Levin=Marton Railway.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 30 March 1911, Page 4

Levin=Marton Railway.

SOME INTERESTING FACTS. | REASONS FOR ITS CONSTR UCTION. Yesterday The Dominion published a long and illuminating article on the Levin-Marton railway. The writer of tllio articlesaid:— The proposed Levin-Marion vailway, as a short cut between Wellington and Auckland, is a subject of discussion at- the present time. Great attention has been bestowed on the project by the Marton Chamber of Commerce, and Mr Purnell, its indefatigable chairman, is described as having the wihole .business at his fin-ger-ends. His views on the question which are here appended, were stated some days ago in the course of an interview to a Dominion representative. In the construction of railways, said Mr Purnell, it is an admitted fact that the .shortest, route between the large centres 'of population in this case Auckland and Wellington -- provided all other essentials are cf|ual, is the one that should be adopted. A glance at the map issued with the Railway Department's time-table, will quickly convince any disinterestedi person that by linking up the lino between LEVIN AND MARTON by way of Foxton a more direct route would be obtained, and would be of vital importance to the district it immediately concerns, and also to the North Island Alain Trunk line, because the construction of this line would reduce the distance between Auckland and Wellington by at least 15 miles in distance, and fully an. hour in time. The present, route, by way of Palmcrston. was followed because at the time of its construction its mission was to bring the fertile and properous Aran, awatu- into close touch, commercially and otlhcrwise, witli the Empire City, and the connection by railway between Auckland and Wellington was considered then to be but a dream, and a "something"' for the following generation. Now that, the dream has become a reality, and a really excellent service between the two centres has been established; it is not surprising that already we have become accustomed to it, and suggestions made for its improvement: and in this connection it- is expected i.iat the Levin-Marton deviation will play a very important part, because it is in every way well suited for railway construction. There are no engineering difficulties the route is in alnvost a direct line, the country is practically level. This deviation scheme is not by any means a new one. As far back as 1895 a syndicate was prepared to purchase the Sandon-Carnarvon Tramway, and complete the construction of a branch line 'between

GREATFORD AND LEVIN. ind ample funds—some £200,000 — wore available for this purposo. The Government was approached, with a view of obtaining authority to make the connection, and continue its working, but this authority or permission was not forthcoming, .and the scheme was not proceeded with. Within the last- year, further appli"taion to Government was made, this time by the Manawatu County Council, which owns the Sanson-Pnkenui-TTimitangi tramway, for permission to extend its lino fromPukenui to the main line connecting at Greatford. but, so far. wit-bout favourable result. _ _ ■ Tn this connection it is interesting note that the prominent men on the local bodies in the district were generally regarded as luke warm towards the scheme, while in reality they took up a broad-minded view of the whole matter, and werenot afraid to state that generally in their opinion they were n'ot prepared to actively support any scheme of branch lines, oven in their own districts, which would then, in any way. have prejudiced the early completion of the Auckland-Wellington connection. Rut at present there is a unanini'ons feeling that the time is now opportune for the construction of this so-called branch line. FOR FAVOURABLE CONSIDER ATION. Indeed active steps have been taften to gain this end. Petitions have ben presented to Government, and lengthy evidence taken by Parliamentary Committees. The first petition was recommended to Government for consideration, and the second, backed up by lengthy evidence, was referred to Government for favourable consideration. The Hon. Hall-Jones was inueh impressed with the proposal, and in his lastPublic Works Statement the line wa? included' in the schedule for trial survey. A definite promise was then given that this trial survey would be undertaken at the earliest possible moment, and this definite promise was confirmed 'on two occasions bv the Prime Minister, but, up to tho present time, nothing has been done. And then there is the attitude taken up by the present Minister for Railways. It appeared nothing to him that the committee of the House had reported the matter for favourable consideration ; that it was to the welfare and benefit of the district and dominion as a whole; that the settlers should have the shortest and cheapest means of dealing with their produce and

