LEVIN-MARTON DEVIATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2799, 18 October 1924, Page 3

LEVIN-MARTON DEVIATION.

DEPUTATION TO MINISTERS

PRIME MINISTER. NONCOMMTTTAL.

MB, COATES SPEAKS OUT.

When the Minister for Railways brought down his railway construction programme to cover a period of seven years, disappointment was expressed in this district that no mention was made of the LevinAfar ton deviation of the Alain Trunk Line. The Afayor (Air Ckrystall) convened a special meeting of the Foxton Borough Council, to which the Chamber of Commerce was invited and at which disappointment and indignation was expressed. The meeting decided to enlist the cooperation of the various local bodies throughout the district and to send a deputation to wait on the Prime Minister and Minister of Railways, to enter a. protest, Tliq deputation was arranged for Thursday and consisted of the following: Foxton Borough Council: (the Afayor, Air Chrystall), Levin Borough Council (the Afayor, Air T. Hobson, and Cr. F. Cl. Roe), Horowhenua County Council (Crs. Harkuess and Ryder), Foxton Chamber of Commerce (Afessrs A. N. Smith, and T! W. Winstanley), Afarton Borough Council (Cr. R, T. Bush), and the Levin Chamber of Commerce (Mr P. W. Goldsmith). The deputation was introduced by Messrs J. Linklater, Field and Glenn, Al’sP.

Mr Linklater referred to the fact that the proposal had been before successive Governments for nearly forty years.

Ali- Field mentioned the salient features of the proposal as affecting a saving of 17 miles in the Main Trunk' railway between Mart on and Wellington, and fully an hour in time, as it) would cut out the grades between Palmerston N. and Afarton, .The shorter route was practically laid out by nature, being almost. level throughout. It was a deviation that must come in time, if a daylight service was to be introduced between Wellington and Auckland.: There was another deviation which would also save distance and time.

Air Massey: “Where is that?” Air- Field: “Somewhere about Afangaweka, I think. I am not certain.” .

Air Field referred also to the running of; the Napier traffic by way of the Wairarapa, which would remove many of” their difficulties in combating their opponents. The Palmerston N. public, he felt sure, would regret the deviation through Palmerston some day as hindering the development of tlie town. They did not ask for the Levin-Greatford deviation to be proceeded witli at once, but that ah adequate survey should be made.

Mi- \Y. Glenn, ALP., said that he had always been an advocate of the Levin-Greatford route, and he would always be opposed to spending a huge sum of money on the Palmerston N. deviation. The Pijime Alinistor should be quite familiar ■with the saving of time that would be effected. He was glad that Air Coates bad promised that the matter would be considered by the Railway Commissioners at present visiting tlie country.

Mr J. Chrystall said that they were strongly opposed to spoiling the present excellent railway facilities centrally situated in Palmerston if. by removing!'them outside the town. As for economic reasons for the Levih-Greatford deviation, the speaker suggested that six passenger trains and four goods trains should be run daily over the deviation, leaving Palmerston if. with six passenger trains each way. This was not leaving Palmerston in the lurch. \The speaker gave figures to show that'the annual surplus from the railway deviation would be £28,300, sufficient to pay interest at 5 per cent, on £566,000, covering the cost of construction. Other arguments were adduced to show that traffic would develop very greatly through the opening up of the country by the new line. There were prospects of ample returns. The speaker asked that a new survey be made ■ on- the Levin-Greatford line from the: ; 'viewpoints of national importance and economy, which, he contended, would be highly justified. Other-speakers voiced support of the proposal for the Levin-Great-ford .deviation. The argument was adduced of a considerable saving in the working of the Main Trunk railway and the consequent benefit of the whole of the Iforth Island. It was not suggested that a reduction in fares on a mileage basis should take place, for long-distance through passengers over the fines. Re-

forenco was made also |.o the‘natural course of Hawke’s Bay traffic through the Wairarnpn on the completion of the Rimntuka deviation, ft was felt that the Palmerston N. deviation would he a colossal blunder, as the necessity for any such work would be removed. One speaker stressed the point that at least two railway bridges were necessary over the Manawatu River for military purposes. Another speaker said that if the policy of Sir Julius Vogel had been followed out in its original plans for main trunk lines right through both Islands, (he country would have saved many millions of pounds. They should not make any more mistakes. The original line went from Levin via Foxton to Afarton, and the real deviation took place when the Wellington-Afanawatu Railway Company diverted the line to the existing centre at Palmerston N. PRIME MINISTER’S REPLY. Tn reply the Prime Afinisler Said that he had been over the country some years ago, and, no doubt, some day a railway would he made. At present the question was somewhat subjudiee. The Railway Commissioners now in the country would, no doubt, consider it in tlieir report. They were practical, level-headed men, who knew as much about, railways as anybodv else in the Empire. No doubt for many years to come their report would be criticised favourably or unfavourably, as the ease might he. “In the meantime,” said All- Alassey, “all we can do is to wait for the report of these gentlemen and do what is best under the circumstances.” A member: “What about the survey?” Ale Massey: “I ihink you will find that it is to be gone on with.” AIR. COATES SPEAKS OUT. The Minister of Railways said that he did not know that the Commissioners wonld be able to go over the ground. What; he would suggest to the deputation was that those concerned should reduce their arguments to writing and send a representative along to put it before the Commissioners. The difficulty was to provide for railway traffic. All railways in the world had natural centres, and Palmerston N. was one of these. They alluded to the additional expenditure there not being recouped. Personally, lie would say that it would show a handsome protii from the re-arrangements at Paljnerston X. The arguments of the deputation did not meet this aspect of the ease. Napier traffic had to come in somewhere and the shorter route was through Palmerston, which was the natural centre, geographically, of all that country. The.nnly alternative was Afarton, and tha t would mean a very undesirable re-.arrangement. The railway centre at Palmerston N. allowed a very free interchange of traffic, both passenger and freight for Wellington, Auckland, Wanganui, the Wairarapa, and Napier. These facts must be taken into consideration. “When you prepare your evidence,” he added, “you must deal with these points, for those are the very first the Commissioners will light upon. They will see in 12 seconds what the layman might, not see in 12 months.” Air Coates ended in a strong appeal for support for the railways in the,district in the carriage of freight . and this was cordially endorsed by the Prime Minister. Air Coates added, finally, that the deputation had t.o show a revenue for the.line of £47,000 a year —it would have to earn that, —before it could commend itself to the practical man. The deputation thanked the Prime Minister and Air Coates and withdrew.