LEVIN-MARTON RAILWAY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 454, 29 April 1909, Page 4

LEVIN-MARTON RAILWAY.

A special meeting of Marion Chamber of Commerce was held on Friday night to consider the proposed Levin-Marton railway. The President reported that at a meeting of Feilding Chamber the President, who attended the recent Conference in Wellington, was reported to have said that he had objected to a remit irom Marton Chamber in reference to the proposed Levin-Marton line as a parochial matter that should not have been .brought before the Conference and that he had reason to believe that the remit had not received much consideration. Mr Purnell wanted to know if this was parochialism that through passengers south of Levin and North of Marton are compelled to travel 15 miles further in distance and one hour longer in time than is necessary, and incidentally pay fares lor extra mileage, and that consignors and consignees are compelled to pay freight on all through goods sent over the present unnecessary distance. The Department have at present to haul passengers and goods over a line having severe curves and heavy grades between Feilding and Marton, whereas the proposed route is almost in a direct line and level, and would permit locomotives to haul practically twice the load they do on the present line. In June, 1895, the Government refused to allow' a syndicate, backed up by ,£250,000 to construct the proposed deviation. The President further staled that there were other minor reasous, but he.thought the last reason was sufficient to prove that the question had become of national importance and that the Government should at least carry out what it had refused to allow a syndicate to do nearly fourteen years ago. He said it would have been to the credit of the Feilding President to have attacked the proposal on its merits, which he was now challenged to do, instead of attempting to draw the red herring of parochialism across the track. Owing to the unavoidable nonattendance of the delegates of Marton Chamber at the recent Conference, the remit MartonLeviu railway had been withdrawn from the Order Paper by the local Chamber. It would, he said, have been much better if the Feilding President had stated facts instead of voicing the iuuendo that the remit “ did not receive much consideration.” The President said it was difficult to understand what possible objection Feilding could have towards the proposal, as another line of railway could not but be to the general advantage ot the district through which it would run, and the natural situation of Feilding assured that it would largely participate in the advantages which would accrue from the construction of the proposed line.