RAILWAY CONFERENCE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 128, 10 May 1884, Page 2

RAILWAY CONFERENCE.

The Conference of the two Councils which had been called to discuss the proposed railway scheme took place in the County Chambers on Thursday night.

After His Worship the Mayor introduced the Borough Councillors the chairman said : I think the matter before us to-night is not a difficult one to discuss. The main question is as to whether the Borough Council is willing to allow the railway line to come through the Borough, and if they are, to suggest some route that will not interfere with public traffic on the streets and roads of the borough. For my own part I do not see that it is fatal to the railway scheme if the line cannot be taken down the main street of the Borough, as there are other ways through which it can come, but I should like to hear your views before going into the matter further. Whatever company take up the line they would have to take it through their own route. I may state that the capitalists have not responded as we thought they would, when we advertised for a company to construct the line. We have an offer from a man who is largely engaged in these works, asking for information, from a Mr. Ritso, who has been connected with the Turanga Rotorua railway. That offer is the only one that is really to the point. There are also two letters from contractors, who offer to construct the railway, but that is not what is required. I think no harm would be done for us to decide as to the line from the port to the town boundary. It would be a starting point for a company, who would undertake this work. On reading the discussions of the County Council on this question, I don’t think it is necessary to bring the line down Childers Road, because it could easily be brought down the Waikanae section, either this side or the other.

The Mayor—Do we understand that this is only a question as to the route on which the line is to-run.

The Chairman —Yes; we wish to have a clear understanding as to the route of the line.

The Mayor—l think it would be better for you to suggest a line; then it would rest with us to discuss it with you. Cr. Lewis—l think by reference to the minutes of the Borough Council meetings, it will be seen that this matter has been very fully discussed, and that the members were unanimous that the route should be the other side of the Waekanae. That was our conclusion.

The Chairman—lt is the general opinion that the route should be the other side of the Waikanae.

Cr. Johnson—l would ask whether it is settled that we will not go to another route. I think, as all the Councillors will see, that it is to the advantage of the town to have the line as near to the population as possible, to induce traffic, and if it goes to the Waikanae there is not much settlement there at present, and that alone would tend to reduce the results of the traffic. I should have thought that there was no objection to Childers Road, as there is not much traffic there, and it would have been nearer the main street of the town, and for the people to avail themselves of the traffic. Again, I think I noticed in the newspaper reports of the Borough Council’s discussions of this question, that they objected to steam power; the chief objection appeared to be that. Now, I think if steam power is carried on in the country, it is a sine qua non that it must be carried on in the town, for to make it horse-power afterwards in the town, would nullify the good effect of the railway. I would like tp ask t.ie Borough Council if they would not allow steam power this side of the Waikanae. That being decided, the question could be discussed in much narrower limits.

Cr. Ferris—ls it proposed that the terminus be the other side of the Waikanae also ? How would that effect a breakwater, which is to come in the far, far distance, and how would we get across the river. Cr. Johnson—And how would it effect the carting of goods to the other side ? I overlooked that before. I maintain that the cost of the transit of goods from the railway to the wharf would more than counterbalance for the easy transit by rail down from the country.

Cr. Lewis —We could get the goods across the river by a small outlay in the construction of a bridge, say where the present footbridge is. It could be made large enough for horse and cart traffic, and it would not be a very extensive work, because the extent it would have to go is very small. Cr. Ferris—How would you get across the river ? Cr. Lewis—By the bridge. Cr. Ferris—That would spoil the river. Cr. Lewis—lt depends on how far you come down with the terminus. The Chairman—How would this route suite : To start from the western end of Childers Road, and then across two or three sections, and got outside the town boundary altogether? [He explained this as he went, by a plan of the township before him.] Our Engineer’s proposal is that the line should come from the country to the end of Childers Road, then through the Education Reserve on the plan, and follow down till it strikes Kahutia street, and so on, till you get to that street at the back of Kennedy and Bennett’s store near the wharf. In that route there would only be one street interfered with. Cr. Johnson: —If it was the other side of the Waikanae passengers would think twice before coming by rail from the country, as they would have to walk a distance to get to the town again. The Chairman —This is not so bad as Napier or Auckland. The Mayor—The Auck’and railway is on the outskirts of the city, and it would be the f ime in this case if we were to bring the line down the other side of Waikanae.

Cr. Johnson—V> nat objection it. io the line coming down Gladstone road, Cr. Townley—lt would destroy the road. Or. Joyce—l don’t think the members of Borough * Council were very persistent in keepingthe line outside theßoroughboundary, the greatest objection was to it coming down the main stre3t. There were several|buggestions about it coming by the route your engineer proposes, and very little obstruction was thrown in the way of it. A resolution was carried that if the line was to come it should be brought along tM main South road. The Mayor—The resolution of the Borough Council was “That this Council would oppose such railway coming along Gladstone Road, or any other public road, except the main South Road.” The Chairman—Did that resolution include all the back streets, The Mayor—l think the back streets are looked upon as private roads. The oi / roads the Borough considered they had control over, was to the boundary of the Waikanae Block, such as Gladstone Road, Childers Road, Aberdeen Road, and Palmerston Road. The other roads have not been taken over by the Borough, and they have no control over them except that they are in the Borough. The Chaiiman—There is another way the railway could be brought, but that would not suit, that route would be down the Whataupoko Block to Wyllie’s Point. But that line would be far away from our purpose, as we want to get metal, and that route would put us far away from the quarry.

