A recording of radio coverage of the ceremony marking the opening of the new Wellington Railway Station in Bunny Street, Wellington. [Probably broadcast on station 2YA]
A band plays 'God Save the King'. An unidentified commentator notes the Governor-General is present, together with the Minister of Railways Hon. D.G. Sullivan and the Acting Prime Minister Hon. Peter Fraser.
Mr Sullivan begins the series of speeches, welcoming the Governor-General, the Acting Prime Minister, the Mayor of Wellington Mr T.C.A. Hislop and a 'vast assemblage of visitors.' He calls the new station 'a paradise for railwaymen'. He gives a history of the long planning and preparation for the new station, first mooted 30 years ago. It is the largest building ever erected in the Dominion.
He gives some statistics about the huge quantity of building supplies that went into its construction.
He gives a history of Wellington railway stations. The first opened in 1874, named Pipitea Station. In 1884 it closed and was replaced by Lambton Station. Another station at Thorndon was opened in 1886 by the Manawatū Railway Company and for the past 50 years the capital has had the inconvenience of two stations, instead of one central depot.
Further delays in building a new station were caused by the need for harbour reclamation work. The construction has been by the Fletcher Constuction Company. He notes electrification of the Johnsonville and Paekākāriki lines is to come, and along with the new Tawa Flat deviation, this will improve running time into the city. A big increase in suburban rail traffic is anticipated as a result.
Mr Sullivan outlines the facilities of the new station: including a hairdressing saloon and plunge bath, ladies waiting rooms and the most up-to-date nursery in New Zealand, staffed by a Plunket nurse and qualified kindergarten teacher to mind children while mothers go shopping.
Acting Prime Minister Peter Fraser then speaks in place of Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage who is in Britain. He congratulates all the bodies involved in the construction of the new station. He reaffirms his government's faith in the future of the railway system, and praises the way its workers have overcome the geographical challenges of New Zealand's landscape.
Mr Fraser says the transport question of the Dominion is not a simple one, but nothing could be more futile than senseless competition between the different forms of transport. As a citizen of Wellington, he says he feels a sense of pride in living in 'no mean city' and is pleased this important building has been erected here.
Mr T.C.A. Hislop, the Mayor of Wellington speaks next. He notes the new railway developments mean Tawa Flat will soon be as close to the centre of the city as Miramar - many new homes will soon be within 15 or 20 minutes of the centre of the city. He lists the recent developments in the city: the building of the Carillon, the Citizen's War Memorial, the National Museum and Art Gallery, the Prudential, Colonial Mutual and Government Insurance buildings and in the next few weeks the tender for the new Municipal Library will be accepted. Next Saturday at Rongotai the air service to Wellington from Auckland will open, carrying passengers between the cities in three hours. He notes in a few years the Centennial Exhibition will be opening at Rongotai to mark the 1940 Centennial of New Zealand.
Sir Alfred Ransom speaks, representing the Leader of the Opposition. He recalls 50 years ago travelling as an apprentice boy to Wellington from the Hutt Valley by rail. He says the new station is suited to a country with a population of five million, rather than the current 1.5 million, but he says it has been built with an eye to the future. He then talks about the need to increase the country's population and its primary production. He then talks about the cost of new station and the Tawa Flat Deviation and refers to the potential of developing tourism in New Zealand.
Mr C.H. Chapman, M.P. for Wellington North speaks and refers to the shabbiness of the previous railway stations which Wellingtonians have had to tolerate. He predicts the new building will serve the citizens of the Dominion as a whole for at least 100 years. He expresses a hope that in addition to public buildings, the government will turn its attention to building homes which New Zealanders can be proud of also.
The architect of the building Mr Gray Young presents a key to the station to His Excellency the Governor-General, who then speaks.
Viscount Galway outlines the features of the station which most impressed him on his tour of the new facilities. He congratulates all involved in the project, noting it has cost 339,000 pounds. He then moves to open the doors of the station with the ceremonial key and unveils the dedication stone, which the commentator describes.
The band plays "God Save the King". The radio commentator signs off, noting the station will be opened to the public that afternoon and inviting listeners in other centres to come and inspect the 'utility and beauty' of the station for themselves.
[A partial transcription and photographs of this event can be found in the July 1, 1937 issue of New Zealand Railways magazine http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Gov12_04Rail-t1-body-d3.html ]