RAILWAY DEVIATION

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 169, 13 April 1921, Page 3

RAILWAY DEVIATION

PALMERSTON NORTH PROPOSALS

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DISCUSSION

Some confusion appeared to exist in the minds of members of the Council of the Central Chamber of Commerc« yesterday in respect to the various proposals for railway deviations at Palmerston North.

The chairman (Mt. A. L. Hunt) introduced the matter by asking members to confirm a resolution passed in 1914 by a conference, of local bodies and chambers of commerce, favouring the proposed deviation between Levin and Marton. Mr. Hunt incidentally mentioned the proposal to construct a new station and yards altogether at Palmerston North. He stated that the deviation mentioned would save some sixteen miles, which wns very important in a main trunk line. It seemed to him that it was a matter of local (Palmerston North) interests, as sguinst the larger interests of the North Island. It. was a matter that should be looked at from a national point of view.

Mr. L. A. Edwards said he would second the motion (to reaffirm the resolution) pro forma, in order to say that he was diametrically opposed to it. He had been given a definite statement that the amount proposed to be spent on a new station at Palmerston North was iniquitous and unnecessary, and that the proposed deviation would never pay interest on the money expended. He wae not at liberty to disclose the authority on whose statement he had based hM opinion. Air. H. Hart pointed out that there were two deviations proposed —one from Levin to Marton or Grentford, and another that would just avoid the town, linking up at Terrace End. The proposal was to affirm the Levin-Marton deviation.

Mr. C. J. Ward said that ho was opposed to the cutting out of Palmerston North. The most- vital thing was to conserve the interests of the big provincial towns, which were more important to Wellington than cutting out 16 miles of the Wellington-Auckland, journey. Mr. Hart reminded the council that the matter wns at present the subject or an inquiry by a commission, the big deviation, he was sure, would not pay interest on its cost. The other point was whether a. new station should be built that would remove the tracks from the centre of ths town, or whether sufficient land could be obtained near the existing station for the enlargement of the yards to cope with the increasing traffic. He did not feel that they should affirm a resolution passed so long ago. Conditions to-day were quite different. The chairman said the matter should be viewed from a national point of view, which meant the adoption of the straight-' cst possible route. It would not mean that Palmerston would be cut out, ns there would always be trains running through there, including the through express to Napier. Finally, the matter-was left over for further consideration, the motion not being put.