OBTAINING SUPPLIES; and tho dozen or more reasons advanced in favour of the construction of the line. Those responsible for tho agitation are prepared to prove, and prove conclusively, that the Levin-Marton would ho a most profitable undertaking and would not seriously interfere with the financial results of the prosent lines, and in this connection u;e Sanson-Pukenui-Himitangi tramway would play a most importat part. •_ • The prosperity of the tramway is but a reflex of the prosperity of tho district, to which it has been, of so much advantage. Prior to 1895 the Manawatu district was a compara- ] tiv'oly poor one. The chief products were* limited' quantities of grain (oats wheat and barley). Palmcrston N. was tho main market town. This was reached by a good road, 15 miles from Sanson, "the then tram terminus. By tramway to Himitangi, and from Himitangi to Palmerston bv rail, the distance was 28 miles. Therefore, the settlers' own tramway was placed at ti disadvantage oyer the settlers' own noad, and seeing that two short-distance rates government and. council) were charged by rail, the great hulk of the produce. was carted, and comparatively little was sent by train. In those days, too, tilie markets were limited, and the prices were on the small .side, and it became necessary for the former to obtain every shilling -'is i produce fetcher, and quotations were then for delivery AT PALMERSTON NORTH. And it was not unusual to .see a long string of drays containinig pnoduce going in procession over the Mount Stewart road, and sometimes this extended into the winter months, to the great detriment 'of the roads. However, between 1896 and 1900, this state of affairs completely changed.. ■Many of the large estates were subdivided and soldi, the so-called sandhills were found suitable for "growing enormous rot crops ;on the heavier land the sheep farm became a .dairy farm; and the opening of the backblocks provided additional markets for prodiuce; and generally th'dro.became tho opening for ' more intense farming, and it no' longer paid, the producer to cart his produce over -the 15 mijes of rofid. ■ r .- .......

"A PROSPEROUS CONCERN. Freights and fares were considerably reduced, and the producer at once Pound the 28 miles ol rail had very many advantages over the t> miles of road. The procession ol carts over the Mount Slewart road ceased by leaps and until it became a no uncommon sight to see a string of a dozen loaded truck's, as against an odd trmek or two a lew years before. And at present, the tramway runs every day in the week — Saturdays sometimes excepted--as atrainst three days a week up to afew years ago. uniil at the present time the line has fully accomplished its mission, and has obtained the dignity of a railway, and has become a monument to the pioneers who were responsible for its initiation. '.I he advent of the dairy farms in the Lower Manawatu created a demand for metal pits in the district, the tramway played an important partin this work, as tike present terminus ends in a pit of" splendid metal in unlimited quantities. The tramway made the question of metalling these roads feasible —formerly the metal was brought from the

