DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1791, 23 June 1906, Page 3

DISTRICT REQUIREMENTS

MR W. L. REES’ PROPOSALS.

MEETING OF LOCAL BODIES.

A joint oommittee of the County Coun oili Borough Council, and Harbor Board met yesterday afternoon for the purpose of meeting Mr W. L. Rees, and discussing with him proposals in regard to the '■arbor, local railways, and supply of jetal. Captain Tucker presidod, end in opanthe proceedings explained the objeot ie meeting. The most important ot, be said, was the construction of “ler harbor, but Mr Rees had other also to briDg forward. ... Rees said that ho had been working out proposals in regard to the ihreo subjeots mentioned, seeking to obtain all information he oould with the assistance of experts. It was apparent to the members of the three local bodies that the questions of an outer barbor, light railways, and an adequate supply of metal were matters of the utmost importance to the district. Be 1 considered it high time that united action was taken by the local bodies to seeure these. Hitherto thoy had been Boonstomed to go to Parliament for all they required, and bad not taken that independent notion which they should have done. They r. qulred local rai Ways, ami »ihe»e should he carried out through the -k/fnetruinentaliiy of the admimstratve 'bodies of the di-t ict Cm t nuing, Mr Rees faid th <t Without lunda nothing could i'O done, and therefore it would be necr ßr*ar y ro have a lncai Bill p -seed authori-ing a loan of £250,000, wb cb he o I,Bl '< red Would he -efficient f r thw 'k- pmpn-ed A • ar g uge railw-y Of 60 m.n , he i' ta o i qu red, wuulil ■ be built fur £120,000 This amount would fii i-h that work, and would leave £130,000 for « "a ‘o'. He p npos-d that - tn ai.te -mu ' >' COn t u 0 d half Way ' i„taeao Tn m to -ud th n-eseni hreak w e, ah U a 111 le -W y mm the latter. '"There was deep wator at this place, runw fllog from 15ft ta 45fft doptbi «ua

it was entirely froo from rooks. Thoro was a high cliff in tko vioinily from which material oould bo obtained. 1 A railway oould bo oonstruotod from tho groyno to tho wharves. Tho groat timber foroets of tho Motu and othor places formed a valuable assoti and would pay intorost and sinking fund on the loan throe times over. Tho oonstruo. tlon of tho light railway mentioned would onablo local bodies to obtain a plentiful supply of metal at a small oost. A railway put up in this distriot would go into a mine of wealth of timber, and well repay itsolf Inverting to harbor affairs, Mr Roes said that tho distriot was at present paying .£16,000 a yoar for lighterage and .£22,000 for rates. Without a looal railway, bo did not see bow they woro going to reaoh tho Motu and Tahora, nor oould they obtain motal without constructing a line to Patutahi and Waeronga-o-kuri. The whole scheme oould be finanood by the distriot, and was well within their moans. In conclusion, Mr Rees said that ha would bo pleased to answer any questions which woro pot to him. Tho throe looal bodies were deeply concerned in regard to each question, and the future of tho distriot presented a pleasing outlook. He hoped te see sub-oommittees appointed to carefully considor tbo proposals and report to a general meeting. Captain Tuokor said the present was the right time to thank Mr Roes for tho trouble and thought that be had given to tho several questions. Mr Rees had spread a banquet biforo them—suoh a banquet that they rtquired time to digest it. The harbor was a matter of vital importance, as the shipping was daily increasing. The public mind was muob agitated on tho matter, and something would have to be d.*no. So mo sohnuje

would have to be formuUt-d. Toov should go oarofully into all the proposals and endeavor to seooro the best. The Importance of tho timber’ industry was nkowißß apparent to everyone present, •md meant much to tho district. The same oould also be said of the metal ques tion. He thought the remarks pnt for ward by Mr Roes should bo oarefully thought ovor and a deoision arrived at AM they could do that afternoon was to heartily thank Mr Rees, dpferriDg further aotion for another meeting. Mr Matthews moved that tho County Chairman and the Mayor Bhould be a oommittee to arrange for further meeting-'. Mr Sievwright said ho was in sympathy with Mr Rees in rogard to the questions raised, but tho difficulty ho saw was how to finanoe it. He thought the chief hoads of tho proposals should be oarefully gone into, and was sure that a vast amount of good would result to the district.

Mr Matthews thought they should first Bffirrn the general principle without goiDg into details. He favored the Chairman’s proposal that they ehould have a later meeting, end go into tho questions. They oould havo a night set aside to disouss Mr Roes’ proposals. Ho seoonded Mr Mat-

thews' proposition. The Chairman said that all they had had from Mr Rees was a few preliminary remarks. They required to go into the subject at length, and afterwards set up oommittees.

Mr Hi Kenway said the soheme was of euoh magnitude that they required time

to digest it. The Mayor seconded the vote of thanks io Mr Rees. He thought the latter was io be complimented on the proposals sub-

mitted, but they were of rather too rosy a oharaoter. He did not think the works mentioned could be carried out for the amount stated.

The vote of thanks was carried unanimously, and the motion appointing the County Chairman and the Mayor to call a further meeting was also adopted. Mr Sievwright hoped the matters would not be allowed to drop.

The Mayor said the members present could depend upon being again called to gether at an early date, Mr Whinray suggested that advantage should be taken of the visit of Mr Marchant to obtain expert advice on the harbor. Mr Matthews said it was useless to go to an expert until they had all details to plaoe before him. The Mayor said that if the committee could arrive at anything definite they could consult Mr Marohant. Nothing would, however, be done without a meeting being called. Mr Rees asked that he might be allowed to prepare a memorandum of the three proposals, and have the same presented. This was agreed to, and the proceedings dosed.