LEVIN-GREATFORD DEVIATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2198, 4 November 1920, Page 1

LEVIN-GREATFORD DEVIATION.

PETITION TALKED OUT

MR. NASH SIDE-TRACKED

NOTHING DOLING AT PALMERSTON NORTH.

A long debate occurred unexpectedly in the House on Monday afternoon on the question of improved railway communication between Wellington and the West Coast, arising out of a petition favouring the deviation of the Main Trunk line from Levin to Greatford. The Public Petitions Committee recommended that the report be referred to (lie Government for consideration, but in view of the contemplated alterations at Palmerston North, the mailer receive early attention. —Mr IL W. Smith (Waimarino) contended that the deviation could cut down the time taken by the expresses, imd would be built for probably less than the expensive alterations proposed to be made at Palmerston. A comprehensive report ought to be made on the question, especially (he -desirability of improving railway facilities for people on the Main Trank north of Mniton Junction, —Mr Nash said lie would not have spoken about the petition but for the Committee’s reference to Palmerston North. The Department had only 27 acres of land for the extensive alterations required to make facilities at Palmerston North equal to the trade, but 50 acres of land were required. Members could scarcely realise the inconvenience which would be caused in transhipment on "the proposed Lcvin-Great-ford deviation. It would involve the erection of two long bridges, and would run through country subject to heavy floods. If the deviation had been built it would at present be unworkable, as most of the track would be under water. The work at Palmerston North was purely departmental, and was not asked lor by the town, but when (he public realised that this 40-year-old agitation had been revived they would make their opposition known, for many years the Sandon Tramway had been an incubus to the County Council, and this deviation would be a splendid chance to get rid of. it. He regarded it as absolutely dangerous to railwaymen to have to work in so congested m-yard as I aimer.ston North. He took exception to (he Committee’s failure to let him know that the petition was being considered, so that he could gi'e evidence.—Mr Newman, who presented the petition, said it was allowed lo stand on its merits, and no evidence was called. It was admitted by all the experts that the line to Palmerston would have to be duplicated. The deviation would save 17 miles on through journeys, and was therefore a national work. It should have been located along this route originally. He understood that the Ministers of Railways and Public Works intended to go over the ground when (be House rose. —Mx* Nash : “If - 'they can see it!” (Laughter.) —Mr T. \\ . Rhodes stated that the Committee had no local prejudices. What impressed jj; was the possible saving- of 1/ miles in 40, I here fore they thought the Government ought to consider 'the scheme before ’ it expended a large sum on alterations at 1 alraerslon. There was a report from the Railway Department which, to say the 1 feast of it, was not, unfavourable. It mentioned that there were no enginoeding difficulties. — Mr W. 11. Field could not see what Palmerston North had to object to in the report. It suggested that the Ministers should go over the route for themselves. The national hw lerests were involved in a big saving of time'. One would regret that the deviation would side-track Palmerston North, hut that town would get the same facilities as at present, (hough passengers would have to tranship." The proposed deviation to the west of Palmerston went over swampy country which at present

wus a lake. It was doubtful whether the deviation proposed by the Commission would cost more than the Palmerston North scheme. It was utter rubbish to suggest that the line would run Through drifting sand. As a matter of fact, moat of the line would go through very fertile country. Its improved grade would save enormous cost in haulage. THE REAL PROBLEM. Mr Veitch suggested that it was not necessarily common-sense to

claim that- cutting out 17 miles between Marton and Wellington would improve the position in the way of rolling stock. As a matter of fact, it would' be worse, because ot the necessity for transhipment and delay in shunting vehicles for the existing Palmerston line. If all through trains went over this route, how would the people get to Palmerston or Napier? The real prob-* Jem was between Paekakariki and Wellington. This section had caused more delay and loss on the working West Coast line than anything else. The line ought to be duplicated on a good grade from Wellington to Paekakariki, then all parts of the country beyond that railway bottle-neck would benefit. Anyone who realised the position would admit that drastic improvement at Palmerston North was needed, and the Great ford deviation would be no relief. The proposed bridge at Bulls would probably cost as much as the Palmerston Improvements, while the whole of the deviation would cost more than the duplication of the line between Wellington and Paekakariki. It was absurd to suggest that this deviation was a matter of urgent policy. The Committee did not appear to have had all the facts before it. —Sir William Merries: “There was a royal commission which reported against it.’’ AMENDMENT TO REPORT BACK

