THE TAUPO-TOTARA PETITION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1573, 17 October 1912, Page 6

THE TAUPO-TOTARA PETITION.

COMMITTEE'S REPORT.. The Special ■ Committee of the House of Representatives set up to inquire into tho petition of the Taupo-To'tara Timber Company for permission to' extend its light railway to take l T.iupo .was presented to the House yesterday by Mr. G. J. -Anderson, chairuutn'of the Committee, Following is the text of tho report:— Heview of tho Prayer. In their petition the company set but that they have a railway 50 miles long extending from Piitar'uru to Mofcai,, which tliev are ruhnfug under ah Order-in-Coun-cil "dated January 29, 1908, under the Tramway Act, ,1834, and which they wish to extend for another 20 miles to connect with the town of Taupo, at an estimated cost vif £50;0q0.' . ■ ■ ' . '■■■'• The company propose: (a)- That the Government should make a conditional contract for the purchase' of the completed tramway to Taupo at its value, not exceeding' tho bare cost of construction, and should pay the purchase money in instalments arising from.the sale of tho present unoccupied Croini lands and such •Native lands as the' Crown should acquire at present values; (b) that, in , consideration of the petitioning' company extending Ih'eir present Tine to '.'Taupo, tho Government should, by legislation, authorise/the petitioners to purchase by private' co'ntract ■an area of Jvative ; .lalha : .liot exceeding 200,000 acre, "on condition-that such aria is subdivided- aiid'eold in areas' not exceeding those prescribed bv the Nativo Laud Act, 1909; (c) that, if the first of the last-mentioned alternatives were adopted by .tho. Government, the petitioners wouldjentor' into a valid undertaking, 'properly' supported''by security to the satisfaction of the Government, to refund l any ! )Vui'chas l o l ) 'mbnev paid to tho petitioning 'company''for'tho edid' tramway line should the Government, ' at tho end of fifteen years, decide not to affirm and carry out tho purchaso of the line on tho ierms above-mentioned. The Objectors. Objections were received by your Committee to granting the prayer of tho petitioning company from- tho Rotorua Chamber of Commerce, several hapus of Maoris>j interested in the' land surrounding Lake Taupo, and from tho Wellington Trades and Labour Council. ■ These objections your Committee carefully considered, As to that of the Rotorua Chamber of Commerce, your Committee does not think that tho proposed extension of the'•cotapany's. line, and the purchase by. the .Government of the portion already, constructed, would affect Rotorua; nor . does your Committee think .tlrtt a railway, from '■ Rptorua to Taupo would, owing t6 "(he topography of tho country, materially' benefit tho district served by the company's tramway. Your. Committee dues not agree that tho exton- . Ei'onof the company's line would injuriously affect the, interests of the Natives.. As to the objections of tho Wellington Trades and Labour Council, these arc generally on the grounds that the council is opposed to tho salo of the freehold of Crown lands and of tho sale of the freehold of any Native. land in the Taupo district which tho Crown may acquire. As these objections to a large extent are matters of policy, your Committee make no comment upon them. Your Conimitteoconsiders that the company's present tramline will require improvement before'it will be suitable .for 'running passenger trains. The Findings. The findings.of the committee were as follow: — ~'■:,. (a) That your, committee docs.not .recommend tho Government to purchase -tho railway'in the manner and on tho terms suggested by the company. (b) That your coiiilnitteo does not recommend the. Government to grant tho prayer of the. petitioners to be,'allowed to purchase 200,000 acres, of Native land. (c) That your committee is of opinion that it. is desirable that inducements ' bo offered to settlers to occupy land in the vicinity of tho tramline and of Lake Taupo; ; to this end facilities for the economical, transit-of-manures and produce are necessary. .''■'" (d) Your committee recommends that an Order-in-Council be granted to the company to extend their line to Taupo; that the Government-guarantee the cost of such extension, not'exceeding, in tlio opinion of; your committee, ,£50,000, on adequate security aud on conditions securiug—(i) That.tho construction of tho permanent way is carried out to tho satisfaction of the . Government. (ii) That uniform freight and passenger rates over the-completed- system from Putnruru to Taupo are controlled in tho .public interest. And (iii) That tho Government liavo the right at any time to purchase tho line and plant in working order at a price not to exceed th<S actual cost of construction, such price to includo goodwill. Need for .Railway Communication. Mr. W. D. S. Macdouald (Bay of Plenty) said tho committee had gone into the matter very.exhaustively, calling all available evidence." lie was strongly of opinion that tho construction of a line would be a good thing for tho country. Dr. A. Newman (Wellington East) said the question of tho building of the lino was one of-the greatest importance to the country, and to tho provincial districts .Wellington. . It would bo • possible'to.construct a line from the Mnin Trunk line to Tnknnnu—a. distance of only twenty miles—which would open up very large areas of land in that district.

Mr. T. H... Diivey (Gliristclmrch Kast) said the question was too big to ask the House to vote \ipon it without some time for consideration.. Ho suggested thnt a day bo set apart for discussion of the ronort. ■•••.. ■ . 1 ■ The Hon. W. F. llassey (Prime Minister) said he was quite willing that an afternoon b»;set apart for discussion of the ronort. after the. evddcncc had been printed. Ho. added that he had already promised to visit the. district as Minister for Lands. ■'•.•■■ ' Tho dehate \vas adjourned on tho motion of tho Prime. Minister. HEALTH SECRETSI ~ ZOUTH Green"-Pille , 'Drivo away Uric Acid, neutralise, all rhoumatio acidity, by removing the offending matter from the systom. Blood is purified, kidneys relieved, joints, become Mipplo, there is a general freedom from pain. The new euro for Rheumatism, ■ Backache Kidiwy Troubles, etc. Store "price, is, W (60), No Cine. Money Returned.