CORRESPONDENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2180, 2 May 1908, Page 1

CORRESPONDENCE.

■ [Correspondence on public nintlera ,! is wolcomod at all times, but it must , bo distinctly understood that this j journal is ; in no way . associated with j tho opinions of its correspondents.] > TRAMWAYS TO 'TIMBER COUNTRY. [To Ton Editor.] Sir,—Now that tho excitement of the election itrovor, it is time for this community to enter upon a coures of constructive,policy in several matters, which have, during t->e last two or three years, engrossed'|ho public attention. FirstyoL’tdl conies tho question of tho construction of tho outer harbor. Tlio reports and memoranda, from the different shipping corporations will in a short .time bo 'available. Tire Harbor Board as at present constituted contains a majority of members pledged to submit the question of tho outer lmrhor construction to the ratepayers without delay. This matter has been so widely discussed that there is no necessity for further argument. But if it is doomed advisable to obtain the opinion of another, engineer, that should be at once obtained and the scheme submitted for the public approval. The second upon which action should bo ta'ken is tho supply of stone both for the borough and the county, and if this can possibly be arranged on the basis of Councillor Matthews’ suggestion as to tho county and borough working together, it will bo the hotter for both bodies and tho public. If, in addition to this agreement, arrangements could bo made between the "Harbor Board and tho two Councils for the common supply of stone, such on agreement would leave nothing to be desired. It would without doubt be a good tiling for somethin'' to be done and some action to be taken. The - public bodies in this district are accused, and not without reason, of talking over matters and deferring tlieir decision to some future day. The time has come when tliis policy of “t-aihoa” should terminate and the time of action should commence. The third, and most important of the subjects which, have been before the public of late years, is that which comprises the construction of tramways and the preservation of timber in the Motu and Taliora districts. Many years since Air. Whinray pointed out the great loss which this district was suffering from tho shameful destruction of valuable timber in the (Motu. Application, was made to tho Government in the years 1899-1900 to cause a report to bo made upon the Motu timber by an expert Government official. Mr. Charles 1 Kensington of tho Lands Department was instructed to make that report. Mr. Kensington, after a long examination made his report on the 28th of December 1901. Even at that time he concluded his report by saying that all the best of tho timber in the Motu t Valley had been destroyed by settlers, but still he reported that in his estimation upon an area of about 20,000 there yet remained nearly nine hundred million feet of milling timber. No doubt a portion of that lias since been destroyed, hut the greater part yet remains. There are at least one hundred ancl fifty thousand acres in tho Maiigatu blocks at tho Motu bridge, and from these blocks down to the middle of the Taliora No. 2 block and the Wharekopae lands which are mostly, if not altogether, equal in quality as timber bearing, , to the lands reported oil by Mr. Kensington. It is stated by experien- 1 ced millers and men versed in for- 1 estry that tho Rakauroa and Taliora forests are superior to the best of tho forests in Motu. The work of destruction is still proceeding, and every year hundreds of thousands of ; pounds worth of timber are destroy- i cd. Through the whole of that district, from ‘ the region beyond tho Motu bridge and the Motu River, for i a stretch of nearly fourty, miles south and south-westerly, the whole of the 1 country is becoming .settled. There < are hundreds of settlers occupying 1 personally, or by tlieir employees, the lands which have been cut up by the 1 Crown or by tho natives in those loc- 1 alities. Each winter sees tens of ' thousands of acres of bush cut down. I Every summer the. dense smoke from < bush'fires sweeps down with the west- 1 crly winds upon Gisborne and out to 1 sea, and two processes march side by 3 side. One is the destruction of great ■ forests and the passing away of val- 1 uable timber in smoke; tho other, is the extension of settlement, the in- ’ crease of production, especially in ; sheep and wool, and the constantly in- i creasing demand for facilities of trails, s it by the settlers. Tho construction i of tramways leading to the different parts of the Gisborne-Motu line is the i only possible remedy for. these great ; evils. The Government will not build branch railways. The County Council , overwhelmed bv demands for money from all parts'of its territory and hav- < ing to provide in some way for nearly i a thousand miles of road cannot < undertake the task. It must he done, therefore, if it is dona at all, by pri- | vate enterprise. A very cursory examination will show that the conditions i are more favorable towards the sue- , ccs6 of a privately undertaken series j of tramways in tho Taliora and tho Motu, than obtain in any other part ] of the Dominion. The'.charges to the settlers for the conveyance of goods arc prohibitive. The waste of timber is onormous. To save or even to economise the traffic charges to the indivi. dual settlers, and to lay these charges and all the cost of the tramways u))on the proceeds of the timber, which would otherwise be destroyed, is practicable without any insuperable difficulty. But it needs tho inteliogent co-operation and tlio willing assistance of the groat body of tho people who arc interested in the process of that portion of the country. The providing of stone for public roads is a dead loss to the community except that it provides easier means of communication. It produces nothing. The building of the breakwater will indeed produce a large revenue, but that revenue must bo drawn from the pockets of the community, and mostly paid away in interest and sinking fund. Tlio harbor itself will yeild nothing. But with the tramway and timber questions affecting Taliora and Motu the position is entirely different. The tramways will enable the settlers to carry then; produce practically free, while the timber can bo turned into -money-, not borrowed and having to be repaid, not levied by taxation and grudgingly given by the people, but provided plentifully I>V the bounteous hand of nature, for the welfare and enrichment of the country. The market for the magnificent woods to be found in Mangatu, Motu, and Taliora is inimitable, and many advantages will certainly. be derived by tlie people here if a large export trade in timber be carried on. The prices of building timber, of firewood, of coal and gas will probably be reduced in this place, and settlement will proceed with a speed and vigor

never yet experienced. Great indutitries will arise ,siud an immense new factor in the progress and welfare of Poverty Bay will be produced. In inv efforts therefore to establish this timber -and tramway industry, I. claim the assistance of all. It needs no taxation. It places no burden upon tho people. It provides everything for uaiu and nutfiiug for low*. It ifc> boyoiul doubt that with tho present prices of timber, after paying royalty, cutting oxponses, and tho cost of transit, that every million foot ot timber landed on tlio Gisborne wharf can be landed at a profit so soon as tho tramways are in working order.—l am etc. AV. L. REES. Gisborne, April 30th 1908.