LINKING UP THE MAIN TRUNK LINE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1270, 11 July 1914, Page 3

LINKING UP THE MAIN TRUNK LINE.

BETWEEN MARTON AND LEVIN. ' MATTER DISCUSSED BY LOCAL BODIES CONFERENCE. REMIT PASSED BY 28 TO xo. At Thursday’s sitting of the conference of local body delegates at Wellington, on behalf of the Horowhenua County Council, Mr H, J. Richards moved : “ That with the object of providing railway facilities for that portion of the Wellington province lying between Levin on the south and Marton on the north, and lor the shortening of the distances between the two principal cities of the Dominion, the Government be requested to make provision for the construction of the Levin to Greatford railway.”

In support of the proposal Mr Richards pointed out that the construction of the line would mean the saving of an hour in the journey between Wellington and Auckland and a shortening of the distance by sixteen miles. A delegate: Will Palmerston North be cut out ?

Mr Richards replied that Palmerston North and Feilding would be cut out of the Main Trunk system. All the rest of New Zealand would benefit however. The line would pay from the Government’s point of view and the people’s point of view. As far as Palmerston North and the Main Trunk line was concerned, if the scheme were adopted, connection would have to be made at Marton.

Mr E. J. Armstrong (Palmerston North Borough Council) strongly opposed the remit on the ground that two of the most important towns in the North Island would be side-tracked.

Mr B. R. Gardner (Levin Borough Council) strongly favoured the proposal, remarking he was convinced that fully 80 per cent, of the passengers on the Main Trunk were through passengers and the trains stopped at Palmerston chiefly for the purpose of taking in water. He criticised Palmerston North tor being ■“ parochial.” The remit was carried by 28 votes to 10.

THE PRIME MINISTER’S VIEWS.

NO DOUBT IT WOULD BE DONE IN TIME.

Wellington, July 9

A deputation from the conference of provincial local bodies and Chambers of Commerce waited upon the Prime Minister this evening to lay before him various matters, including the need for a Rimutaka railway deviation, the question of opening up the East Coast lands, and constructing the Levin-Greatford railway. Mr Massey said that the Rimutaka deviation was a matter about which the Government had practically made up their minds. He did not mean that they had actually decided on what they were going to do, but they had decided that some improvement must be made. As to the opening up of East Coast lands, he was not personally acquainted with this district, but the Minister for Public Works had visited the district and was favourably impressed with what he had seen. The Government had decided that out of the loan which would be asked for for improving the railways, Parliament should be asked for a sufficient sum to provide a proper station for Wellington. The General Manager of Railways was preparing an elaborate report upon the railways and . what should be done to improve mutters. The Levin-Greatford proposal was practically, new to him, although it was not a new suggestion. He was not able to express a definite opinion, but he could understand the advantage ot saving fifteen miles, and he had no doubt but that in time it would be done. The Government intended to do justice to the Wellington province, without doing injustice to other parts of New Zealand.