on the Estimates) induced manv merchants and others to take up the"Hnrbour Board leases in that locality and erect expensive warehouses thereon. ■ We respectfully submit that, the failure of the Department to carry out this promise amounts to a breach o, faith with those who in' many cares would not otherwise, have settled in that locality. . . ■ ; ' "The Chamber compares the present insignificant passenger, traffic on this line with a statement that the. improvement of facilities at Te Aro would benefit 50,000 people. Tho league estimates that 35,000 pcoplo would directly benefit by tho proper working of both goods ami passenger traffic, and this is supported by tho petition recently presented to you benring 7500 signatures, the majority of whom are householders. It should be patent to all that the present, inadequate facilities discourage traffic in every way and that present returns can only be taken as a guide lo this view of the question. The Chamber makes a strong point of tho fact that some ten years ago a proposed plan of the development of the citv was entered upon with regard to the future works of the railway municipal and harbour authorities. In the first place we would point out that during the period that has elapsed the development of tho city southwards lias been such as could not have been anticipated then, and secondly that the proposals of the league aro auxiliary to and not in substitution of any of such linos of action then outlined and do not in anv way interfere with the past or future work of these bodies. I "Congestion on tho streets on the waterfront is an argument raised by the Chamber against the Te Aro line. We would respectfully request you, sir, to endeavour lo imagine the slate of congestion that, must inevitably arise, say in ten years," time on those very streets by vehicular traffic to and from the Northern Railway terminus, if not relieved bv the establishment of a goods-shed at To Aro. Tho seriousness of this aspect will, we are confident bo appreciated by you. "In conclusion we would point out that Te Aro Railway affords the only feasible means of running tho mail (rains alongside the ferry steamers (a direct connection which must bo provided for in the very near future) in' support of which wc would refer you to the last annual report of the Wellington Harbour Board's engineer who susgests the buildinc of n special wharf for this purpose adjacent to-the To Aro railway station. We feel confident that tho league's requests will receive full consideration at your hands and that the pressing needs of the ercat majority of Wellington's citizens will be taken as of greater importance than the expressions of an exclusive body which is largely divided amongst itself as has been amply provided."