TAUPO RAILWAY SCHEME

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2280, 14 October 1914, Page 8

TAUPO RAILWAY SCHEME

A FAVOURABLE UEPOKT. The report of tho. Native Affairs Committee on the petition in regard to .the proposed extension of the Taupo railway was presented to tho House of Representatives yesterday. The'company asked for legislation to enable a rate or charge to be created iipoi? Native. European, and Crown land in the Taupo district, for the purpose of acquiring shares or stock in. a company to be formed for the purpose of acquiring tho proposed tramway between Mokai and Taupo. Tho report was as follows:—"The committee is of opinion tliat in view of the great area of unoccupied land suitable for settlement that will. be served by the . petitioners' tramway when extended to Taupo, and of the fact that the provisions of Local Railways Bill now before Parliament are inapplicable to the Taupo district, since tho land is unoccupied and at present unproductive, so that it is impossible to raise moneys thereon m the manner provided by the said Bill, it is desirable that special facilities such as those set out in the petition bo afforded to tho Native owners of the said land, enabling such land to aid in financing the extension, improvement,- and equipment of the said tramway, and that accordingly thecommitteo recommends that the petition, m so far as it relates to the Native lands concerned, be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. The committee is also of opinion that the petition should be referred to the Lands Committee, as lands other thau. Native lands are concerned."