WAIROA-WAIKOKOPU RAILWAY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1537, 19 August 1905, Page 3

WAIROA-WAIKOKOPU RAILWAY.

A MEETING IN WAIROA. “FINEST HARBOR IN THE WORLD." A oonferenoe of mombers of local bodies took plaoe at Wairoa laot week with • the view of initiating a movement in favor of constructing a railway from Wairoa to Waikokopu. Mr Healop urged that the river works be abandoned in favor of a railway to Waikokopu, where they could have a harbor for all time. Wairoa had been asleep, he aaid, and it was time she wakened up.

The chairman said the Government would not even give them a dooent road, and they would want that even if they had a railway. It wonld cost £2OOO to £BOOO a mile for a railway, and they needed every sixpence they had for roads. The work could only be carried out by goiog head over oa’s in debt. - Besides, two trains would 1 e enough to take the whole town away. The proposal was premature, though it must oome in time. Even if the railway wore made the heavy traifio would still go by boat. It would never pay to cart or even rail Wairoa wool to Waikokopu. The port would be very good for passengers and tourists. Tho line would not pay for years. Mr Tunks was a strong advocate of a railway to Waikokopu, which would be a work of great importance to the distriot, enriching and developing it. The railway would pay by developing the oonntry and brioging about closer settlement, which was much to be desired. He suggested that the County Oounoil should guarantee for the first year any shortage of interest on tho cost of construction, or else subsidise the work. He found that it was possible to build the line under the Tramways Act in localities where such lines would not be competing with a Government line. Mr McKinnon thought the importance of the subject called for a separate day for discussion. Mr Tunks read a telegram from Mr Gaddum, stating that all the preliminary work at Waikokopu had oeen done, and it was intended to proceed with the work to a satisfactory conclusion. They were awaiting plans frem Mr Napior Bell, and hod a satisfactory plant under offer. Mr Corkill was pleased to hear Mr Heslop’a arguments in favor of stirring up the people to move in the direction of progress, though he had not made it very olear how Wairoa could benefit at present by the construction of the railway. Waikokopu harbor was not yet constructed, and till it proved to be a sure and safe port they should wait.' If there was a port there, no doubt the railway would pay. But what were the facts as regarded the prospects of Waikokopu being a port in the near future ? The people of Nubaka could not borrow enough on the available rating area to construct a harbor, and they could not do it unless all the oouDty went in with them. It was true the people who would be served by Waikokopu harbor had agreed to rate themselves for £12,000, but they had not yet got the money, and would not get it unless ail the oonnty was taken in. If the promoters of the railway could persuade Wairoa people to do that, they might get the port and the railway too. Mr Britnell was against the idea of a railway, as far as serving Wairoa, and he wonld he till he found the river a failure. The proposed line would run on a level route, and on the seaboard, a thing that the Government did not generally approve of. If there was to bB a railway, lot it be run to Opoiti and through some of the rich back oonntry to join, say, Gisborne, but not along a flat to Waikokopu to end nowhere. It would be better to go in for a good road and a motor oar service. He was not prepared to go in for a railway, which would cost at least £IOO,OOO. As to looking to the Government, why they would not even give a few thousands to make a road. Toe Wairoa river would be all right yet, and he for one had not lost faith in it. [Mr Corkill: Hear, hear.] It was true a few thousands had been spent and lost, bat they had gained experience, and be felt the entranoe could be made fairly good yet. He would like to see the County Counoil go io foe a vigorous metalling policy. He.observed tbay were going in for a deviation on the Wairoa-Tuhara road to straighten it, and if they had ten years ago gone in for a metalled road,they would how be able to run petrol oars to Waikokopu. In tho baok districts of America these cars werp taking the plaoe of tho railways. Mr Davey said he would not object even to a balloon service—(laughter)—-if it took him in and out of Wairoa when be desired. He differed with the chairman as to his remarks that when the river was good no stuff would bo carried by the railway. There was no place in New Zealand where they had to pay so heavily for freightage than in the Wniroo-Napier trade. By Waikokopu wool could be curried for 4s a bale leas than by Wairoa and Napior, for the big boats of the Tyser line would lie og and take it. People laughed .at Wanganui eypootiDg this to be done, but the time cnip,e fyhpn it was done. Wairoa was asleep, and Napior was reaping the benefit of the ,trade. Tho Wairoa river was not now as good 9.J it was 40 years a g o • #nd they could not deny that artificial harbors spore a failure. Let them now set to and devfse sonje scheme for 9, port and railway, bo that the people could travel to a time table., The Chairman Did Mr Davey ipean j to say tbp,t supposing the railway wore built tomorrow they could train wool to Waikokopu and ship it to Napier at less cost than by Wairoa, or did he mean that any of the largo Btoamers would call at Waikokopu. Mr Davey : Hundreds oi them. Mr J. H. Brown : And the Baitio fleet, (daughter.) 1 Mr Davey : Wool could be taken away at half tho ooet of the Tangaroa freight, but it would not go to Napipr at all. Mr Brown : The question vpas: Shall tbo river be abapdonpd— [Mr Cprkil] } “ No.” |—or were they to go in for a railway to a sure port—the finest harbor in the world ? The town poople thought Waikokopu would ruin Wairoa, but did Lyttelton ruin Christchurch ? It would be hotter to havo a good harbor there than nope here. Wairoa was the very worst landing place in the world, excopt, perhaps, Joppa, that he had been in. He would ask the townspeople to "chuck” the Wairoa river. (Laughter.) Messrs Britnell and Corkill both reitera-

ted their former opinioo that they were against a railway till Waikokopu was an accomplished faot and the Wairoa river had proved a failure. Mr Tunks asked if Mr Britnoll wanted to waif 100 years to prove it. Mr Britnell i It ifl'ght be proved in less than five years. Mr Brown moved that the Wairoa river be - abandoned as an entrance, and that the’money be spent on a railway to Waikokopu. No seconder was forthcoming, Mr Brown then moved that the County Council make a railway to Waikokopu.—

No seconder, ...... 4 The ebairmau said be oonsidejred there should be a special day set apart for a conference, and not on a Council mepting Brown said he was prepared, with the help of a syndicate, to bnild a railway to Waikokopu if the County Council would give the land for the line and give him a 35 years’lease.

Mr Parker considered it would bo useless to make the railway till the port was there; thou would bo tho time .to move. Mr Davoy admitted this was tho most Bonsiblo view to take. Mossrs Britnoli and Oorkill, in retiring, said thoy would bo pleased at any timo to moot tho Council in oonforonoo on too same subjoot. The oonforenoo then broke up.

A tho close of tho Counoil mooting Mr Brown handed in to tho chairman a written oilor to build the railway on tho terms stated by him. —Guardian.