MR McNAB'S VISIT.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8764, 15 March 1907, Page 3

MR McNAB'S VISIT.

Tho mam object of the recent visit paid by the Minister of Lands to the Upper'Rangitikei district was to see if some method could be devised for utilising the forests and at tho same time not to destroy tho roads. Tho Rangitikei County Council, he told a Post reporter,has spent an immense amount of money, borrowed under tho Loans to Local Bodies Act, m metalling the roads, only to have them destroyed in twelve mouths by the heavy timber traffic. Two schemes have been put forward to remedy this state of affairs. One is for the construction of a steam tramway to run for a distauce of about ten miles from tho Utiku Railway station, to tap tho Government timber blocks and picking up a lot of private timber traffic on the road. Under tho law, local bodies are entitled to half the royalties on -timber, and it was estimated that the "Rangitikei County Council's share of tho royalties ou one block alone would be £12,000. For £IO,OOO they could construct a horse tram with iron rails; for £40,000 they could construct a steam tramway, with bridges strong enough to carry a Baton engine. The only obstacle m their way is that the royalties arc j only paid to the local body as they are earned, and something would have to be done to anticipate the royalties to enable the scheme to be carried out. Both schemes, said tho Hon. Mr , McNab, would leave a permanent tram line after the timber was finished. This would mean tho saviug of thousands of pounds iu Government votes and loans to local bodies. Mr McNab collected all the information available on the subject, and thought that the less expensive scheme was at least feasible. It would, he added, be a great advantage to the district if legislation could be made for carrying out the scheme. Speaking generally of his visit the Minister said the district appeared -■ to be in a prosperous condition. It was, of courso, kept back by the large area of native lands, but there was very fine pastoral lands in the country that had been opened up, and ou tho whole ho thought it would prove to be a very rich district.