PROPOSED SHELLEY BEACH RAILWAY.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 2 September 1920, Page 3

PROPOSED SHELLEY BEACH RAILWAY.

MEETING AT HELENSVILLE

Over 70 business people and settlers (including a good number from Parakai) attended a meeting in the Star Theatre on Monda> evening, convened by Mr Jas. McLeod (the prime mover in the matter) to deal with the question of the proposed railway. Mr F. R. Eames was voted to the chair.

Mr Jas McLeod detailed what had already been done in the matter, and gave an account of the Dargaville meeting (reported in our last issue). This railway to Shelley Beach had been talked of for many years. Some people said that the line going to Shelley Beach would do Helensville a lot of harm. (Voice : "So it would.") He didn't think so. By passing the Hot Springs, for instance, the line would increase the visitors there by 1000 per cent. There was between Helensville and South Head, 25 miles of country practically lying idle ; land fit for dairying and as good as any of the Waikato high land. A line would open up this country, and make it productive. Dealing with transit facilities, the speaker said passengers to or from the Wairoa would ship at Shelley Beach, and save the now wasted time between Helensville and the former place. It was, he said, an entirely erroneous idea that the line would branch at Ohirangi. The Dargaville meeting was of the opinion that the line should branch at Holonsville South, and it was his opinion too. He stated that no arguments he know of could be used against the scheme.

In reply to a question, the speaker said he did not know how many owners the 25,000 odd acres between Helensville and Shelley Beach was distributed amongst.

MrR. Smith: How would you deal with the cargo for the Wairoa ?

Mr McLeod: Mr Nichol said ho would run a daily service if the line was put in.

Mr J. Stawart: Is there anything to prevent a daily service being run at present ?

Mr R. Smith stated that with a branch line they would find that cargo was not so well handled as on a main line, as the supply of trucks was not so good, and users would have to wait much longer periods than at present.

A number of further questions were asked and answered. It was stated that the service between Shelley Beach to Dargaville would be purely a passenger one. Cargo carrying by rail couldn't complete with water carriage.

Mr A. McLeod : The fishermen would also benefit by the lino. They would get fish to Auckland a lot quicker, much of which at present they had to throw away.

The following resolution was moved by Mr A. Garry : That this meeting endorses action of Dargaville in endeavoring to secure rail communication between Helensville and Shelley Beach. — Seconded by Mr H. McLeod.

Messrs Hjorth and Skelton at this stage deprecated personalities being used by speakers.

Mr Jas. Stewart said he was right up against the scheme. It was something which would never come about, and it was a waste of money endeavouring to get a trial survey. A big wharf had been built at Ranganui, and it was to-day a resort for seagulls. A wharf at Shelley Beach, in his opinion, would suffer the same fate. Thirty years ago a canal was suggested to straighten the river between Mt. Rex and Helensville, and he still thought that the beat scheme. There was plenty of water depth and dredging had proved that whereevur undertaken, the dredged parts had never again silted up. It oost at the present day £40,000 per mile for railway construction, and for 15 miles of railway to Shelley Beach the cost would be £600,000. Whangarei was spending £125,000 on harbour improvements, and when the main line was through that town would get Dargaville traffic, being 25 miles nearer than Helensville.

Mr C. West said he was rather against the proposal. Having regard to the present financial condition of the country, it was no use bringing up short lines. The Minister of Public Works had declared a policy of finishing main lines first, and he would stick to that policy, It would be spending money on a line they could very well do without. The money would be much better spent straightening the river.

Mr Hjorth, in a fighting speech, supported the straighten-. ing of the river, and strongly condemned th,e proposed line.

Mr J. F. Lambert said he was not in favour of the scheme. A line to Shelley Beach would draw the whole of the Wairoa trade away from Helensville. The railway business would shrink, and the whole of the shipping business go to Shelley Beach. They should use their best endeavour to keep the trade here, and build the town up.

Mr H. Thompson also spoke against the line. He advocated getting the river dredged, and the two bends cut, and Helensville would have a fine port for all time.

Mr Jas. McLeod, replying to criticism, said he would undertake to put the line down for £100,000. They did not intend to ask the Government to put the line down. All they wanted at present was a flying survey, and a rough estimate of the cost of the line. The survey would cost £200. The late Mr Seddon had promised them this railway. If there |was railway communication to deep water at Shelly Beach, Sydney boats which^came into Auckland would go to Kaipara. There was, he again stated, no argument against the line. The fishermen had, for 40 or 50 years, been throwing over fish because they could not land them in the city soon enough. Fishermen, with direct railway communication, would work six days per week, instead of only three as at present. If some of those present thought the river straightening was the best plan, why didn't they start it. The rail would serve all Kaipara Harbour, and would bring present remote places two to three hours nearer Helensville. He was satisfied the proposed railway was the right thing. They had to look ahead. They were the slowest community in the North Island. The speaker concluded by saying that the feeling in support of the line was so strong, that if money was not available from the Government there were people prepared to find it.

' Mr Jas. Stewart stated there was nothing in the idea that ocean going steamers would ever make Kaipara Harbour a port of call. That idea had been exploded years ago.

The chairman then called for a show of hands for and against the motion. The voting resulted : For 22, against 17. Rail-sitters were in evidence, as only 39 out of 72 present voted.

Mr Jas. McLeod was subsequently appointed a delegate to proceed to Wellington with the Mayor of Dargaville re this matter.