LEVIN-CREATFORD RAILWAY DEVIATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1555, 25 May 1916, Page 3

LEVIN-CREATFORD RAILWAY DEVIATION.

SITTING OK TIIK COMMISSION. PALMERSTON NORTfI, May 21. 'the I 'onin'is-inn i(,< >iul; ■< ito Kike cvi (Ifiicc on tlir ijiii-si inn of Hu. jimpii.'.i•< 1 deviation of liic Main 'i runk railway from its present Jonlo to (lie piijhim-iI lim- extending U oia Levin to Great lord on tin: Main Trunk railway within four miles of Marlon, sal. yesterday afternoon. Tim ( inet Jnslk-e (Sir Robert Stout) presiih d. and with him were .Messrs-W. M. liannay and Cyrus Williams. Mr ( . P. Skerret| and .dr M. I.oekie appeared lor (lie sup porters ot the deviation, Mr M. M.\ers lor the Railway Department, and Mr J. P. times for the several bodies opposing | lie deviation. Mr Skenvtt opened on behalf of the sup porters of the deviation, and spoke at length on the resource., of dm Rangil ikei, Mamnvatu and llorow henna Counties, which wen the principal <iist riels interested in (he proposed deviation. Mr Skerreti pointed out that with (lie pres-mt; tramline from Himitangi to the left hank ol the Rangilikei river at I’nkenni, there was only a distance of live miles to link up the main line with (he l-raneh line p, Eo.xion. This meant that the principal length of line ro eoiistruct would be that from Eoxton to Levin.

Sir James Wilson, chairman of I lie Man a wain County Council, general de

s<■ i-ii>titin of the various within the Manawato County, the Tialmv ol (he soil, anil (he classes of grain and produce grown, its value could he very well canned by the sale which took place last Saturday, when three sections at Dimatangi were submitted to aue (ion and realised £2B, £27 10s, and £24 lO.s respectively per acre. lie considered Rongotia to be imioti" the best grazing land in Ih(* Dominion, and was capable ol running a beast to the acre. A consider aide portion of (be lower Manawatu district would la' served by (he proposed railway.

