LIGHT RAILWAYS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 533, 15 January 1913, Page 7

LIGHT RAILWAYS.

» CONSTRUCTION r BY'LOCAL BODIES. The Prime Minister (Hon. W. F." Massey) received numerous deputations concerning railway matters at Te Awamutu last Friday. Mr J. A. Young, M.P. for Waikato, introduced the vairous speakers. The Te , Awamutu Town Board urged that the Government should construct a light electric railway from Te Awamutu to Putaruru, a distance of about thirty miles. In support of the request, stated that about forty miles would be saved on the journey to Rotorua, while, in addition, several blocks of good land would be opened up. The cost of construction would be small, and the power could be obtained cheaply. If the Government could not take the work in hand, it was asked "that the privilege might be extended to a syndicate. The same deputation aßked that a survey of the proposesd line to Kawhia should be made. ~.

Mr Massey said he understood that there Was a suggestion that the , local body should be given power to make the Putaruru railway. The time was coming when local bodies : should be given power to construct these light railways, as the Government was fully engaged with the main lines, but the legislatoin to enable this to be done was not yet on the Statute Book. There was no doubt that this line or some other would have to be made, for the people of the south were complaining against having to go up to Frankton on the journey to Rotorua. In regard to the Eawhia line he stated that steps had already been taken to have a survey made.