BIG TIMBER SCHEME

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 258, 24 October 1908, Page 3

BIG TIMBER SCHEME

I-'ORTY-MILE RAILWAY TO TAL'PO. 'ROYAL COMMISSION'S REPORT.

A report of the Native Land Commission upon an agreement between the Tongariro Timber Company and the Mauri owners of a large -extent of timber country in the Tanpo district was presented to Parliament. It gives particulars «f a proposal for extensive development of a huge tract of land ill the centre of tlie Xortli Island. The Maoris undertake to sell to the company the timber on -lu.Mii acrjs, and to gire an option ovr acr *s, upon a royalty of til) per acre. The company undertakes to construct a ra.lway forty miles long 1 , from Kakahi station on the Slain Trunk line to Lake Taupo. the .Maori owners en route ':•> sell sulllcient land for the line at t.'l per acre. This iuu-t he completed within live years, and the gauge has to !,c that of the New Zealand railway*. It i provided in the proposed agreement tin;; the company shall pay a minimum o' ■CSUOO per annum in'respect of roya'ties whether or not a suliicient anue.uil of timber has been cut. It was for the Commission to decide whether the agreement proposed was fair and equitable to the Maoris, and if it was in the public interest. On these points it reports:—

ADVANTAGES TO THE MAORIS. iWe arc of opinion that the agreement is in the interest of the Maori owners. The price to be paid, compared with prices paid for timber in similar districts is fair. In considering the price, the advantage to the Mauri owners of the railway which has to be constructed by the company cannot be overlooked. The railway-will connect them to the North Island Main Trunk Railway, and give the Maoris an easy mode oi access and egress to and from their kaiangas and property, and Tvill also insure an increase in the value of their lands. Jfc will be the nieaiis of opening up the country round Lake Taupo mostly belonging to tI.V- .Maoris concerned in this agreement, which in the ordinary course of events would not be readily accessible for a very long period of time. The railway charges are to be the same as those charged on the Government lines. The construction of railway will give valuable employment to the Maoris. \\e are of opinion that the agreement is ill the public interest. It will be the means of bringing a great area of land practically lying waste into profitable use, not only to the owners, but to the Dominion. The railway proposed will be the means of opening up a new district and helping settlement. Jt may be said that such an agrecmnt giants a monopoly of a large timber area; bat 1 the only way, as we have already said, , iu which the area can be opened up is either by the Government or a company. Would the Government be prepared to pay the price of ~ilo per acre for the ; timber and construct a railway in five years? The construction by the Government of a similar railway, though with heavier rails, has cost betweeu .OiOOO and £7OOO per mile (the Stratxord line, for example). U the Government prepared to expend a quarter of a million on the railway, and to buy the timber at the price mentioned? The price paid for similar land, containing enormous areas of bush, by the Government, averaged about 10s per acre: and it must not be forgotten that this price included the freehold. We mention as an example the Waimarino and Uangitot'jTuhua blocks. If the Government is not prepared to give better terms than those olVered bv the company to the .Maoris, then no just reason can be raided against the owners entering into Ibis agreement and doing their best wi;li thi'ir timber and land-, ' The Commission Parliament, in view of the general advantages likely ' to accrue both to the Maoris and lh" >, Dominion to lend its benejiceni aid to the speedy execution of the agreement.