CITY’S NORTHERN OUTLET

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 668, 21 May 1929, Page 1

CITY’S NORTHERN OUTLET

Urgency of Momingside Tinrnei DEPUTATION to railways minister r.E peak of competition between the railways and motor transport has not yet been reached, and the .Railway Department realises the very great importance of future transport in metropolitan areas,” said the Hon. W. B. Taverner, Minister of Railways, in reply to a large deputation that waited upon him today to ascertain his opinion on the Morningside deviation and the tunnel under the city.

The deputation consisted of representatives of the Northern and Suburban Highways and Railways League; the Karangahape Road Business Men's Promotion Society; the Bight Hon. J. G. Coates, Leader of the Opposition; and the following members of Parliament —J. S. Fletcher, H. (. j>. Mason, W. Parry. M. J. Savage, H. R. Jenktn, G. C. Munns, and A. Harris. In addition, there were representatives of numerous local bodies in areas which would be benefited by the deviation. The deputation was introduced by the Mayor, Mr. George Baildon. Mr. H. A. Robertson, secretary of the Northern and Suburban Highways und Railways League, said that in 1912 the league submitted to the Minister of Railways at that time the necessity of providing for the northern people some more direct route than the circuitous Newmarket one. The Auckland-Morningside deviation was suggested, and since that time the league had laboured to make the proposal a reality. In 1924 the scheme was included in the schedule of work submitted to the House by Mr. Coates, and it was set down for commencement in 1925. Three years before, the league had petitioned Parliament, and, as the result of investigations by the chief railway engineer, it was said that the Newmarket route to the North had reached its full capacity. Since that time the work had become more urgent owing to the opening of the Whangarei line. The deviation was necessary to save time and haulage waste, and to aid the city’s expansion. LATE GOVERNMENT’S POLICY Mr. Coates, in his capacity as member for Kaipara, said that when the late Government considered the question of northern and suburban transport, it had three proposals before it.

Finally these ■were reduced to the Newmarket scheme and the Morningside deviation and city tunnel, which was finally adopted at an estimated cost of £600,000.

The Newmarket route had been discarded because it was found impossible to work a fast service with it. The Railway Department came to the conclusion that it was impossible to increase the northern services, but consideration was given to the electrification of the Helensville and Pukekohe lines. It was thought that traffic would be increased if fast services could be run within a radius of from 20 to 30 miles from the city. He went on to say that the work on the deviation had been postponed because of the programme of expenditure. The pressure brought on the late Government was for the purpose of finding labour, and the assurauce was given that the work would start in 1929.

“There is no more important work in the country,’’ he said in conclusion, “and while many people submit to inconvenience at the present, they look forward to the time when they will be given

expeditious services.” Mr. J. A. C. Allum, chairman of the Auckland Transport Board; Mr. E. H. Potter, Mayor of Mount Eden; and Mr. M. J. Bennett, president of the Karangahape Road Business Men’s Society, also spoke. “I appreciate the necessity for an urgent decision,” said the Minister in reply, “and I won’t keep you waiting longer than necessary. However, I would not be doing my duty unless I had thorough investigations made to show the commercial basis of the proposals. “1 should add that further heavy capital expenditure is not lightly to be made except for the opening up of settlements.”