Hastings Works

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 79, 20 April 1937, Page 6

Hastings Works

GOVERNMENTS PLAN 4 ^ *■ ■ Claims for Inclusion in FiveYear Programme NEW RAILWAY STATION The proposal of the Minister of Public Works/ the Hom R. Semple, that a Hst of works requiring to "be done in New Zealancl be compiled, with a view to setting out a "flve-year-plan of works" was discossed at the meeting of the Hastings Chamber of Commerce last evening. Members mentioned suc-h matters as a new railway. station * for Hastings and an irrigation scheme for the district as heing worthjr of consideration in this rogard, and the attention of the authorities is to he drawn to these works, which are considered as heing of vital importance to this part of the province, and which should he included sx the saggested list of works to he carried out by the Government. _ ,-"Ia the time not opportune to push kgain for & new railway station here and have that work included in the plan of works I" asked the chairman, Mr. H. W. C. Baird, when the Minister 's proposal was raised. "I know that the station has heen discussed a lot in the past, ibut I certainly thrnk ith&t we should write to the Minister f)f Railways pointing out the increased business that is bding done here kgain draw his attention to the xeal *eed of & new station." "Has not the Mayor, Mr. G. A. Maddison, heen working on that matter?" asked Mr. F. E. Smith. Mr. Baird: Well, we could co-operate With him and the Borough Council and »ee i£ we can't get somewhere. Mr. A. C. A. Hfde sought to ascertain who decided ,the order of prefer•nce of the works to .he included in Ihe proposed plan. He said that there was a danger sometimes of the hest 30 fc not heing given the preference it should. The chairman recalled that Mr. Smith went to eonsiderable trouhle in compiling s report on an irrigation scheme for this "district, and he thought that this was another matter that might now be given further attention. "I notice that they have gone in for a veiy comprehensive scheme in Canterbury," he said. "If the Government is going to spend the money, then it might he to our advantage to put forward now our own proposals for inclusion in the plan. "We are iudehted to the Government for going ahead with the soil survey," he said. "It is one of the hest things that have heen tackled in this district. Mr. Smith 's plans for irrigation are well worth looking into and - certainly would stand further investigation. Schemes like it should be brought before the aitention of the Government. "I notice that Mr. Cullen has bees trying to get the Government to do something in the way of flax-growing in the district," added Mr. Baird, "hut from reports at Home it doesn't look as if our flax is the right type, and there doesn't look as if there is much hope for us in that direction." Mr. Smith said that he had not lost sight of the irrigation scheme, hut pointed. out that at the puhlic meeting held regarding the. soil survey an assurance was given that irrigation- would he considered in conjunction with the soil survey. "We have all been- waiti' ing to hear the results of the survey," he said, "and I for oue do not like to harass people, but certainly the irrigation scheme has not heen lost sight of altogether." He suggested that the Ohamher write to the department concerned, asking whether the question of irrigation was heing investigated in conjunction With the soil survey, and this proposal was approved of hy th« meeting. Mr. L. Roberts also suggested that the Chamber, write to the County Council engineer, who apparently, he said, would be drawing up the list of works for the district, asking him what steps had heen taken and aisp for further information. This idea was adopted, as was aiso the proposal of the chairman that the question of the railway station be again raised with the Government, and that the Hastings Borough Council and 4 the Hastings and District Progress League he asked to support the Chamber in it3 representations in this regard.