TERRACE END . ; metal pit, 'beyond Palmerston North, and cost upwards 'of 15s per load by the time it readied its resting place. Many thousands of pounds have been saved by the tramway on the supply of metal for construction of roads, and this applies also to maintenance in the future. This would also have *ui important bearing on the question of linking up the line between Levin and Marlon. Unlimited quantities of excellent metal for ballast on Government lines would at once bo tapped, and it is generally recognised that the present available supplies of ballast arc far from adequate. ami not at all .satisfactory in quality. This question alone warrants the construction of the proposed lino. PROLI KfC SAND ON*. A reference to the products of the Sandon district would not he complete without mention of the importance of the grass-seed production. Ten years ago no one even dreamed, that the Sandon land would grow profitable crops of grass-seed. Ty-dav it is the most p:"ofita\le undertaking of the farm, and is capable of further development, -and whether it is duo to (he 'dimate or soil, it ,'s now an admitted fact that the grass-seed produced in this district is second to none in the colony, and the district cannot help but quickly become more prosperous. And in this respect the tramway has played, and is playing, its part—there is now no question ol price delivery into store. The ([notation must now be delivery on tramway, and it goes without saying lliat the grass-seed in its turn has very much assisted in welding the credit, balances: and there is now no doubtbut that the tramway " will in its turn continue to he prosperous, and will continue to return handsome profits. OPPOSITION TO THE PHOJEOT. It can readily be supposed, ad.ded Mr Purnell. that some ol the centres through Willi eh the line now .journeys are not actively supporting this sch-eme-indeed. Palmerston N"'..i th is actively opposed to it. The proposal, when carried into effect, would probably a fleet the through- service, lint it is doubtful if this wouldTesult in very mii:h real disadvantage or loss, as it is difficult to believe lhat certain goods and passenger (rains rushing through any town <an he oi much advantage: and further i ! ;e present congestion at Palmerston always appears a serious drawback and a menace to the working of the line, particularly since the Napier and Eketahuna traffic was diverted to tin Manawatn line. In any -ase it is understood that there was no objection to this diversion, 'because it was S'h-OAVn by doing so a groat saving could bo made in all classes of traffic, both to the Department- and to the general public—and this is exactly similar to the position taken up over the Levin-Marten proposal. All classes of go'ods and pass?ngor traffic could be handled more economically. and the users of the line would for all time be saved I'rom paying froiui'it and lares over 15 miles of nnnoees-ary railway. Welling!')!! would also gain a distinct advantage, because it would be enabled to press its «phere of infl"er- -e 15 miles further into th'" 1 country commercial world at the same rate of freight as at present. The construe! ion 'of the line would also mean in effect that the Auckland-Wellington . Main Trunk line, where the congestion of traffic is greatest, would be duplicated, and the duplicated stretch between Levin and Greatford could not fail to be an immense advantage', when it is considered that the line is particularly easy of .constriK-lion. It is understood that the Manawatu County Council is not partieularlv anxious to sell its railway, hut it has a duty to its settlers as well as to the dominion, 'and possibly for a reasonable sum. say, C3O,*.A), the Government could acquire a service which has played an important part to a now particularly prosperous district. SUMMING UP. To sum up, the following are some of the reasons why the Levin-Ma rt-on railway .should be constructed by Government 1. That this line would shorten (he through journey from Auckland to Wellington by 15 miles in distance ami one hour in time. 2. That the lino can be easily and cheaply constructed throughout, almost in a direct line, and 'by easy grades and curves. 3. That it would avoid the many steep grades and sharp curves on the present route, partieulalrv between Greatford and Foiidiiiig. 4. Til at t-lio. route traverses some of the finest agricultural and pastoral land in the dominion, capable of further development. 5. 'Ilhat already about "18 miles of railway on this direct route have been constructed by the Manawatu County Council. G. That as this 18 miles of railway, dealing solely with local traffic, is a profitable undertaking, it is quite safe to assume that the deviation, when made available for 'both through and local traffic, will return handsome profits. 7. That it would considerably relieve the present serious congestion of traffiic at Palmei'ston North. - 8. That it would provide for interchange of produce between the Upper Rangitikei and Lower Manawatu. These districts are peculiarly fitted 1 for interchange of goods to mutual advantage, but the want of the. five-mile connection between Greatford and Pukenui prohibits this interchange at present.

9. Uliat- its construction and ynnnection wall) the Government line would provide access to unlimited supplies of metal .suitable for ballast and road purposes. 10. That t.hc portion (perhaps tiro busiest) of. the A uok!a 11 cl-AVollincrton •Main Trunk line. Levin to Mnrton. would in effect 'be duplicated. 11. That as the Government in June, 1895, refuse"! to allow this direct railway connection to be made by private enterprise, and seeing that hut a. few nitonths ago the Government refused to allow the Manawatu Countv Council to make a connection from the present terminus at Pukenui with the main line at Greatford. ifc'is only reasonable and equitable. that the Government shiould now .construct.this line, which its importance to the district and the dominion fully warrant .s