The Mayor—lf there is to be a tramway, no doubt we could see fit to let it go down the main streets. I don’t think we can object to the present plan. Cr. Johnson—What is the difference between a railway and a tramway ? The Mayor—They come under different Acts. This would be constructed under a guage, making it a railway. A tramway is under a different Act altogether. Cr. Johnson—lf the railway is made as we propose, it is illegal, because it is not counter sunk, if it is counter sunk there could be no objection to it. If it is counter sunk the Borough Council will agree to it. I thought it was steam power they objected to. Cr. Joyce—The great objection wasj down the main roads. Cr. Ferris—That would necessitate the terminus at Read’s Gate,

Cr. Johnson—lt would be impossible te buy the land through the town. The Chairman—l think the Borough have exercised discretion in not having this line on their main streets, as they have only three outlets to the town. If it comes to a heavy line of railway outside the town, and a light line inside, I don’t think that would do, as a company would not take it up as willingly as if running right down to the port. The County Council don’t intend to let this run on their roads, and I don’t think that we should ask to let it go on those of the Borough. The main point in having the line in Childers Road is this, there is a large Government reserve in it, which could be obtained for a station, goods shed, &c. The only point I should like to be clear upon is where the railway station shall be, whether at the Turanganui river or where. If the Borough Council can throw any light on the possibility of being able to carry the line aown one of their main streets to the Turanganui River, that would be good information for the Council. I may say that I am strongly of opinion that a railway is the first step to the harbor. We will never see a harbor till we get a railway. There are scores of men in the country districts who would grow other crops than they now do, if they could get the produce of them into town. I say the railway question is of more importance than a harbor at present , because, when we get a harbor, we shall be so pauperised that we will not be able to build a railway. In the proposed scheme, I hope that the line will pass adjacent to the only quarry in the district, where we can get metal to form our roads, once and for all, instead of frittering money away on them as we have been doing every year. I notice the expenditure on the road from Read’s gate to Kaiteratahi is £1,600 a year, whereas, if it was good metal, I don’t suppose it would cost us £5OO. What I should like to see decided to-night is, where the terminus of the railway shall be. Cr. Joyce—Has your Engineer suggested a place for it. The Chairman—No: Somewhere at the back of Kennedy and Bennett’s store, and the Turanganui Hotel, there is a little creek there. I would ask the Engineer what area would be required for the terminus. The Engineer—At least an acre or more. Cr. Johnson—Three acres.

The Chairman—l would ask Cr. Tucker if he can give us any information about the land outside the boundary, towards the wharf.

Cr. Tucker—The land there is mostly under lease, there are not two acres uhoccu* pied, and there is not sufficient land there for a terminus. The present lessees might be induced to extinguish their leases, but if that were done they would not have two acres.

Cr. Lewis—The objection is the steam power coming through the town. Gladstone Road was thought at first to be the best for steam, being the widest road, because it could be fenced off, but we could not do such a thing in the main road. We could not fence it in in Childers Road, as it was too narrow. Cr. Johnson—Why do you want to fence it in ? Cr. Lewis—l think the Railway’s Act says so. Cr, Johnson—No it does not. It cannot as they do the same thing in Wellington and Dunedin. Cr. Lewis—They are steam tramway?, Cr. Westrup—l think that we should have a terminus outside the town boundary, and a horse power tramway of the same guauge running through Gladstone Road. That would answer all their requirements for the present, and give a very great deal of confidence to people who want to travel up country. There is no reason why half a dozen horses should not pull half a dozen tons on the tramway. The Mayor—l am very glad to hear those remarks of Cr. Westrup’s, because I think that is the view of the Borough Council. I concur with Cr. Johnson that it would be impossible to carry the line along any other route but that of Gladstone or Childer’s roads. Steam power is the great objection, not only we object to it, but no doubt the ratepayers will also. A horse tram through the town would answer sufficiently, and if you are willing to carry on the system of a tram I am certain the Borough Council would meet your views. Cr. Johnson—l am glad to hear that, though I am certain of the impression that it would be better to take steam power the whole way to the wharf, in order to save expense of shifting and all that kind of thing, but as there is a great objection to it at the present time, I think it is the proper course to take, and may be got over by-and-bye. I will therefore support that. I think it would be out of the question to buy land in the town, and it would be impossible to take it round by the Waikanae, as that route is out of the way of population. The Chairman—After all gentlemen, I don’t think we can fix on a route to-night. That is not the intention of the council. We are inviting people to come and build a railway for us, and we want to have some information from the Borough Council as to the route. A company coming here may, or may not, say the horse tram is the cheapest and best from the town boundary, and they may have to cross your streets, and theßorough Council will have to decide whether they will allow level crossings over any of their streets. I think if we get a general expression from the Borough Council that no obstacle will be throwii in the way of crossing the streets, that it will meet the view’s of the County Council. Cr. Joyce—l see no objection to crossing the roads, as that portion of the town is not thickly populated. Tbe Mayor—l think we could have no possible objection to that, and it would be very unreasonable to do it.

The Chairman—l think we have got sufficient from the Borough Council to encourage us to advocate any one of the three lines, or to lay before any intending speculator in this matter. The difficulty has been removed by the Borough Council saying that there was no difficulty in allowing the proposed line to cross one or two of their streets, to get at a terminus at the port. I don’t think we can do more to-night, therefore, gentlemen, I must thank you on behalf of the County Councillors for your attendance here.