TAUPO TOTARA RAILWAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 246, 17 October 1925, Page 11

TAUPO TOTARA RAILWAY.

NEW PROJECT SUBMITTED. PROPOSED LOAN OF £225,000. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, Friday. At to-day's meeting of the PutaruruTaupo Railway Board, Mr. K. S. Cox presiding, the following resolution was carried: "That the Public Works Department be written to pointing out that as the Taupo Totara Timber Co. declines to carry timber and to comply with other requirements of their Order-in-Couneil, it is not providing reasonable transport facilities for the board's district, and that as the Department has declined to grant the board authority to construct a new line, on the ground that the present line is sufficient to supply the transport needs of the district, the Department be requested to call upon the Taupo Totara Timber Co. to carry timber and comply with the other requirements of the' Order-in-Council. Also, that tho Department be asked whether the company is fulfilling the terms of the Ordcr-in-Council in the matter of the provision of facilities for the carriage of passengers."

The chairman stated that the amount required to purchase the line from Putarura to Oruanui, effect certain improvements, and acquire sufficient rolling stock would be £225,000. In order to raise this money it would be necessary to secure the consent of 75 per cent of the ratepayers representing 50 per cent of the capital value of the land. This land was valued as follows.: —Land held by Europeans £445,----000, land held by * natives £22.812. There was also Government-owned land valued at £34,000, which was exempt from rating and need not be considered He suggested that under the Empire settlement scheme money could possibly be secured from England for the purchase of an existing line. The agricultural bank delegation would inquire into this question when in England. The sum of £50,000 was required immediately to provide sufficient rolling stock to deal with the timber of the bush other than the one now being worked by the Taupo Co. Half a dozen timber owners would start millins immediately transport arrangements were provided. It was resolved that Messrs. Cox and Campbell consult the settlers at Tokoroa with a view to securing their consent to being rated to provide security for debentures to be issued by the board. It was also decided to ask the Government to alter the constitution of the board to enable the Public Works Department and the Taupo Totara Timber Co. to be represented.