To Mr Skerretf : The tramway had not been a success financially, hut it had rendered good service (o (be county by taking thi' heavier trallie off the roads. It was fully expected that the tramway would he a. payable proposition in tune. SOME INTERESTING EVIDENCE. SIR JAMES WILSON ON FARMING PROSPECTS. PALMERSTON NORTH. May 24. The Railway Deviation ('ommission resumed at 10 o'clock (his morning. Sir James Wilson continued his evidence, and said dairying was largely_ conducted in in the Manawatu and Rangilikei. and hut tin- making was an important industry. It was a very arduous iile, however, and a fanner did not stay in it longer than possible. The likely trend of the fanning in New-Zealand as rewarded cattle and sheep breeding was that cattle always f-'ave way to sheep, which entailed less labour and was easily as profitable. The Oroua Hats were noted for their fattening quaiidi-. and in this (list Her the fattening of lambs was being largely followed. So snccesslul had the fat lamb industry been fostered that this district was now quite equal to producing lambs ot the best quality ol ( .in terhiirv. The higher country in (he While ( 'jill's ‘district was one of the lies) in Hie Dominion, and capable o| carrying three sheep to the acre. lie was of opinion that a new class of farming was about, to be in (rodneed in (he mid-North Island district-, and this wa- that the poorer classe,- ol crop pinC lands would be devoted to sheep iae tening. These lands were quite capable oi glowing rape, which was invaluable lor sheep lattcning. To Mr Ski-rrel 1 : If the tramline were extended it would tap valuable deposit.- ol g-yod gravel. The Manawatu Gotinly w:imil anxious to sell its tramway. The tram cost £25,000. The lir.-t loan of £2.229 wapniil off. The present (ondition ot Ihe t ram wav was not suitable lor a main trunk line, bemuse the rails would hate to be iv laid, and there would he bridgework. I he Comity would In- willing to hand ima- the line at the minimum cir-t price.’ No good will Would he asked. The I'alim-i ami and Palmcr.-lon and Eeiiding local bodies bad never expre-sed an advera- opinion pmhe extension of the tramline to Gieatlord. lieonlv objeelioii wa- Iron the Railway Department. lie was id tie- opinion dial Eoxton would coiiMmie to handle the le-aiv imports, so eh a> win-, ag i it-nil nra I impsincurs. manure-, sugar, ele., bill as. a ) <*■ I he did not think it would ever n-ach Ine same eondil ion as Wanganui. lie- exp-n shin of the Irandim- In Gieatb-d would mil seriou-!v allVei I lie Palmi r.-lmi i rad.-, lie dill not think that tin 1 linking no of ihe Samlon tram with the Main r l runk limwould interefi-re with the piospcrity ot i-ither Palmerston or Eeilding. in bill the further opening of the country distiiiis which would result from tin- linking up would add to the i l ade and prosperity of these two town-. The principal im-n a-e ol (lie population in the Manawatu County was in the southern portion of the ( ouniy. in Rangiotu ami adjacent di.-lriel--To Ml- I lines : He did not think the present Eoxton railway served the whole ol Mil- ri-qniremeiu- of the Rangihn and Him jtangi i fist riel. when- the im-reases j,, popn|:i({oll lie had menlioned had taken place, Carnarvon was a “paper town.-luo, and lie hoped the Covi-rium-id would lake it ( ,ver. Tin- Rmigolea township had no; percept ilj 1 \ iI u • ii 1 ;i "d. lie l trade ol Ibis district went to Eeilding and. Palim-i-.-loii. and he did not think the deviation ol the main line would alb-ei this trade, (hitler *i\ ip, a large producl ot lie- lioiigopa dit riel. This was seni by rad b> Welhngloii, The deviation would m>l as.-i-l Rotigolea in the export of its butter. He wag of opinion that the neee—ii oi llie dislriel wnnlil. when normal conditions again resinned, demand the deviation. The moving spirit in (he deviation was I'oxlon. whieh was anxious to develop its harbour. The deviation was strongly supported by I.eCu and the farmers in the Manawatu and Rangilikei Comities. The Manawatu County was anxion- for the extension of its tramway, hilt the extension would be useless if connection with the main line at Crealford were denied beean-e it would be an expensive operation it good,- had to be curled from the’ Irani Pi the railway in Mead of miming the truck-pm to the main line. Crass growing had displaced to some extern the growing ol grain. The grass seed was largely cleared in Palmerston and railed awav from this centre. Samlon was a settled ill-irict. ami (here was not much new settlement going on. He wa- not aware that (here was any of the diet riets between Eoxton and Levin subject to Hood. The Manawatu Comity was more eoncerin-d about tlm .extension of the tramihie than the const ruction of the lino from Eoxton to Levin. To Mr Myers: The waggons required for I lie carriage of goods on the tram were Covi-i'iimi-nl, and they had a railway service between San-on and Hind iangi. If Ihe tram were connected with the main line, it would he nalnrally expeeled that the rolling slock of both would use both lilies in a i ei-iprocal way . Tim tram I nicks were used only for grave! at present, as thi-v were mil -permitted on the main line as (hey were not titled with West inglioiise brake-. The eoinn etion with thi' main line would permit of coal being ill-Ii verei I in the dielriels .-erved by (he (nun ul a much cheaper rale than at present. The cropping area in the Manawatu County had not perceptibly increased ing ihe lasi ten or (ifii-en years, 'I here was a leinli-nev to go from dairying to sheep farming, if desired, information could be pi'oi-nred from lie- rale books, showing the number of people who would lienelit by the, extension of the tramline. The extension of the tram would have been just died even before (he coii.-l rm (ion of (he Main Trunk line. The trade on (he tram had increased since the opening of the Main Trunk. It would have been quite reasonable to have advocated the deviation a.-, early as 1904. As far as he knew, there was iiu compel il ion between the tramway ami private carriers, '['in’s occurred, however, between Palmerston and Eoxton. where a lorry carried goods in competition with (lie Government railways, ■uni the Manawatu Countv objected to the lorrv running, because it damaged the roads (■o a great extent. Possibly tour miles would be the maximum distance to he covered to reach the tramline by the farmers along the line. RAILWAY DEPARTMENT S OBJECTIONS.

Ml- Mvcrs lit this Stage, outlined tne Railway Department's objections to Wie (Jovial ion. These staled that such a lino was unnecessary having regard to the volume of business, and jt was not: likely to ho required, if at; all, for a very considerable time to come. ft would involve a verv considerable capital expenditure which the Railway Department considers unnecessary and unjust iliablc. _ It would dislocate and disorganise the existing services in regard to both passengers a ltd freight. It would not be a payable pronosbion and would involve the Dominion in serious los.-, and the bulk of the re-C-eip!-- from the Hue would only be earned at tile espen.w of the existing line, ami Ijm receipts, could not possibly recoup the workiii"- expenses and the probable loss ot earnings on the present line, let alone interest and capital expenditure on the new

