TRAMS FOR MOTU AND MATAWAI.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2145, 21 March 1908, Page 3

TRAMS FOR MOTU AND MATAWAI.

A HUGE PROPOSAL

DISCUSSED BY COUNTY COUNCIL

CONSIDERATION POSTPONED

At the mooting of the Cook County Council held yesterday, the following letter was read from Mr. W• f LRees, who is interested in the Motu and Mntawni districts, so as to connect with the railway:—

‘T hereby make application to you for the right to lay down a private tramway upon the Oountv road from file Waikohu railway station to tho Motu bridge, with cross tramway lines from Rakaurou. to the forest reserve at Mangataperc, and tlionco along the Koranga creek, tlionco along tho Motu Valloy road to the Matawai station, then back from the Motu Valley road along tho Koranga creek to the junction of tho Government road with the Koranga crook, from tlionco along the road to Mr. Adair a section, there joining tho tramway on the Motu Valley road to Matawai. I forward herewith ’'lans of tho roads over which I require this license. “I propose to lay the tramway upon the public road wherever it can be so laid without causing -inconvenience or interfering with the ordinary traffic thereon. At every point wliero the tramway must leavo the present road I propose to mako a fresh route for tho tramway through tho adjacent lands, and if the owners of such lands decline to give oermission for the construction of tho tramway I shall ask tho Council to take the necessary land under the Public Works Act, and I will undertake to pay tho compensation to bo fixed therefor. “You will observe that my proposals will, if carried into effect, not merely forestall tho railway to tho Motu, but will connect tho wliolo of that country down to the Koranga stream with the railway now in course of construction, thus affording tho means for the carriage of timber from tho Taliora and Mot.u districts to Gisborne, and a practicable and certain method of transit both of passengers and goods for all those settlers who choose to join in tfie construction of tho tramway and to participate in its benefits. “Having already obtained very’ ©xtensive rights over timber lands, and being in negotiation for other very large and valuable timber forests, I am warranted in undertaking to commence this series of tramways within six months and their completion within two years. “My proposals- are not restricted to tho sole purpose of the carriage of timber, but they include the providing of facilities for settlers m the improvement of their properties and in tho general development of that part of the county.. “When within the two years abovementioned the series of tramways proposed is completed, I ask that tho Council will grant me a new or fresh license for a period of five years, during which I will undertake to construct a tramway under the Tramways Act in the name and -as the- property of the Cook County Council in accordance with the second schedule of ‘The Tramways Act, 1594,’ on the solo condition that the Council will grant me a lease of such tramway (built at my cost -and expense, but under tho supervision of tho Government Departments and of the County Engineer) for a period of 21 years at a rental of £IOOO. per annum, which will go in aid of tho county funds.

“Tho proposals here made may seem extravagant on first being considered, but .inquiry will show that- tho utilisation of the timber forests in the whole the district in question -will -safely warrant the promises which I make, and yet leave a substantia] profit for those who are working with me in tliis matter. \ “Should any difference arise notween individual settlers and myself regarding the contribution to be made by him or them to the cost and construction of the tramway,-to enable such settlers to participate iu the use thereof, I shall be prepared to submit such question to your Council, and accept your decision as final, and I shall willingly accede to any reasonable conditions that your Council may impose as a consideration for the privileges which I desire in connection herewith.

“I would direct your attention to the fact that very substantial public services may he rendered by your acceding to my request. As one of the conditions to be imposed by the Council, I will undertake to supply building timber of the sorts -available -in the Taliora and Motu districts for local consumption in Gisborne at 6il per 100 superficial feet less than the price of imported timber of the same description. Return freights being supplied to all ships bringing coal from Newcastle to Gisborne, tlie price.of coal may be reduced to the local consumer, and with it a fall should occur in the price of gas. These are no imaginary results, but clear business deductions from the facts of the case. In addition to these public gains must be added the preservation of the public roads. “You will see that I do not ask your Council to incur any cost or to become liable for -any expenditure whatever. I will undertake the work and carry lit through without -any risk to the ratepayers, but with a certainty of great advantages to them individually and collectively.

In anticipation of receiving your assent to my nroposals, I have applied to the Public Works Department for a- siding at the- Waikohu station' (the Willows crossing), which has been recommended by the District Engineer, and I propose to continue the use of that siding and that portion of the tramway leading to it until the railway lino reaches Rakanroa, immediately prior to winch event I shall apply for -a siding at that wlace, taking up the tramway between Rakaurca. and Waikohu. Retaining the siding at Rakauroa, which will afford a point of contact between tho railway and a large area of the Tahora country, I shall apply for another siding at Matawai, connecting the Koranga creeic and the Tahora block with the railway at Matawai, and also for a siding < Mot a when the railway reaches that the results which must ensue from the carrying out of these proposals it is piain, % the settlers will lie benefited by the savin" of their timber and the Providing means of access to their pionerties; second, that the genei < public will be benefited in the manner heveinbeforo pointed out, tlmd that tlie revenue from the lnilway will he vastly increased without any •ipprcciahle addition to the expeni turo fourth, that a very large ami profitable industry will be cstabhfchnd "rcatly to the advantage of those; concerned and the community as a of with a- cheap and easy means of iePa ‘‘l venture to request- that the County Engineer he at- once ectlie Act and proceed to ne.u oo jections, and to decide upon my apfair weather is rapidly drawing to a close, and the matter is . of the first importance to the Tahora and Motu people, I vouiu suggest that no time may toe lost in taking the necessary steps to brin o this matter to a head. Accompanying the ‘cttei "as map detailing tlie proposed route «f tramlines. Commencing at t side the Waihuka railway station, the main tram line followed the new county road through Waihuka station to Rakanroa, along the same valley as it is proposed t 0 extend the Gisborne -It lotu railway, and thence tl rouHi Alot 11, to Motu bridge. Convergin" from this line it was proposed to "construct three branch- lines running in the direction of Tahoia.

