RAILWAY DEVIATION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2785, 1 June 1916, Page 6

RAILWAY DEVIATION

EVIDENCE OF OFFICIALS

PROPOSED NEW LINE A

LUXURY

The Commission appointed ta consider the question of diverting the Main Trunk line from Levin to Marton, and the proposals that, the Foxton Wharf should be handed over to the local Harbour .Board, and whether the extension trom Sandon to Grcatford should Ixj granted, resumed the hearing of evidence in jtho Supremo Courthouse yesterday. His Honour the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) presided, supported by Messrs. W. M. itannay and Cyrus Williams. Tho Railway Department was represented by Mt. M. Myers. Mr. C. 11.I 1 . Skerrett, K.C., with Mr. M. F. Luckie, appeared lor the Manawatu, Rangitikei, and Horowhenua County Councils, aud Mr. S. J. Weston, with Mr. M. F. Luckie, tor the Foxton Harbour Board.

Robert West Holmes, Engineer-in-Chief of the Public Works Department, examined by Air. Myers, deposed having a fair knowledge of the Manawatu River. Dredging in tho channel would be of 110 use witnout controlling works in tho river. This would involve great expense. There would be little permanent improvement as tho result ot any work done at tho bar. Controlling works would run into hundreds cf thousands of pounds. He did not think a, dredge costing ,£BSOO iind a revenue of <£1500 to .£2UOU would be of any use without controlling works in the river. In regard to the proposed line from Levin to Marton, he considered it would cost between £IU,OQU and Jfil2,oUo a mile, inclusive. To Mr. Weston: He believed the depth of tho river 1 would remain as it was at present. The silt was carried out to sea, and tho deposits did not increase. The depth of water was not uniform. A certain .depth of water could be secured by means of training walls. The latter method might suit the llanawatu- River. To improvo the channel he would advocate training walls, which would be assisted by\ the tidal scour of tho rival' in improving the depth. Ha doubted whether a dredge would bo able to deal effectively with the problem, It would not lw an economical method in the absence of training walls.

Herbert Buxton, Chief Traffic Manager, N.Z. Railways, said that the proposal to extend tho Sanson 'tramway to Marton was not justifiable. It would mean considerable expenditure in making junctions, <ind would involve two handlings at each junction, and a diversion of the revenue to another channel, without any material gain to the country. Thero was no need for tho proposed extension. He had been over the Sanson tramway. It was not one suitable for carrying tho heavier trucks used on the Government railways.

To Mr. Skerrett: There was considerable traffic through Marton from north and south.

Mr. Skerrett put in a return showing that the truck hire for the year 1015-16 on the Sanson tramway amounted to .£578.

Richard William M'Villy, AssistantGeneral Manager, New Zealand Railways, said that the Foxton Wharf was completed ill 1873, and the Foxton Harbour Board was constructed in 187 G. In 1877 tho chairman of the board wrote to the Minister of Customs requesting that tho control of the wharf occupied by the Railway Department be vested in tho board.' This request was declined, on tho ground that the Government had not delegated powers to the Marine Department to give effect to. it. The Railway Department charged 2s. per ton for wharfage, and nothing for haulage. If tho Department lost the wharf tho Is. 6d. usually charged for haulage would be imposed. After paying for upkeep, tho profit from the wharf amounted to some -C9OO a year. To the'chairman: The same charge could not be made at Foxton as was made at Wanganui, owing to the lack of facilities.

His Honour said that on the face of it. the difference between the charges on tho Foxton and Wanganui wharves did not appear to bo fair. Tho Foxton or P.Vmerston importer of goods by sea had to pay 2s. wharfage, the wholo of whieli went to the Railway Department, which did not spend a penny in improving the harbour. At Wanganui tho position was different. There the importer paid 3s. a ton for goods imported by sea. Of this amount 2s. 2d. went to the Harbour' Board, thereby assisting tho rates, and KM. went to tho Railway Department aa a haulage charge. „■ Continuing, witness said that in. tho South Island the railway was competing .successfully - with the •searborne traffic. JUlis was the case, especially at Oamuru Mr; Weston: The railway, practically killed Oamuru.

Mr. Myers: Oh, I won't say that. The chairman remarked that as the depth of a ship beoame greater it might bo necessary in future to open up one ot the West Coast sounds as a harbour in order to get the required depth o} water.

Further examined by Mr. Myers witnessstxi<l that if the Railway Department handed over control of the Foxton \\ hart to the Harbour Board, he would except 'an agitation of tho same kind to arise at Nelson. Sinco acquiring tho Manawatu Railway the Department found it conveniont to load coal trucks at Weilington for th<} supply 0 f depots ou the main line, rather than loading at I'oxton. lhe larger propor-tion-oi iml used came from New-castle. Jle could not recall any case of shinnerc refusing to go to Foxton on account of the State ,of the river. If ,the proposed railway were built, he estimated the total loss in interest and cost of "workini; tn .be J270,0(1Q at lowest. Against' this, no increase?! traffic could be cxpected, and ir JmXT thcre would b6 a oj &70,0 M a yon*. Mr. Skerrett: And that means the Railm " ever to sllorten

Mr. Myers: That does not follow. Witness, proceeding, said that so /aids the working of the traffic was concerned, the proposed deviation from Levin to Marton was absolutely unnecessary When certain works on the lino now going on were concluded, it would carry all 'the traffic for many years to come, there was absolutely no justification for the construction of a line that would cost anything up to half a million. It was not a.payable proposition having a number of disjointed lines. Ivccessarv worfcq on the line had been hung up for lack of funds. He looked upon the proposed new line as a luxury which could bo held over for half a century (Laughter.) The proposed deviation would 1)0 a loop line, and he objected on principle to such a line being operated by anyone except the State. In regard to the running of the train from Sandon' to Greatford, 'the Railway Department had informed the county councils 'that it had no objection to the extension of the line, but objected to the proposed junction with the main line. The Department should retain its own business, and not give facilities to a competitor to divert tho business it already had got. The Sanson tramway 'did not adopt tho Government classification in regard to ben-, zine and other products. If another boat wore added to tho steamer servico it would decrease the traffic on the Tailway, as goods carried by sea would go via tho Sanson tramway. Tho stationmasters at Feilding and Bulls had advised him that motor-lorries were rcgu. larly used on tho road between Grcatford and Folding.

To Mr. Weston: The Railway Department had no desire to sell tlie Foxton wharf. He should consider the wharf worth more than £28,000. Ho could not sny what the Railway Department derived from the flax trade. The Departmenthad 'the right to charge threepence wharfage on tlax. ' The Commission adjourned until 10 o'clock this morning.