Mr Yeiteh moved to refer (he report back to the Committee.—Mr Guthrie described the deviation as an old chestnut, which had been debated for years. It would lie unwise to cut a district, 60 miles by 40 in extent, which was going to become a very rich district, in order to save only half an hour on I lie Welling! on - Auckland run. The proposed devialun went through country which was the worst place for flooding that he knew of, and if the deviation was provided, it would be through a lot of poor land. Railways along the seaside were always criticised, because they could only be fed from one side. He had always opposed such railways, and he would oppose this railway and support the amendment. —Mr Horn, a member of the Committee, said that they had mode an unsuccessful attempt to find the member for Palmerston North, who might be interested. —Mr Guthrie: “You never thought of the member for Oroua, who was deeply interested." —Mr Edie agreed with the member for Gisborne that it was very presumptuous of certain members to ask for a deviation when the district had a railway for which it should lie thankful. —Mr Reed remarked that he would not have taken the position seriously' but for the intention of the Premier and the Minister of Pubic Works to go over the route. « “FOOLS RFSH IX!” Mr Massey: “Why shoudiTt they* We are not the sort who fear to go where angels fear to tread!" Mr S. G. Smith, while interested in the shortening of the rail journey to New Plymouth, considered that other calls were more urgent. BACKBLOCKS PROTEST,

Mr Lysnur protested against even considering a deviation to cost £250,000,000, while many'parts of New Zealand ,had no railway ai all. It was a ridiculous proposal, and if the Government adopted it they would be.going away from their declared policy on public works. Let the lines now in hand be completed! It was amusing to hear quarrels about new stations and 'deviations Avhen such a district as Gisborne had millions of acres of land not served by any sort of a railway. Seventeen miles of line in his district would do much more good. “It should be turned out nock and crop," declared Mr Lysnar energetically. “It should have no consideration at all until there are railways provided where there are virgin lands to settle,'’—“These people are very lucky to b,e riding in a train at all," declared Mr Williams, another East Coast member. “There seems to he an idea that because our district is called Poverty Bay there is no necessity to do anything for it!’ —Mr Howard: “Call it sunshine alley!"—Mr Williams: “You have to go through Poverty Bay to get to the Bay of Plenty." —Mr Ngata declared that if there was going to be an inquiry the East Coast members would like to be in it. They wanted to be in any row about railway expenditure, because they maintained that for every sovereign spent on city lines £lO ought to lie spent in the backblocks. The talk had gone on so long that neither the motion nor the amendment could be put through, and the House -adjourned.

Commenting on the above, the Palmerston Times says editorially: “The Levin-GreatTord deviation scheme is a wash-one in more senses than one. The area which certain log-rollers and their political satellites desired to dink up’ in order that commercial travellers hurrying from Auckland to Wellington might get home half an hour earlier, is now partly under water, and the part that isn't under water is not going to be under rail. The whole

project has been swept away in a hood of political talk audf in the process, the Palmerston deviation lias also been submerged. This community will.be cribbed, cabined and confined for many a day to come, and when the local deciation eventually arrives the gentlemen who speculated in futures on inside knowledge will be grey-headed grandfathers. Mr Nash, M.P., was very optimistic about the Palmerston deviation. Some of his backers lost their heads over it, and others their

hats. It is possible for everyone to be wiser to-day than yesterday. The Railway Department wanted the Palmerston deviation, and the people —who hadn’t got shops and hotels in Main Street —thought it would be a very good thing -in every .way. In some respects the railway has been a blessing, in others a curse. Now the Department will have to set about building costly yards in a locality quite inadequate and unsuitable; and later on when the “deviation is made imperative by local development it will cost £SO ,for every £1 that it would cost today. The politicians are not concerned about that. These little chaps have each a little log of their own to roll. Not one of them but lias a raihyay in his mind in the vicinity of Moa Flat or Smith’s Curse, Unfortunately while some oi: us have shared the delusion of Mr Nash that the thing would go through, a'whole lot of local developments have been held up —the gas works, the abattoirs, and worst of all the electric light sheds. The plant will be here before the housing has been prepared for it. And so on. Now that it knows where it is Die Borough Council will have to gel very busy and make up for lost time. But one cannot help being annoyed with the Lovin-Grealford log-rol-lers. A rotten lot of sports, they have slotted Palmerston and have injured the whole district in the process,”