THE NEW RAILWAY STATION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 309, 23 September 1920, Page 5

THE NEW RAILWAY STATION

DELAY IN CONSTRUCTION THE HARBOUR BOARD'S POSITION MINISTERIAL STATEMENT REFUTED The delay in tho commencement of tho construction' of Wellington's long-pro- \ tuised new railway station was discussed at last night's meeting of tho Harbour Board. Sir. J. G. Cobbe drew attention to a. recent Ministerial statement to the effeot that the delay in prosecuting the work wa9 duo to the inactivity of the Harbour Board in the matter of reclamation. As a matter of fact, added Mr. Cobbe, he understood that the blame in the matter lay entirely with the Railway Department. - * The chairman (Mr. J. G. Harkness) stated that far from placing any obstacle in the way of the Railway Department, the board had endeavoured in everv way to assist it and tho Govern- . menc in prosecuting the work. Continuing, he pointed out that tho whole of the area vested in the ' board adjoining Waterloo Quay had been reclaimed, and there were no other lands which .they owned in the locality that could be reclaimed. AH of the area lying between the Thorndon Esplanade and a continuation of the line of the Waterloo Quay face wall to south of Kaiwarra—and comprising over 60 acres—was vested in the 'Railway Department. Tho board had no riglits over it. The Department's original plan of the Thorndon goods yard "only required that a portion of tho area vested in them—being a strip about chains wide and parallel to the Thorndon Esplanade—should be reclaimed. The hoard had always urged that the whole area should be reclaimed, and that portion of it, sufficient for its requirements, should be vested in the board. Prepared to Assist In Every Way. The Railway Department, he continued, re-designed its goods yard and submitted a plan showing that the land available for the board's use was a strip 150 feet wide. The General Manager of Railways waa last year informed by letter that it was desired to obtain a width of at least 200 feet, to provide more particularly • for a coal-handling depot, and was asked that the matter be further considered with a view, if possible,.of meeting the board's requirements. So far, said the' chairman, the beard had not been advised as, to the Department's intention. With regard to the construction of the sea wall and the reclamation •of the area behind it, the board was prepared to assist in every way possible in carrying out those works, but so far had not been asked to do so. On work of that magnitude, even if material were available, it was obvious that several years must elapse before the land was ready for use. ■ Mr. C. H. Chapman: Tho Department Is going slow. .. Mr. Cobbe: It is not going at all. The chairman further explained that the board' 3. hands were tied until the I)epartment itself moved. The board had the necessary plant for pushing the reclamation work ahead, and the Government had not. As a matter of fact, if part of the wall had only been erected by the Department, the board \rould have used its dredge profitably in reclamation work for the site of the new station. Instead of. that, however, the dredge had been lying idle. The subject was not further pursued.