ABOUT A DEVIATION

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 32, 2 November 1920, Page 8

ABOUT A DEVIATION

LEVIN TO GREATFORD PALMERSTON NORTH IN PROTEST The Petitions Committee to which had been referred a petition asking for a deviation of tho Main Trunk railway lino lroui a point near Levin to a point ni>ir Ureatford, yesterday reported to the House as follows: "In' the opinion of the committee- the petition should bo referred to the Government for consideration, and in view of the contemplated alterations/in the railway system, at I'almerstori North the prayer of the petition should reccive early attention." Mr. > W Smith (W'niiuarmo) hoped that the Government would not commit the country to the alterations at Palmereton without first consulting Parliament and letting all parties interested know of its intentions. He supported the report of tho committee. Mr. J. A. Nash (Palmerston) objected to necessary .alterations at Palmerston North being delayed. He said that tho proposals had come from the Railway Department. Very great inconvenience would be.caused in the matter of transhipment, if tho route were ohanged. ' The proposed deviation would involve the -construction of two very lengthy bridges through an- area that was liable to flood. Mr, Nash referred to. the great increase of traffic at Palmerston North and assured tho House that the alterations and- . extensions there wore urgent. The agitation for tho deviation had been proceeding for forty years, and he expected that it would continue .for another forty years. The proposed deviation would'have to pass through much swampy, sandy, and third-class land. The railway staff at Palmerston onghi not to be asked to continue working under the disabilities created ,by their cramped quarters. The deviation would involve the Government in taking over the Sa.ndon tramway which, had been a burden upon tho local body. Mr. E. Newman (Manawatu) said that for . many years it had been recognised that 901110 day the duplication of • the main line would be necessary. Tho deviation from somewhere near Levin to somewhere near Greatford would mean a saving of about. 17 miles and an hour in time between Wellington and Auckland. It would be of benefit to all the ■districts served by the lino anil to tho railway service. The map showed this . clearly. -. There 1 had been reasons why the main line was put through -Palmerstpn.North in the first instance, but now that duplication had become necessary the deviation ought to be made. Experts hail told the committee that no special engineering difficulties would have to bo faced. He understood that the..Minister of Railways and the Minister of Public Works intended to inspect the route during the ieecsa.

A-saving or ; seventeen 'miles on a mam lino was bound to be of gremi value to the travelling public, said Mr. T. 'W. Ehodos (Thames). The evidence placed before the (jommittee had satisfied him that the deviation ought fin be considered.

Mr. W. H. Field' (Otaki) ssvid the com-rni-.Keo hnd merely.recommended t)i«t the petition should receive early considerstion. Palmerston ought 'not to object to that. His own feeling was that the deviation onghit to havq been nmde long ;ago He did not believe that Palmerston North, arid Feildlng would sutler any material reduotion of railway facilities. , Ho agreed that this was not the time il> ask for a costly deviation. But since the Railway Department was actually. contemplating a deviation round Palmerston, the people concerned, wore entitled to point out tihat the other deviation would give very much totter results at not. 111 nciv grcMtTr cost. If tho Government took over the Sandon tramway, it would havo about sixteen miles of formation ready to hand. But. fho local body coiiccr/w>tl was by no means anxious *o part witn the- Eramwuy. 'Din savin? .of haulage if the length of the main Une was reduced by 17 miles wpulfl bo enormous. The flooding on tlio routo of the suggested delation was no woree than Ahe flooding on the routo of the proposed PalinorKton deviation. • Mr. W. A. Veitoh (Wanganui) argued riliat the deviation would delay traflic rather than accelerate it, since it would involvo much moro handling of trucks. Tlio real trouble was between Pae.katairiki and Wellington, where the lino required duplication. The Wellington railway station and yard ought '*> be reconstructed in conjunction with this duplication, ami thou traffic would be facilitated enormously. He was sure that Ahe proposed Levin-Oreatford deviation was not a sound idea One of Urn two / bi(; bridges reqnired.'for this deviation would cost as much as ill the work proposed at l'almerston Norilh. He moved, thatMio report should be roferred back to the committee, in. order that the opponents lof the deviation might, be heard. "No doviatSoils while fertile districts lack railways," was the text of a protest made by Jfr. J. D. fGisboine). Palmerston North would always be an important railway centre, ««id Mr. S. <1 Smith (Taranaki) who. like Jlr. Lysnar, thought that illic need for new works was more urgent than tlio need for deviations. He thought that the peiiuoiiGis in Mils case were adopting something ot a dog-in-the-mnngor attitude by saying that if the needs of Palmerston were to 1)? me 1 , their own request must bo considered too. Tho prayer of the petitioners was supported by Mr. W. S Glenn (Bnngihko), who objected to any heavy expenditure being mado at Palmerston liortli. Tho Hon. X). H. Guthrie (.Oiortn) disapproved of the deviation. The report of the committfco was talked out" by othor members. LAND AGGREGATION Mr. W. T. Jennings (Waitomo) yesterday asked tho Minister _ of Lands about tho prospe'ets of oblaming a return showing the number of cases of aggregation of soldier settlement laud. Ho had naked for such ft return some time previously. Tho Hon. J). 11. Guthrie replied that the matter lind not been overlooked. A return for tho whole Dominion would cost a good deal to prepare, but tho Department. was .considoring the preparation of a return that would five, as far as possible not only tho information asked for by Mr. Jennings, hut information asked for by other members regarding alleged aggregation.