The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, JUNE 26, 1903. OUR RAILWAY.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 926, 26 June 1903, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, JUNE 26, 1903. OUR RAILWAY.

A meeting of those interested in tfye resuscitation of the East Coast Railway League will be held in the County Council Chambers at 3 this afternoon, and it is to be hoped that there will be a large and representative attendance. There is no matter of such vital importance to Gisborne and the East Coast gene-

rally, ,as the speedy prosecution of the Karaka, Motu,. Opotiki railway, but unless the residents agitate, and with no uncertain voice, demand that

the line be pushed forward, there is a fear that it will not get beyond the Karaka'for-years to come. There is no reason why tho survey from Te Karaka should not be put in hand at once, • and the formation of. the next section gone on with as soon as the men are available. There seems to be a doubt in the minds of many people as to whether the line is to run to the Motu by way of Poututu or via Mangatu, and it is the duty of

the Government to at once decide

this question. We do not want to see a repetition o£ the unsatisfactory state of affairs that led up to the selection of the Gisborne railway station site, which was left until the morning Ministers arrived to take part in the ceremony of turning the first sod. The whole position is in a nutshell, and there is not much need for discussion at the meetings. What the district requires is for the railway to be pushed on to the Motu with 'all possible speed. The question of intersecting light lines is very important, but is subsidiary to that of getting the main line taken to the Motu, and thus made a most profitable line to work, justifying the Government on an actual cash basis in making further development. Indeed a line to the Motu would unloubtedly prove the most profitable

line in the colony. It has been given 'as an excuse for the quiescence of the Railway League that its work is finished. This must at once be set down as a fallacy ; the work of the League should not -he considered as complete until this district is connected by rail with North and South and those lines are being fed by a network of intersecting lines tapping the whole of this district, which has been more richly endowed by Nature than any other part of New Zealand For the present, however, the League should apply all its energies to assiduously fostering the extension of the main line to the Motu, and in this work they should seek the support of Mr Herries and the other Northern members of Parliament. It cannot be expected that the Government will take action without the subject being actively pressed upon their attention ; and not only the Railway League, but the Chamber of Commerce should follow this matter up with the power they can bring to bear on this subject. We hope the meetings held this afternoon and evening respectively will .result in new life being galvanised into both bodies in dealing with this important subject

NATIVE TRUST LANDS. Two petitions are in circulation amongst the Maoris of the district asking Parliament to remove two oi the three members oi the East Coast, Trust Board. The petition- I ers pray that their lands should be placed under the administration oi I the Maori Land Council. In con- I versation with a Times reporter yesterday, several representatives of I the Native owners of the blocks of land in question stated that the Maoris were alarmed at the time allowed by the Aet' Jor the realisation of I the properties—via., two years, slipping away and nothing oi a practical nature being achieved. The Act was passed in August last, and the Government took until March to make the appointments. In regard to the Paremata block in particular, they say that the Natives are quite willing to sell sufficient laud to pay off the Bank’s claim. In conversation with a member of the Board, our representative was informed that the Natives are to blame for the present delay. Although they have signed the agreement to part with tlie land, they have not signed the

transfer, and until this is done the Board cannot proceed with the realisation of the properties. Given a free hand, the Board could easily dispose of the properties so as to liquidate the Bank’s claims and leave a substantial margin for the Natives —hut unless full control oi the lands was given over there was not much chance' of the Board’s operations proving sucressful. It is a great pity chat at the outset differences should arise between the Native owners and the Board, and we hope that a satisfactory understanding will soon be arrived at.