TAUPO-ROTORUA LINE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 636, 12 April 1929, Page 16

TAUPO-ROTORUA LINE

LEAGUE PROTESTS AGAINST ABANDONMENT PETITION TO PARLIAMENT (Special to THE SUN} ROTORUA, To-day. Saying that Rotorua had been very badly treated, Mr. J. N. McLean, president of the Rotorua-Taupo Progress League, introduced the subject of the stoppage of the Rotorua-Taupo railway, at a meeting of the league on Wednesday. Rotorua, he said, had been asking for the railway for 20 years, and the people had brought evidence before two commissions showing the need for the line, and its great chances of success. He went over the events in connection with the Government’s decision, and said he thought it would be best to bring a petition before Parliament asking for the continuation of the line. He moved the following resolution: “That this league strongly protests against the abandonment of work cn the Rotorua-Taupo railway, and that immediate steps be taken to prepare a petition for signatures praying that construction of the line be proceeded with.” This was seconded by Mr. W. G. Butcher. The chairman of the Rotorua County Council, Mr. H. P. Ford, said that the council considered the line was necessary in order to develop fully the farming possibilities of the district. At present the handling of stock, because of the great motor-traffic, was becoming a serious problem. Mr. Smith moved as an amendment, which was seconded by Mr. Sloane, “that this league wishes to place on record our disappointment and regret that the Government had deemed it advisable to suspend work on the Ro-torua-Taupo railway and respectfully requests that the question be reconsidered in the near future, and that in the meantime better roading facilities be provided to enable development to take place.” Only two voted for the amendment, and the original motion was carried unanimously. A committee was set up to prepare the petition.