UPPER WAIKATO RAILWAY.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 48, 18 September 1924, Page 2

UPPER WAIKATO RAILWAY.

BOARD’S PROPOSED NEW LINE. Submitted to the Minister. Awaiting Officials’ Report. The conference between the Putaruru - Taupo Railway Board, the Minister for Public Works and the Taupo Totara Timber Company, at which the board sought the Minister’s approval of its scheme for a 59-mile railway from Putaruru to Oruanui, observing* Government grades and standards, took place in Wellington on Wednesday of last week. All the members of the board were present, namely, Messrs. H. Friendlander (chairman), F. J. Rayner, K. S. Cox, 11. W. Bullock and J. Campbell, while the board’s secretar y (Mr. W. C. Hewitt) was also in attendance. The Minister (the Hon. J. G. Coates) presided, and had with him Mr. R. McVilly (general manager of railways), while the T.T.T. Company was represented by its chairman (Mr. F. G. Dalziell). The board sought a definite announcement as to whether the Minister would grant it the necessary Order-in-Council to allow it to proceed with its scheme. It wished firstly to take over the first 19 miles of the company’s railway and thence construct 40 miles of new line to Oruanui, but in the event of the company refusing to sell the 19-mile section it requested an Order-in-Council for a new line all the way. Keen discussion—something of a battle royal around the intricacies of the position and the varying* interests —occupied the conference for three hours, during which the company made it clear that it would sell its interest in the 19-mile section for £50,000 or at valuation plus runningrights for the company on this length. Later, Mr. Dalziell stated that if the board could show that the construction of its proposed railway would serve the other timber interests .in the district better than the company’s line the company would raise no objection to the issue to the board of the necessary Order-in-Council.

Accordingly, the Minister suggested that this question, which was really the crux of the matter, should be decided by a committee of departmental officials to be appointed by him, all parties to be bound by the committee’s decision.

To this all agreed, and the Minister thereupon nominated the engineer-in-chief of the Public Works Department (Mr. F. W. Furkert) and the chief engineer and chief accountant of the Railway Department (Messrs. F. E. Jones and L. Hamann .respectively) to be the committee. To these, plans and data have been referred, and they are to decide the allimportant question as to whether the purchase of the Timber Company’s railway as a whole or the board’s scheme offers the better solution of the railage problems of the Upper Waikato. Their report is now awaited.

During the conference discussion it was stated in regard to finance that the board estimates that freight will pay interest and running costs, while sinking fund and contingent charges will be covered by the royalty of Is per 100 super feet of all sawn timber exported from the district. The timber owners concerned have all agreed to this royalty being imposed. It is confidently anticipated that these arrangements will prevent the necessity for rating any other than timber lands in the district and these only in respect of the royalty. By the time the line is completed it is estimated that the annual output of timber will be approximately 20,000,000 ft. It is also estimated that there is 1,000,000,000 ft of first-class mill able timber in the board’s district, while afforestation projects at present being prosecuted will provide (timber freights in the distant future.

The estimated cost of constructing the 40 miles of new railway with 401 b rails, and bringing the first 19 miles up to a similar standard, including interest during the construction period, is £250,000. The total cost for the 59 miles of railway may therefore be set down at about £300,000.

THE SETTLERS’ PETITION

MINISTER TO VISIT DISTRICT. While in Wellington Messrs. Campbell and Cox also presented to the new Minister for Lands (the Hon. A. D. McLeod) the settlers’ petition asking for Government recognition of the value and possibilities of the Upper Waikato lands for settlement, and praying- that the Minister himself or responsible departmental officials visit the district to ascertain what is being accomplished here. The Minister in reply agreed to visit the territory next December and bring with him Mr. W. ]<’. Marsh (Commissioner of Crown Lands for the Auckland distifcl).