MANAWATU LINE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1561, 3 October 1912, Page 4

MANAWATU LINE.

PROPOSED DEVIATION. A DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT. The proposal (o deviate (lie Wellin»tonMnnawatu lino sn as to iirnitl the lUv\> me nt .lohii>oiivill» was mentioned in i'urlimiiciit yesterday by Mr. \V. |] ]) Hell. M.1 , ., who nski'il the MiniMer for Public Works whether trial surveys hud lieon made of any, and if so which, of the following suggested routes:—(a) Ngahniirnngii to Tnwii J-'lnt; (b) Korokoro to Twwa flat j (c) Belmont to Juilgeford; mill (il) ]lu.v«-ar<r.s to Judgcford; and whetlier lie would cause trial surveys to bo made of such of the. above-named suggested routes* us had not been already surveyed. The Hon. W. Fraser replied: Trial surveys were made in IS7B of alternativo routes between Wellington, and the west coast, one. route being between Upper Hult and Waikanae, another between Haywards and Pahautanui, both of which show they were inferior to tho route ultimately adopted for the constructed line. Any development of railway communication must be looked for by improving grades and alignment of the existing line. Some time ago instructions were issued to the Public Works Denartmeat to investigate the improvement of tlio existing line, but up to the. present no officer has been available. Br. A. K. Newman (Wellington F-us-tt repotted that the .Minister for Public. Works had given such an unsatisfactory reply to the question. He thought another route could be found on the flat by which the climb of 670 fct out, of Wellington could be avoided. It would bo easily possible to lay the rails on the flat' road to Tawa Flat. The Minister had really given an answer that was incomplete and 30 years old. On behalf of Wellington city he protested against the answer given by the Minister, and he would take an early opportunity of bringing the question up and forcing it upon the House. Mr. W. 11. H. Bell (Wellington Suburbs) said he was not entirely satisfied with the reply given to his question. There was such an enormous amount of traffic over the line that it must bo perfectly obvious to everybody that something would have, to Ik done to improve tho route at no very distant date. The extraordinary haulnse over the hill to bo climbed on the way to Johnsonville necessitated tho use of two engines even for small trains, and any Minister for Railways would be very glad to have a comparatively level run between Wvllinston and Palmerston. All the routes he. liad named were possible alternatives of (lie present route. Questions of initial expense might have prompted the Welling-ton-Mnnawatu Enilway Company to choose tho present: line of railway. He thought that tho ICorokoro to Tawa Fiat roule, an absolutely flat road, would reduce the cost of haulage on the line. It would involve, however, the ' construction of one tunnel a mile long. Mr. T. 11. Wilford (Hutt) pleaded the claims of the Akatarawa route. It would save all the i climb, and a great deal of expense of haulage, and it would bo a good route from the point of view of military strategy. Tlio line along tho coast was too open to be destroyed l>y shell fire. When tho lino was first built it was impossible? owing to the lack of communication and the fact that the country was covered with bush to mako a complete survey.