LEVIN-GREATFORD RAILWAY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2145, 29 June 1920, Page 3

LEVIN-GREATFORD RAILWAY.

The l Palmerston Times of yesterday publishes the following editorial on the above: —

“Knowing politicians as wc do we realise that the agitation for the Lovin-Greatford railway is likely to have otic ofi’eet, and one elloet only —to postpone indefinitely any and all sehemos of railway improvement in this district. If the Levin-Greal-ford route had been a work of urgent necessity from a departmental point of view it would no doubt have been pushed on years ago when the inevitable Royal Commission reported in its favour. But the Department had other uses for money then, •and it has other uses for money today. The trouble is this; directly (he scheme of deviation which is proposed for Palmerston comes before Parliament in the shape of an Authorisation Bill every member of Parliament who lias a little railway of his own in his mind's eye —and which of them has not ?—will he quick l<i lake advantage of the tact lhat it is the members 'of the Maim waln and surrounding districts who arc most anxious to kill the local scheme, to light against it, and vole against it. Il will no! matter to them (hat the Railway Department regards the Palmerston deviation as an absolute necessity; it will not affect them in the least to he fold that unless the Palmerston deviation is made at once the congestion in the Palmerston yards will become so ureal as to seriously retard the running of the freight and passenger services right through the North Island! The people at Levin and Foxion may be actuated by the widest national motives in pressing Cor (lie Levin-Greatford railway at this st.-igi 1 . That does nut affect the quest ion. What we have to look at is the probable effect on the line of advocacy which they are taking up. Whatever the motive, the not result of their agitation will he to prejudice the object which the advisers of (he Government —the railway officials —have in mind, and that is a long-delayed permanent improvement of the existing service. “The Palmerston deviation will cost a lot of money, of course, but the deviation which they are advocating would involve such an expenditure that it simply cannot be faced at a time of financial stress, and at a time when other parts of the country arc crying out for developmental railway services. The Palmerston deviation is an essential work, because on its prosecution depends the effective operation of the whole North Island system. The longer it is postponed the grout or will Do the difficulty of handling the traffic which centres here for distribution. That Parliament will not listen to I lie Levin-Great foul project at this time is certain. That il will use the pretext of local opposition to the Palmerston deviation its tin excuse for holding up the Etupowering Bill is in the nature of things aH too probable. The tint hors of the Levin-Great ford route emphasise the point that they do not want 10 play the role of dog-m-thc-man-ger, and we really believe they moan wlmt they say. But the fact remains that Ibis agitation Inis been fanned into ;t fresh (lame by the circumstance ihitl the Palmerston deviation bits been somewhat (Inmbuoyanity heralded ;ts nn fail accompli. It may be it coincidence, but 11 doesn't look like it. This is a selfish world, hut we ask the LevinGreat ford advocates to consider whether they are not easting away the substance for Die shadow in promoting a counter-movement at this lime. It is to the interest of (.very dweller along this coast dial the distributing centre, wherever it nmy he, shall be adequate and well equipped. The Palmerston deviation is suggested by the Government’s advisers as the best and cheapest way to bring this about. We trust thiil our district representatives will keep this point steadily in view before making definite commitments which may jeopardise the only immediately practicable means ot making a permanent improvement."