Railway Deviation

Horowhenua Chronicle, 26 May 1916, Page 3

Railway Deviation

■ —_— —- • SOME JLOC'AI> .^VIiiELVOB. ■Before the Levin-to-tj(reatfo , rd Deviation 'Commission, which held a sitting at I'aimorstou -North yesterday', tlie following evidence was tendered by residents oi Levin and district-;— Howard Nicholson, farmer, residiiig at-about eight" miles from Levin and live miles l'rom I'oxton, said there would be close upon 20,000 acres of land, lying aiong tii-S proposed route. It was used for sheep farming'mainiy, if the railway passtxl there would be. more settlers. Only a few settlers owned all this land and if the railway, came this could ail be out up iuttf .arms of from 50 to 250 acres, some oi which coulu Ue usedl for dairying farms. Sir. Kobert Stout: Why don't you use it for dairy farming now? *ou don't want a railway tor that. Mr Martin Luckie: He dees on l some ui it now, sir. Witness said tiuwu -was a large ■'> mandi for milk from Wellington .nd Levin at the present time. This oould be got if the railway • was coniatr-uc'od Sir Rdbert: Why, none of tlhe land is more three or lour miles from the railway as it is I Mr. Luckie: We have a shortage of milk in Wellington -because people are unable to get it to the vaihvay line. ' Sir .Robert:. WelL let them got up an j hour earlier.., . | Witness:J[ got up at o o'cioek, and, I would' have to get up earlier. Sir Robert: Well, 1 get up »l o o'clouK. (Laughter). Mr. Myers: Sfiow us where .the line woiild run on the map. • Wit-new indicated it. Mr. Myers: Why, it runs right through your property. (Laughter). Walter Ryder, farmer, said that the deviation would, not aifcct him, as his farm was only one mile from Levin railway station. To Mr. Innes: -The line woufcl iur create the value of the properties ,aad would bring more money Miiito the owners'' pook«te>

Mr. .Innes: Is that one of the reasons why it is desirable There would be more settlers. ' Mr. Inn«te: Is that the only reason P Wouldn't It inflate the value of the landP^ Witness: I suppose so; naturaDy. Basil Gardener, town cierk, Levin, also .gave evidence. The Chief Justice (to Mr. Skerretst): 'How raamy more witnesses have you? Mr. Sker^ett: Two. HiLs Honour: And then there is. Mr. In nes. How many witnesses h<as ne? We want to be in Wellington by Saturday. Mr. Innes: I will undertake to finish to-morrow, sir. —AtamaWaitu Ttm.ee.