Messrs. -Do Lautour, (Barker, and Stock, the Council’s solicitors, advised that the draft conditions re l’ l ' 1 '’" ate tnunwavs (submitted to them) other than the first, appear such as have suggested themselves to the Council’s engineer, and so long as these harmonise with the regulations in the Tramway Act, and are put into formal slupe, they could not further usefully aid the Council. As to the -first condition they wore not aware of any power enabling County Councils to control the. license of a private tramway to sell his undertaking or to acquire possession ot it bv voluntary purchases. In the case of tramways, other than private tramways, constructed under delegated nowers the urometers cannot he compelled to sell to the local authority, nor can the local authority purchase by voluntary assent except on the authority of tho ratepayers expressed favorably on a poll. Unless the solicitor for the promoters ol the private tramway could satisly them there was some power m the Council which they had overlooked, to acquire a private tramway, they could not advise the Council it could insert condition No. 1, or enioreo it if it was inserted. If the matter was gone on with they suggested the provisions for .security in case of an ordinary contract should be provided in such amounts as to principal and. securities as the Council saw fit, also that there should be general conditions added as enclosed. No license for a tramway for tlie purpose contemplated could be for more than five years.—The Chairman said the conditions had been returned to tho solicitors to add the new clause to which they referred. Ah'. W. A. Limbrick wrote stating that lie. expected to be in Gisborne shortly, when he would personally consult with the Council’s officers re tramway on roads at Matawai .(Motu). lie expected the delay would make no difference to the Council.— The Chairman said that before they could complete with Mr. Limbrick they would" have to advertise so that they could consider objectors. The matter, he added, would) come up when they considered -Mr. Rees’ proposals, with which they would have to see it did not clash. The Chairman said lie had referred the solicitor’s report back to them for further advice on the conditions of security and agreement, which they thought necessary. •Mr. Rees, who was present, said lie -had never before made such -a largo application to a local body. He had options over large tracts of timber, and tlie network of proposed tramways must give great advantages to the principal landholders when connected with tho railways. He was quite sure lie could come to arrangements with -Mr. Limbrick, and was prepared to agree to conditions for using the road. The Council, as the representatives of the -people, should give the scheme every consideration. The trains would open up a great source of wealth, and could, -lie believed, be constructed under two years. The Chairman said the Council had given certain conditions to Mr. Limbrick, but not to the exclusion of other parties. If Mr. Rees could come to some other understanding with the other applicants the matter would- receive consideration, but only one tramway could be constructed.

Mr. Rees said the settlers on tho cross roads would have no good roads for years, and their timber was going to waste. Trams would open up a lot of new timber country. There were 22,000 acres in Motu that carried 900,000,000 ft of milling timber. The whole country was well covered, and was now being burned off by the settlers. There should be no difficulties in the way of the tramways being laid down. The Chairman thought the Council should appoint a day to consider the proposals. Cr. Ivenwav said the Council was asked, in the proposal, to take land under the Public Works Act for tho trams. He did not think the Council should he used for that purpose. The trams were a private speculation, and tlie'-Council should not assent to anything likely to cause trouble, it was tho duty of the Council to save i the ratepayers from annoyance. Some of the roads would need to be regraded and formed, and trams upon them would be an inconvenience. Tho Chairman said ho agreed that the Council should be careful in taking action. The fact that the specuI’ation was a private one was immaterial, .provided the ratepayers were benefited and their _ interests safeguarded. The question was vliethei the Council should assist a private speculator to obtain land. Cr. W. D. Lysnar said tlie Council was tlie onlv body that could talce the land.' The land taken would De vested in the Council and the cost paid for bv the tramway proprietors. The Council was safeguarded by publicly calling ifor objectors. He would like to see the scheme carefully considered. He moved: —“That steps he taken to enable the construction of a tram line on the roads suggested in Mr. Rees’ .application, the terms and conditions 'to bo settled hereafter, provision -being made for the tramway to he made available _ for the general public, and with the right of the Council to resume control of the line should public requirements necessitate such a, step being taken upon fair compensation being allowed for the value of the tram lino when taken over, and that a date he fixed to settle thevterms and conditions later.” . , The Chairman said the scheme should he advertised, so that objectors would know what was -proposed. Cr. W. D. Lysnar said they, could not advertise a scheme that had not been decided upon. The Chairman said it was only necessary to advertise the application. Conditions could he attached to the application afterwards. He would like the question -submitted to the County solicitors.. Cr. Kenway said he would not like the Council to give consent to the application without giving it full consideration. Cr. MacDonald questioned if the Council -had- any jurisdiction. over some of the roads mentioned in the application. The concessions to the public, mentioned by the applicants, did not appear to be very generous. Cr. W. D. Lysnar said tlie County had control over all public highways within its boundaries, . Tho Engineer said it would be impossible for him to accede to tlie request to mark out the deviations. It would take months of time. The applicants could mark out their own line of roads, and submit- the plan to the Council.' 1 ' Cr. Matthews said that any scheme which meant progress.would have his support, as long as it did not prejudice the interests of the. ratepayers. The Chairman said the details of the agreement would be ful'.ly placed before the ratepayers. Cr. W. D. Lvsnar said the tramway should be a public tramway in the terms of tho Act, The scheme was for a private tramway, but tho Council should insist upon a public tramway, as set out by the Act, being laid down.. . On the motion of Cr. Matthews, the discussion was adjourned until Friday next, at 2 p.m.