THE RAILWAY DEVIATION.

Shannon News, 22 August 1924, Page 4

THE RAILWAY DEVIATION.

A POLICY QUESTION. .lu regard to the • discussion in Parliament arising from .the question addressed to 4-he Minister of Railways by Mr W. H. Field, M.P., the President of the Levin Chamber of Commerce points out that the Railway Commission (Messrs -Marchbanks, Hannay, and Miles), of three years hack, was concerned principally with the question of the railway facilities at Palmerston North, and consideration of'tihe desirability of the LevinMarton deviation was more or less incidental, being raised .in connection with the third clause added to' the order of reference as originally drafted, viz., "Whether it is desirable and expedient and warranted in and by the public interest that any deviation should he made between Paekakariki and Marton; and if so between what paints." That the question did not receive the undivided attention its .importance in relation to the North Island railway system merits*, is obvious, and a complete report and survey 6f the route is essential. The member for Palmerston North has mentioned one million pounds ithe figure approximated in regard to the proposed deviation at palmerston North) as the cost of the Levin-Marton proposition, whereas, having regard to six miles (Foxton-Himitangi) of the Foxton.Palmerston North line being available, not to mention any prospective bargain as to the Foxton-,San-son tramway formation, the 30 miles of construction at £15,000 per mile 1( would not exceed £450,000. Apart from service rendered to the fertile area concerned, the expenditure would be well warranted by reason of ilhe saving! in time, and running expense on the Wellington-Auckland and Wel-lington-New Plymouth journeys, and incidentally obviate the contemplated expenditure of a larger sum at Palmerston North—entitled of course to tlie Hiley estimated outlay of from £40,000 to £BO,OOO. The advent of the main highway has no bearing upon the subject other than may be common to railway facilities in general. Crossing the Levin-Marton-Palmerston, triangle by means of the deviation' will be an increased -rather tfhan decreased competitive necessity in consequence of road transport speeding-up. It is admitted that it is a national more . than a parochial necessity.