PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

Shannon News, 14 February 1922, Page 1

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

MR. EDWARD NEWMAN’S

SPEECH.

CRITICISM OF PALMERSTON

DEVIATION,

LEVIN-GREATFORD LINK A NATIONAL WORK.

1 Speaking in the House on the ] Public Works Statement, Mr Ed. i / Newman (Manawatu) said: —

“I wish to join the hon. member who has just sat down in congratulating the Minister on the work which he has done. It is particularly gratifying to. those who, like myself, were members of the Government when the hon. gentleman was in the Cabinet some years ago, to be able to say that he has been steadily gaining the confidence of hon. members, of the country, and of the ' public service from then until now. I congratu late him on the work he has done, and I hope as one of the senior members I may be permitted to do so. I wish to say that I jthink the hon. gentleman who has jifet spoken would have done just as well to avoid introducing the question of North versus South Island. It is perfectly futile in New Zealand to compare Die expenditure on the North and South. We are one country, and it is a waste of time to compare the two Islands. It must be remembered that the railways of the South cost very much less for the construction of the lines, and so, when the question of returns is considered, when the matter comes to be worked out in figures, it might have a different aspect. The lines of, the South will very likely pay. much better when the harvest comes in. As a matter of fact, I noticed that the Sbufk' Island men seem to realise that a much larger expenditure is now required for the North Island than for the South, and I have never seen them oppose any vote for the North. I should like to say that I agree with the hon. member with regard to roads. There is no doubt that before very long motor traffic is going to lake the place of branch railways to a large extent in New Zealand. While in long journeys 1 suppose the steel rails will still prove the cheaper

[ means of transit, still I fancy that the development of motor traffic, with - anything like good roads, will render unnecessary the construction of a number of light or branch lines in New Zealand. Good roads so that motor traffic can feed the trunk lines is recognised now. I think it a very proper way in which to expend public money. I hope the Government will proceed with the formation of good roads leading to the main trunk lines as much as possible in the North Island, -where they are badly wanted. But I want to take this opportunity, Mr Speaker, of referring to a subject which at first sight might appear to some extent to be, although it is not really so, a local one. This subject has already been before the House this session, and that is the proposed expenditure of a large sum of money in Palmerston North on the railway station and works. I notice that on page 8 of the Railway Statement it says that these works should be immediately undertaken — that-is, the deviation and the new station at Palmerston North. I hope those members representing the South Island, will bear in mind that this is a question which should be looked at from a national point of view, and not from a local standpoint. So far as I am personally concerned, I wish to assure members that I have no object in view, except to lay the facts before the House in order that they may realise that it is a question which is worthy of careful consideration. It involves the expenditure of a very large sum of money, but how much it is difficult to say—somewhere in the vicinity of £BOO,OOO or £1,000,000. I am sorry that when the matter was dealt with on the Estimates I was unavoidably absent, and it is for that reason that I now desire to state my views on the subject. When the matter was first brought up some time ago, it was realised that ■ it was absolutely necessary that a i large sum of money should be spent at Palmerston North to cope with the congestion of the traffic there,

iirnl it was also mentioned freely that there was a possibility that at no very distant date the main line from Paekakariki to Palmerston IST. would have to be duplicated in part, if not in whole. At that time certain people in the district, myself among - the number, thought the question of the deviation and shorting of the line should come up for eo'hsideration. The Prime Minister was approached on the subject, and after the facts .were laid before him he consented to appoint a Commission to inquire into the whole matter. I wish’ to refer to the report of the Commission, but before doing so I should like to make it perfectly clear that I fully realise the necessity for the expenditure of a large sum of money at Palmerston North. Anyone who knows the district must realise the enormous increase in the traffic in and out and through Palmerston •N. that has taken place of late years, and there is an urgent necessity from a railway point of view of providing facilities so f.hat the traffic can be pro- . perly handled. Palmerston North must always be a large and very important railway centre, increasing in importance as time goes on. I wish to sav that personally I am. almost as much* interested .in the development of Palmerston North as my h'on. friend, the member for Palmerston North. Although he repre? seats the town, my district goes right up to the boundary, and looking at it from a political point of view my electorate is just divided on the subject, one half being in favour of the new station being constructed at Palmerston North. So far as I am concerned, there are no politics in the matter. lam dealing with the matter from a national [joint of view only. With regard to the report of the Commission, I wish to refer to certain portions. The Commission consisted of three

gentlemen, namely Messrs Hannay,

Marehbanks and Miles. I have no desire to criticise the personnel of the Commission, and it would be very improper for me to do so, seeing that those gentlemen are not here to answer for themselves, but in speaking recently the Prime Minister referred to the report as being from three railway experts. Well, I have not the pleasure of knowing either Mr Marehbanks or Mr Hannav, except perhaps very superficially, but I am confident that Mr Miies could not by any flight of the imagination be described as a railway expert, would he claim to he such. Although lam pleased to admit that he is a very successful and highly respected business gentleman in Wellington, still he is in no sense a railway expert. However, the c|uestions submitted to those

gentlemen were as follows: —(1) Whether the facilities now existing at Palmerston North for the conduct of the business of the Government Railways Department are sufficient and suitable for that purpose; (2) If such facilities are not sufficient or are not suitable for such purpose, what alterations therein (whether in respect of situati-

on or otherwise howsoever) are necessary and desirable and best adapted to enable the business of the said Department to be carried on with the greatest degree of safety, efficiency, economy and convenience; (3) Whether it is desirable and expedient and warranted in and