line. Tile duplication of tin' line between Palmerston anil Marlon was not tit all likely to he neces-ary. Even if any alteration should he required in nriler to increase the eapaeily of the section, snen reipiireinenls can he satisfied oy an occasional siihny, if it should he necessary, a

h.ngdl of e-. on Iu i ol t'lJi’ee miles. lllis was in accordance with recognised railway practice in other parts of the world, the Homwhenna, Manawatu and Rangilikei Counties and (he Boroughs which are ask ing to have ihe new line constructed are already well served by the railway, whilst excellent roads gave access to the railway. Il was not. In the interests ol the Dominion as a whole that sneh a line should lie const meted while there are. especially in the North Island, many districts with every prospect, ol obtaining- a new and payable railway trallie wilb no railway connection at all anil watli poor roads. Even If a line were to be constructed between Levin anil Eoxton anil Himitangi and Martini, the present tramwav would not be used. 'i lie tramway runs on a portion of the public road and it would not lie satisfactory to run express trains on a public road. fmllier. new sleepers and 701 b rails would be required, so that a practical re-building' of ihe line would be necessary. 'J his 1 would require land to he taken on one sitle ot the railway and in some cases on both sides. 'the taking of this land would require the Government making- ol a new road to replace the present one, and compensation would have to he paid the owners -for the land taken. Building along the mule might also have to be moved and further compensation paid, and telegraph lines taken down anil re-ereeteil. Ihe Government would not permit crossings at present on this line, 'the only alternatne would be to construct the railway line with provision, tor occasional crossings b\ stibwavs and overhead bridges. Ibis would involve Inrtber cost. As to die extension of tbe .Samlon tram, it was eontrarv to Ihe public interest in the Dominion where the railways are Slate-owned that any railways junel inning with the Stale railways should he permitted to be constructed by any person or corporation other Ilian' the State itseiT. The Irnmwav could never have been operated but for the assistance given by the Department by permitting die use of certain ol its rolling stock. The connection desired was not necessary, having regard to the means existing in the district of good road access to the State railway, and Jo improved methods of road traction, anil the expense of Ihe extension and cost of the new bridge over the Rangilikei would not be justified. If the tramway were extended and made payable il could only be made so to the detriment and expense of the Slate railway. II the extension were carried out trallie. which now passes over the Stale lines would be diverted and l ni(lie between Palmerston and Wellington, as well as other stations, would be allecled. 'flic diversion of trallie would result in an appreciable loss of revenue, wtneb would had' to be recoil pci I by increasing freights and fares on other sections of the main or oilier lines, or by special vales ot I'l'ei"lit to compete with the Samlon tramway’ainl the sea freights to and from Eo.xi„ii. While, if the tramway has to he ex I emlei I to junction with the main line, die acquisition of Ihe tramway and extension of the line by the Department would be preferable to allowing it, to be undertaken bf tin* County Council. H was unreasonable (o ask the Government to acquire (he tramway; firstly, the tram was not in a eo mill ion dial would justify its use by the Department without reconstruction: secondly, because the trallie of the tramwav, if extended, wnnlil be earned mainly at tin* expense of the existing State line; and thirdly, beanse die. Department does not consider that the tramway, d extended. wnnlil be payable. William John Phillips, farmer, Sanson, gave evidence showing that the Manawatn i'oiimv contained 170.880 acres. Large holdings suitable for subdivision, contained 41.705 "acres. whih< (hose unsuitable lor subdivision eoiisisleil ol 16.885 acres. lb' 1 'acreage suitable for subdivision and nnserved by die tram was 5068 acres the holdings 'of almost 500 acres served by I rain lolalled 21,089 a.-res, and the tola area in 506-acre holdings and nnserveil bv tram was 9155 acres. The wlm eol Ihe .'11,700 acres was admirably smleil lm closer settlement, anil could he subdivided |„ ..real advantage. Eight thousand acres of ?, is riel, land, and c.ihl ho subdivided in... farms of from 50 acres In 00 acres. Twenty-live thousand acres could he sub divided into farms of from 100 o 200 acres ami 8700 acres inn. (arms o Iron, 200 to ,Ujo ..... On an avmage has,-- the total 19 ’holdings could be cm up ini" 301 I arms supporting a like inimber ol aim n.. 1 cater portion of the harms could In used in dairv and agricultural larnnng. acd the p. ridiiee would all he h.nded over the railway. The extension "I. d."' wav would' have a tendency to. I'MnCe set,lei's to subdivide their properties