IMPORTANT SCHEIE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10617, 16 June 1920, Page 3

IMPORTANT SCHEIE

RAILWAY DEVIATION DETAILS OF PALMERSTON NORTH PROPOSALS. *Bv Telegraph-—Special to “Times/') PALMERSTON NORTH, June 15. At a nicciing of the Borough. Council to-night on tho question of the proposed railway deviation, details --were submitted by the Mayor (Mr J.-A. Nash,-M.P.) He explained that members of the council hud met Mr R. W. Me/illy (General Manager of the Railway Department) and discussed the mutter* Air MeVilly painted out that proposals had previously' been .made .for expending, «L±O,O(X). to provide for live years. Recently, however, the growth of Rainisracou North and district had been so great that the Railway Department had come to the conclusion that ft must provide an enlarged new site for the railway elation. At the present time the only area available at the railway yards was 27 acres, which was totally inadequate. The proposal was that the line should leave iho present route near Longburn and go in the vicinity of the Boundary road and connect with tho lino ou the northern side, eventually branching to AVaganui and Napier. The station would be on tho left side of Rangitikei street from t,h© -town and the goods sheds on the right hand side. The scheme would do away with the flag station at Terrace End and also do «way with all level crossings. There would be a flag station in the vicinity of Vogel street, near Terrace End. It was anticipated that the work would be accomplished in three years and would mean an up-to-date railway station and new requisite yards. It would dispense with level crossings, which were a menace to human life. One disadvantage was that the abattoirs would be a milo and a quarter further away and tho gas site also away from tho station. The department desired to get on Authorisation Bill through Parliament during tho coming session. .There was no reason why Longburn should not become an important suburb of Xhilmeiston under proposed arrangement. The plan submitted showed the proposed station on the Rangitikei line a Jittle over a mile from the square and slightly outside the boroughA letter was received from the General Manager of Railways stating that the only satisfactory solution of the difficulty would be the deviation of Die railway line near the Longburn Junction to the west Boundazv road and the construction of a new up-to-date station on the site approximately between Kairanga and Rangitikei roads. The .scheme would do away with all level • crossings as it would provide overbridges for road trafiic on tho main arterial loads leading into Palmerston North. During tho ?iast twenty years passenger traffic in Palmerston North had increased 300 per cent, outwards, live stock 600 per cent., timber traffic 400 per cent., othw goods 200 per cent., revenue 600 per cent, for tho same period the increases inwards were —Cattle 3£5 per cent., sheep 90 per cent., pigs 3*37 per cent., minerals 767 per cent., and other goods 273 per cent. Notwithstanding the war increase the last five years there had also been a considerable increase inthe namber of railway vehicles which had -been handled. Apart altogether from the consideration of local requirements it was imperatively necessary that tho accommodation nt bucli nn important sub-terminal railway station should be sufficient to provide for the ever-in-creasing volume of traffic between the various term iPi that ' liail *'to** pass through the station». Councillors unanimously supported the proposals and passed a resolution as follows—' r /'That the council supports the proposals of the Railway Department to remove the railway station to the north? ern part of the town, such proposal to include an up-to-date station and yards and flag .station in tho vicinity of Vogel street and bridge level crossings/ 1