TAUPO SAWMILLING CASE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10714, 20 September 1912, Page 3

TAUPO SAWMILLING CASE

EVIDENCE CONTINUED. (by JfifaraDn— .i*st,iuau<t:.'WELLING']'OX, Last -Night, 'flic iir.-a witness examined to-day bsf,;i..* t.; !0 Select Committee Inac- is inquiiing into the Taupo Totiira Timber Company's petition was 11. Holmes, engino-er-in-chief of the Public works Department. Witness said that some time ago be had been instructed by the. Government to go into the question of' the best moans of bringing Taupo into communication with the existing railway line. The country round Ilotorua, thence to Taupo and back across Putoruru was on the whole inferior. Heavy farming traffic could never be expected from it. There was a limited extent of native forest, but it would promise tra/lic of a temporary nature only. The State aflorestatlion plantations between Rotorua, Waiotapu and Kaingaroa would afford, with re-affores-tation a perpetual source of revenue. It was on excursionist*; as distinguished from tourists that the railway to Taupo would have to depend for a considerable part of "its revenue. Mr Holmes presented the following estimates (the cost of the Putaniru estimates being exclusive of any .sum which might be paid to the company for its line): Putaruru via Oruanui, 67 miles, £-1,") 1,000; Putaruru via Atiamuri, 77

miles, .-Cof2,000; llotorua via o(> miles, .€448,000; Eotorua via Waiotapu, 50 miles, £39*2,000. He also added: "Viewed from the standpoint of cheapness of construction and suitability of the line when constructed, the future working expenses, probable traffic and therefore revenue, or from the point of view of satisfaction to the travelling public and the greatest good for the- greatest number, the route from Rotorua via Waiotapu is unquestionably the one to be adopted."

Mr llonayne, Gencial Manager of Railways, stiongly advised that the rolling stock which could be run on tho Government Hues should i> adopted. In answer to questions, witness said that some of the. railways had been constructed in New Zealand, which should never have been laid. The argument was that they were voquired for the development of the country, but the country was not there to be developed. In Ids mind, if it were proved that the Taupo , Company could lie profitably formed. I there was no doubt pressure would he j brought to have the company's line standardised. If it bad been taken over by the State and trains wore ( asked for. He was not opposed to light linos as short feeders for the „n.in lines. The company's line could be worked safely for both goods and passenger traffic. James Burnett, chief engineer of the Government railways, was also examined, and said that in some districts a substitute would be a less expensive form of construction than a standard line, which would, however, l, rt justified, but the ordinary rolling stock should be able to run on anv liuht lino. He would i W * advocate a lighter rail than 50\b for any line.