THE PUMICE LANDS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1247, 2 October 1911, Page 4

THE PUMICE LANDS.

PROPOSED TAUPO LINE. FAVOURABLE EVIDENCE,

Further evidence regarding tho proposed extension of the Taupo Totara Timber Company's railway was taken on. Friday morning by tho special Parliamentary Committee appointed to investigate tho petition of the company. Thero were present:—Messrs. T. 11. Davpy (chairman), A. M. Myers, W. D. S. Macdonuld, D. H. Guthrit, E. Jscwman, If. J. Greenslade, and V. 11. lieed. The chairman received a telegram conveying a resolution of <1 meeting of residents of Putaruru last.' evening, commending the proposal for favourable consideration. A telegram received by Mr. Macdonuld. from the Taupo District Railway League, stated that tho league was of opinion that the company's land proposals were tho only practicable means of developing the pumice lands. A Farmer's Evidence. Edward Earlo Vaile, farmer, of Waiotapu, said ho owned a property of 53,000 acres, on which he had expended <£'10,000 in improvements and stock. He thought the Government should construct a railway from Rotorua to Taupo, which' would be assured of success by the tourist traffic, but., iii bis opinion, was unlikely that tho line would bo constructed within 'the next thirty years, amd since private enterprise was prepared to provide railway communication, it should be encouraged. He expressed disapproval of the.concession at present held by the company and. proposed that it ihould be cancelled and a fresh charter issued, providing that the company's tariff should, bo the same as that 011 the State railways, and giving tho State well defined rights of purchasing the undertaking. The company, might be given tho right to charge higher rates for a moderate term, say, five years. Ho had no objection to the company's land proposals. In. reply to Mr. Newman, the witness said'that with the • use of manure, he had obtained good crops of turnips and rapo on his farm, which was similar in character to the. lands that would bo served , by the company's intended railway. Proposed Roto'rua-Taupo Line. "I think the • line would do Rotorua a great deal of harm," said Mr. Vaile, in reply to Mr.' Guthrie. "If the Government desires to retain, tho tourist traffic it will eventually ■ have to construct a line from Eotorua to Taupo." Discussing the action of tho company in securing options over the tourist resorts, Mr. Vaile said the acquisition of the'hotels was of no-importance, but tho serious difficulty was that the company had sccured tho actual thermal areas. He had been farming the land for four years, and was convinced of its suitability for close settlement. The cost of opening the land for the first tim-s and sowing turnips with two hundred-weight of manure, would be £2 2s. fid. per acre. "The best railway to construct would bo from Rotorua to Taupo," said Mr. Vaile, m reply to the chairman. Examined by Mr. Dalziell, the witness said that from inquiries ho had made in Wellington he was convinced that the- Government had no intention _of building* a railroad through the district, and on tho principle that half a loaf was lietter than 110 bread, he supported tho company's proposition. Mr. Vaile explained to the chairman that ho had interviewed. Sir Joseph Ward, who informed liiin that there was absolutely no liopo of the Government starting a line from Rotorua within 15 or might be 20 years. Members cn both sides of. the. House expressed the Same opinion. • ' •'

Approval of the Schcme. William Lewis Luxford, of Hamilton, said he occupied SOOO acres. near Eotorua, and the company's proposition appealed to him very forcibly as a feasiblo means of effecting the occupation . of the vast Native lands in the district. It was only the difficulty of obtaining for-, tilisers that prevented a largo amount of development. . A railway was the only means of removing this handicap. His oxperieuec convinced hiiu that th'o pumico lands, if properly treated, would be in a measure productive. Th?re were thousands of people who' would be directly benefited by the extension of the line. Rather than being injured Kotorua would bo immensely bencnted by the provision of easy access to Taupo, for tho additional attraction would be followed by an increased tourist trauic, and it was unreasonable to suppose that tho majority of thoso who visited laupo would not also go to Rotorua. The witness informed Mr. Outline that he was'one of tho original directors of tho Taupo Timber Company. He estimated the present value of the lands concerned at from *s. 6d. to 10s. per nCrfi - . • , •, 11' A In the opinion of witness, the proposed line would be batter for the tourist traffic than the Rotorua-Taupo suggesMr. Dalziell: Ho had no objection whatever to the ownership of the tourist resorts by the company. ■ Tho. committee adjourned until Ihursday morning at 10.30, when Mr. \Y. C. Kensington, Under-Secretary for Lands, and Mr. Clifton, Mr. Aston, and Mr. Cockayne will be called.