TAUPO TIMBER RESERVES.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 992, 11 September 1903, Page 4

TAUPO TIMBER RESERVES.

Mr Murdoch. McLean, of the firm of Messrs John McLean and Sons, contractors, who has just returned' from a business visit to the Taupo timber forests, was interviewed by a representative of the Auckland Herald on Monday in connection with operations- of the Totara Timber Company, the capital,of which has been subscribed for the most part in “Wellington. Mr McLean stated that his company was constructing a 50-mile tramway line from the Totara Company’s mill, near Waipapa, to Putaruru, on the Auckland-liotorua line. The company is operating on from 500 million to 000 million feet of timber, largely totara, hut consisting also of rimu and. matai. The former wood, as is generally known, is admirably suitable for railway sleepers and bridges, and for all works requiring the timber to be resisted to the attacks of the toredo navalis. “ Is the mill in full working order already ? ” Mr McLean was asked. “ There are about 70 men at work under the manager, Mr W. L. Luxford,” was the reply. “At present they are cutting sleepers for our contract, for we shall require 4,000,000 ft for this work, and about 1,000,000 ft for bridges. There will jbe a bridge across the Waikato, below Atiamuri, which will cost £3000.”

“Are there any,serious engineering difficulties to be encountered in building the line ? ” “Oh, no. We must bridge the Waikato a few miles below Atiamuri. We start, however, at Mokai, about 1800 ft above sea level, then we come to the Waikato, 14 miles distant, and the line rises again to the Whawha saddle of the Maungaiti range, and finally crosses the Tokoroa Plains, which is very easy country, to the Putaruru junction. We expect to get through with the work in 12 months. The sleepers will shortly beiturned out at the rate of 250,000 ft a month. The Totara Company propose putting up a big mill 'at the crossing of the Waikato below Atiamuri. Then the mill staff will be increased, but at present McLean and Sons employ a number of men on the contract, and they have room for more really good navvies. Thepnill employes already between 60 and 70 men. We have 11 miles of the track completed. At present wooden rails are laid, but negotiations are in progress to lay steel rails. The Totara Company holds a very large block of country, a portion of which is leased from Maoris.”

“ Will the line, when completed, serve the purposes of prospective settlers and tourists ? ” “ It will provide access to Atiamuri a good fishing district, and probably later on wifi reach Lake Taupo : but the line passes through some of the most desofate country I have ever seen. lam not able to say whether the line will be used ultimately for any other purposes than those for which it is constructed, namely, establishing connection between the mill and the railway to Auckland and elsewhere.”