by the public interest that any deviation of the Wellington-New Plymouth railway should be made between Paekakariki and Marton; and if so, between what points such viation should be made. I may say that this last clause was only put in

after some representations had been made to the Premier by myself and other members of the House. Now, turning to the report, on page 4, they say: “In the course of the inquiry two schemes for providing the necessary facilities on other sites were submitted Ip us. The first was that proposed by the Railway De-

partment. This involves a tlevuition of the present line, commencing at or about Longburn station, running thence as shown in plan No. 26453 attached hereto, and rejoining the present main line at about the 91-2 mile peg (between Terrace End and Bunnythorpe stations). Under this proposal the location of the railway station would be on the northern side of Boundary Road, in the vicinity of Rangitikei Road. The other scheme was that submitted bv or on behalf of those who were op-

posed to that propounded by the Railway Department. Under this second scheme it was proposed to , retain the present route through Palmerston North, and to construct a new station and yards on a site between the present location and Awapuni station, as shown on the sketch plan produced in evidence by Mr J. E. Fulton. (See appendix “I”).. We have carefully considered these schemes, and the evidence given in respect thereof, and after mature consideration we have come to the conclusion that the first,

namely, that submitted by the Railway Department, should be adopted.’ “Those are the two questions which the report so far dealt with. The only reference to the third question submitted to the Commission is dealt with on page 6 It reads : ‘ln regard to the third question submitted to us, namely, whether it is

desirable and expedient and warranted in and by the public interest that any deviation of the Welling-ton-New Plymouth railway should be made between Paekakariki and Marton, and, if so, between what points such deviation should be made, wo have'to inform Your Excellency that the only such deviation suggested to us‘was one from Levin to Marton, via Foxton, Sanson and Bulls. It was, however, admitted by those who represented this matter to us that the work was not

one which could be expected to be.' undertaken in Hie immediate future, and in this we concur. We arc of opinion, therefore, that it is not de-

sirable or expedient or warranted in or by the public interest that any deviation of the Wellington-New Plymouth railway” should be made at present between Paekakariki and : Marton.’ 1

“Now, Sir, I venture to submit that a weaker reason for a decision was never presented in a Royal Commission’s report. It is perfectly obvious from their own report that these gentlemen considered two of the questions submitted to them, but the third question (her practically admit they did not inquire into; and they base their decision on a casual remark made by 1 someone to the effect that the work

should not be undertaken in the immediate future. I wish to point out that this decision was reached without any recent survey of the proposed route being made, and therefore without any sufficient data being provided. The Commissioners made up their minds from what they saw, after motoring along the Foxton-Levin road, and decided apparently that the question of the

deviation which would save 16 or 17 miles in the main line from Wellington to Auckland time, could be condemned without any further enquiry, without even a survey being made. Did any reasonable person ever conceive such an absurdity in the way of a report ? Of course, they were not in a position to determine the cost of the deviation. As

a matter of fact, it appears that the question of cost was never considered, and did nqt enter into the question when prepared their report. 1 have no definite information as to what the cost of the new Palmerston N. station and works will be, but what I contend is that no private firm, no private individual, would dream of undertaking a work of this sort without inquiring into all the alternative schemes laid before them. One of these suggestions was that the line should be deviated at a certain point (Levin), and should proceed by a direct route, by which a distance of 17 miles on level country would be saved for all time. The Commission did not think it necessary to inquire into this pro-

posal. They practically admit that in thqjr report, and I therefore contend that it is the duty of the. Government, in the public interest, not to commit the country to expenditure on the work, which may cost a million of money, until they have inquired more fully into the whole question. It is admitted that some work must be done to deal with the traffic at Palmerston North at once; that work should be proceeded with forthwith. I understand that the late General Manager, Mr ‘Hiley, stated that £40,000 spent at Palmerston North would do what was required, hut it; might cost double that amount. But eyen so, it would be better to do that than to commit the country to the expenditure of an infinitely larger sum. Under no circumstances should the country be committed to this work until a sur-

vey is made and an estimate prepared showing’ the cost of the LevinMarton deviation, including bridges, etc. Mr Hiley stated that before very long the line would have to be # duplicated. When the question of duplication comes up, surely the question of shortening the distance

should it Iso be considered. It will be in the public interest that this expenditure should be held up until the Government have had time to make full inquiries into the cost of

each of the three alternative schemes. I believe that this a very unsatisfactory report for a Royal. Commission. It could not be otherwise, because the Commissioners had not sufficient data to go on, and evidently did not deem data necessary, bearing in mind the importance of the subject, in my judgment it would be very unwise indeed for the Government to commit the country to the scheme j

which the Commission recommends, j As I. have said, this is a matter I which interests the whole of the Dominion; it is not a question which affects my electorate, or that of any other member only. It is not a local matter at all; it is a national question, and I sincerely hope that every lion, member will interest himself in the subject and look into it for himself. If lion, members do that they will, I feel sure, agree with what I have said, that it is only

businesslike to inquire into the question of the cost of the deviation of three proposals before the country' is committed to the expenditure of such a very large sum as has been mentioned in connection with the work at Palmerston N*.

“I desire to repeat that steps must be taken to deal with the congestion at Palmerston North now, and I hope the Government will take the matter in hand at once. I trust they will do it as soon as possible, because the present, state of things is dangerous to life, and does not allow‘the Department to deal properly with the traffic. My view

is, Sir, that further inquiry should be made, that properly qualified officers should be appointed to survey the proposed route, and then, after all the data has been secured and information provided, and it is possible to calculate the cost of each scheme, the Government should decide which is the best way to deal with the traffic, which must for years go on increasing between Wellington and Auckland,”