PUTARURU-TAUPO LINE

Hokitika Guardian, 2 April 1925, Page 4

PUTARURU-TAUPO LINE

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE

CRITICISM BY RAILWAY BOARD

AUCKLAND, March 28

A reply lias been sent by the TaupoPutiiiuril Railway Board to the Minister of Railways, the lion J. G. Coates, to the report of the departmental committee set up to decide whether the hoard should take over the Taupo-To-tara Timber Company's line. If, as the report stated, there was no call for the construction of a new line, the board asked for what purpose the 15)22 legislation was passed, which ult.imnlelv brought the, board into existence. Owing to amendments the following year, the board bad become quite powerless, and it now asked for statutory powers to enable it to cany out its proper functions. THE TIMBER OWNERS. The committee’s opinion that il the monev were borrowed the finames o, the board would become such that the hoard would want the Government to take over the line was next dealt with. Tin- hoard thought there was no reasonable- cause to fear that such a position would arise, as tlu- timber owners m the district were prepared to mortgage tlic'ir areas to raise funds to const nut a new line, or buy the present line up to the 19-mile peg- ’> l,o 1,1,i ) nl further pointed out that the finest ml, of providing better 1 raffle facilities fot the district was not confined solely u the carriage of timber. Apart from Die need for more generous treatment of 111- ratepayers of the district m Ok matter of Ireiphts. there wen- g"-' possibilities in the large areas availa.il, , mf | s „it:ib!e for farming, while an ex tensive afforestation scheme had beer snec cssftillv set on foot. Till-: ORDER-IX-COrXC IL.

The hoard thought the company was irsisiing on being paiil an exeeinive pri.e for the line or ‘-no sale 1 lu-n-ogress of the district would he rei ird-il for years unless the board was give, i statutory- power to enable ,t lo become useful. The Minister had , u o,ui„e<l tile hoard definitely that, d d ,shown that the board s scheme was a reasonable one. be would m-l over anv diffi--.il ie- in tlm way of giving Dm hoard the necessary Order-,„-( ouncl to constriu-i tlio ruilw • , Thr* hoard respectfully siibnutieil that Hu- committee bad conn- to imseoneeived conclusions,. and the b til held it. was warranted in expecting tli.it the Order-in-Coiineil asked lor »"ulhave the support of the Minister and of Cabinet.