TAUPO RAILWAY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1589, 5 November 1912, Page 10

TAUPO RAILWAY.

Prime minister interviewed,

NO LEGISLATION THIS SESSION.

_ Six Auckland members of Parliament interviewed the Prime Minister- (the Hon.W. F. Massfcy) last eveniiig, in rewrenco to the proposal of the Taupolotara Timber Company to extend it» light railway i'l'o/n M.okai to Lake Taupo.: im J- , A ' i ' oUil S fluted as spokesman, iho other members present were:-' Messrs. W. D. S. Macdonald, R. F. Bollard, J, Bradney, F.-Mander, and A. M, Myers. Mr. Young recalled the fact that the special Parliamentary Committee which recently reported on a petition by the laupo-Totara Company recommended the' Government to guarantee! the debentures' of the company to the amount of .£50,000 so that it might extend is line to Lake faupo. The deputation desired, Mr. louii- stated, that the Prime Minister should promote legislation, empowering the Government to guarantee these d?-' bentures. They did not desire that the Government should take this nctioa'unites proper securities were provided, and the interests of the public were properly safeguarded. What they wanted was that the debentures should be guaranteed if the Prime Minister was satisfied from 'his ■ perspnal inspection or from 'the reports of his responsible ofliccrs that it was desirable to dp so. .Unless legislative authority were taken, as suggested, nothing could be done for twelve months.

} Mr. A. M. Myers (Auckland East) endorsed what Mr. Young said, and express- ' ed the opinion that tie importance of > the matter would warrant the action Mr. i Young hud indicated. • Messrs. Macdonald, Bollard, Bradney, ■ and Mander also supported the request' 1 advanced'by Mr. Young, Mr. Massey : How many of you gentlemen arc familiar with the district? " . ■ Mr. Jfacdonald said that he could tell the Prim© Minister lots about the dis-. trict if he had time. , ' v:. Mr. Myers also said something about having visited the district ■ Hr. Massey said that. he. had. hoped fo receive advice from gentlemen familiar with the Taupo country. He continued that hb would convey the representations, of the deputation, to his colleagues in Cabinet, as he. was in duty bound to. do. Ho considered, however, that, this was not a matter which should be gone into hastily. It only be .entered Upon after proper inquiry. He had already indicated to th? House that he intended to visit the district as early as possiblo in 'the rec«sa. fie hoped that the Minister for Public Works would bo able to accompany him. At all events ho would be accompanied by experienced officers from the Lands Department, and possibly from the Public Works Department' as well. He would then be in a position to advise his colleagues as to what they should do. It had been said that nothing could bfe doiie for twelve months. This was not so. The House would, meet . in June, and from November to Juno was a period of seven months. If tho matter were reported on favourably legislation could bo 'introduced without loss of time after the House met in Juno ! next. "Personally,"' said the Prime" MiiK istor, "I am rather doubtful about tho proposal rpade by tho deputation. I don t think that any action should be : taken before Parliament lias had an opportunity of Considering the position as disclosed by the report which will be. made officially or otherwise alter I :hav.e' : ' visited the- district." Howevtr, he coil.-. tinUcd, he would submit the reprosenta- [ ijiona made to Cabinet, which would : meet on Wednesday morning. On that i day he hoped that the Reserves Disposal Bill; to which he assumed they had alluded, would be dealt with. At all ; events Cabinet would have plenty of time to deal with the matter. His own opinion was that Parliament should be ,consulted.