RIMUTAKA DEVIATION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10243, 20 May 1911, Page 6

RIMUTAKA DEVIATION.

PETITION TO PARLIAMENT, The following petition, for presentation to Parliament, was approved at tlie meeting of the Masterton Chamber of Commerce on- Friday:— "To the Honourable the Speaker of the 'House of Representatives.— We beg to, place the following representations before your honourable House : 1. That reports of responsible officer® of itlhe Public Work® Department Made in 1899 show: (a) That deviations of the railway between Wellington ahdi Wairarapa could be constructed to avoid: (1) The "Fell Incline'' ; (2) The slbarp curve® and steep grades between the Upper Hutt and Summit at a cost of £300,000 to £400,000. (b) That the exfpemiSQs of the line be diminished iby the construction of isuch deviation to the extent of £12,000 to £13,000 per annum (equal to from 3 per cent, to 4 per cent, on the estimated cost), an id the mileage decreased by seven miles. 2. That the traffic on tjie line is 'bound to increase with the development of ithe 'Country, and tihiat the question of its partial construction will eventually have to be faced, i Since (the report of the Public Works' Department officers was made in 1899"' 1 tihe (bakings fram stations between i 'Paliiatua. and Orosis' Oeek has actually increased by 36 per. cent. in eleven years. 3. That the longer the work is postponed the greater will be its eventual cost. 4. That if ■ deviations were constructed the cost uf haulage from Wellington to Napier would be leas iby the Wairarapa than by the Manawatu route. 5. That in amy ease the increase in traffic from Wellington to the West Ooast and for the Main Tr.unk line may before long necessitate the transfer of th© Hawke's Bay traffic from the Man a-' watu to tjie WaJirarapa route. 6. That the proposed work would be not only of great /benefit to your petitioners. and to all the inhabitants of the districts immediately . affected, but to -the advantage of tihe Dominion -as a whole iby effecting a much needed improvement in an important section of the railway system of the North Island. And we pray that your Honourable House will fcake the necessary steps to test the foregoing representations and to take aotion accordingly."