THE ROTORUA RAILWAY. DEPUTATION TO MINISTERS. Mr Bryce Twitted with having Lost Influence. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Auckland, Monday Night.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1816, 26 February 1884, Page 2

THE ROTORUA RAIL WA Y. DEPUTATION TO MINISTERS. Mr Bryce Twitted with having Lost Influence. [BY TELEGRAPH. — OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Auckland, Monday Night.

A deputation of the Rotorua railway directors waited on Messrs Bryco and Bolleston to-day. They submitted a memorandum recommending the Gover.imeut to outer into a contract with the company for the construction of the second section of the railway on the basis of the company's receiving from the Government land equal to 30 per cent, of the cost of construction, m accordance with the Railways Construction and Land Act; (2) inasmuch as the second section passes almost entirely through native teriitory which cannot be rated, and such rate being lost to the company, it is submitted that the Government is justified in making good the deficiency thus arising by an e\tra endowment of land, power to grant such being covered by the Thermal Spiings Act, the Government therefore to endeavour to acquire from the natives a free cession of land by way of endowment in lieu of rates, and in the event of the natives declining to grant such endowments without some payment, tho company to provide the funds necessary to fulfil the conditions, under which natives sue willing to cede such endowments. I Mr Bryce said the Government had recently acquired some blocks of land, one especially, of 5700 acres in area, being good laud. He thought it right to add that there weie certain other blocks which Government was almost in a position to acquire, which would be available as an endowment. These would altogether lea\ c 1 a deficiency in the SO per cent of i' 19,000. Assuming that it was decided to pay the full 30 pei cant, he would say that theymight n»t be in a position to acquire the remainder in land. They wei c, however, endea\ ouring to acquiie land at the present moment, j and these endeavours would be continued, and supposing that Government got into a position cmbhng it, by acquiring land, to grant the 30 per cent, to the company, it was agieed to make a contiact to that effect. A> to the second question, he j agreed with Mr Bolleston that the Government was not in a position to enter into a contract with regaid to it, or rather could not contract under the Railways Coustruction Act. Mr Clark rejoined that unless there was a prospect of some endowments from the natives m lieu of rating, the company would not ba justified in entering into the contract. Mi Bryco said that this second question was a difficulty. He saw no way of giving the company any assuranre that would represent money value, because there was no immediate prospect of getting a gratuitous endowment, and, besides, it was doubtful whether the Government had power to give such an assurance. Mr Clark twitted the Government with having lost the confidence of the natives. Mrl3i ycc denied this. Mr Clark asked if Ministers*would allow them to test the willingness of the natives to grant endowments, their agent being associated for the purpose with a Government agent. Mr Bryce replied firmly in the negative. After considerable discussion upon this point, Dr. Campbell asked if theie was any objection to employing the Government agent to move the natives m the desiied duertion. To tins no definite reply was Riven, the assurance being merely repeated that the Government would continue its endeavouis, and still had hopes of success. Mr Clark bantered Ministers upon this phrase, and Dr. Campbell remarked that the directors, would discount these hopes by their slender chances of success. After some fuither discussion, the interview terminated