RAILWAY DEVIATION

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 180, 1 July 1937, Page 2

RAILWAY DEVIATION

345 ‘P.M. EDITION

IN DEPARTMENT'S PROGRAMME

SUM OE JHOO.OOO MENTIONED

lii the course of an address at a function at Wairoa, last evening, the Minister of Hail ways (Eon. 1). G. Sullivan) reviewed railway operations and improvements in prospect during 1 the current financial year. The latter, the Minister said, include tire sum. of. £IOO,OOO for tire Palmerston Nortli deviation.

MORE TRAFFIC.

CAUSE OF EXPANSION. LARGE SUMS INVOLVED. Per Press Association. WAIROA, July I. ‘‘The work that the railways have been able to do tor the public of New Zealand during the last year is considerably greater than has been the case lor many years .and clearly shows that the public is realising to an increasing extent the many ways in which they can use their own great national transportation service lor travel and trade,” said the Minister of Railways (Hon. D. G. Sullivan) at a function at SVairoa last evening. Mr Sullivan said there were 21,233,428 passenger journeys, an increase of 87(1,904 on the number carried by train in the previous year, and the goods tonnage amounted to 0,813,240 tons, an increase of 624,430 upon the tonnage carried in the previous year. The indications so far for the present financial year were that this improvement would be continued. A good record had also been put up by the Railway Department’s road services, which during the financial year ended March 31 last had carried 4,3-50,316 passengers, an increase of 1.313,847 over the figures lor the previous year. Certain additional services were, of course taken over and

operated during the year by the de nartment.

These indications of improvement gave every encouragement to the Government in its railway development policy, said l\lr Suhivan, and furnished a further reason for adopting tile department’s £'3,000,000 programme of new works, renewals and replacements for the current financial year. Included in this programme were the following major works required for necessary improvements:— IN THE SOUTH ISLAND. Duplication of the line between liorotiu and JLkipak ura, to complete the duplication of the Aueklnnd-Frankton Junction section, £IBO.OOO. The Turakina-Okoia deviation. £IB.OOO.

The AVellington Station buildings and yard, £139,000. The Palmerston North deviation, £IOO,OOO. New waggons and improvements to existing waggon stock. £347.840. Provision of twelve multiple-unit coaches for the AA’ellington-Johnsonville line, £107.500.

Other large items of expenditure in which the North Island would participate included £IIO.OOO lor bridge strengthening and £21,000 for passenger cars, in addition to £90.000 tor locomotives, including 20 new Class 1\ engines for the North Island. I here were also renewals to cost £230,000 and an amount of £1 15.716 for workshops, buildings and plant.