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RAILWAY. CONSTRUCTION,.
BELWNT TO BURSWOOD.
PROPOSED LOOP LINE.
A deputation,. consisting of Messrs.
J. L. Donaldson., W. M. Wood, W.
Handel, J. P. Northey, Duncan and
Hiscox, representing, the Belmont
Roads Board and ratepayers of Bel
mont, waited upon the Minister for
Railways yesterday morning to urge
upon him the' desirability of construct
ing a loop-line, between Belmont Ind
Burswood. The deputation was in
troduced by Mr.. W. B. Gordont
M.L.A.
" Mr. Gordon said t'hat in placing the
request for an exteiiL of the line
from Belmont to Burs\vwod before the
Minister. he wished to 'point out that
the district was congenial' to the set
tlement of working men an the land,
owing to tha richness of t\'le soil. It
was handy to Perth; but tile present
railnay accommodation would not per
mit of settlement to any exten.t. There
was a duplicate line running from
Guildford to the Belmont racec'ourse.
It would not cost much to take up the
duplication, add it- to the end of the
line, and continue it on to Burswood.
This would mako'a circula& line, and i'n
race days, instead of the race tiain'
being hampered by shunting and cross
ing at the terminus,-each traiix could.
continue on and run round the loop.
This scheme would give a ,favourable
service to the settlers of Belmont. An
other aspect of the question was that
there were ligitimato demands for a
bridge for vehicular traffic in the
neighbourhood of Belmont. He thought
the present railway bridges with one
line taken up, would be wide enough
to allow vehicular traffic to pass side
by side with the railway. There would
be. no more danger in connection .with
this than with trams going over .the
causeway. The 'sbiemo was cheap .
it was practicable, and if carried oflt
would serve a large number of people.
A deal of the land was of a" clayey
nature, while at the back of Belmont
there were swamps well suited: for
gardening.
Mr. Donaldson said there were about
1,000 people resident in the district, of
whoin 95 per cent. were compelled to
have a horse and trap. bn account 'of'
the lack. of train service, though the
place was only four miles from Perth.
The railway line had been surveyed and
platforms marked out. Such ascheme/
would relieve the Perth yards of a lot
of traffic. At the present time all the
Collie coil and timber for the Midland
had to cross two bridges, and "go 20
miles further rund to reach its destin
ation. Quite a number of men 'had
been killed in the Perth yards' as a
result of handling this material. All
the land in Belmont had been sold but
scarcely a working man could'live.there.
Mr .Baker-pointed -out that 'if-the
construction of the line was delayed
the difficulty of securing the land along
the route would be increased.
The Minister for Railways, in reply,
said that two' good points had been
raised, one,. the, question i'of providing
means for further suburban settlement,
and '.ecoidly,' the. advantages, that
tould accrue to the Railway. Depart
ment by having a loop line. In the,
first place, the question, of enabling
working men to obtain' larger areas of
ground within a reasonable distance of
Perth was one that the Government
would favourably consider. He knew
the district well. and knew that it was
suitable for utilisation as suburban
areas.. The second consideration was
a very important one, that of having a
loop line. He did not propose giving a
definite answer that day, but as soon
as the Commissioner for Railways re
turned, the whole question would, be
taken into consideration, and after
wards lie would take a trip through,the
district with the Commissioner and the
member for the electorate. A thorough
examination would be made," and the
whole matter submitted to Cabinet,
after which. they .would Pe advised
whether - the- request would be carried
out or not. .He hoped to be able to
give them a definite reply in tUsecourse
of a month or two.
$