RAILWAY ROUTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 33, 8 February 1929, Page 16

RAILWAY ROUTES.

WAIROA TO GISBORNE. TAUPO-ROTORUA LINE. FOUR MINISTERS TO INVESTIGATE. • (By Telegraph.-—Special to " Star;') WELLINGTON, this day. To assist Cabinet in coming to the decision regarding the route of the Wairoa-Gisborne railway, and whether the Rotorua-Taupo line should be carried on, four Ministers are arranging to meet at Taupo on Saturday, February 23, as a committee of inspection. Sir Apirana Ngata, Native Minister, will be in the district for several days on native business, and he will be joined by the Hon. G. W. Forbes, Minister of Lands, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, Minister of Public Works, and the Hon. W. B. Taverner. Minister of Railways.

The Ministerial party will leave Taupe, according to present arrangements, on Sunday, proceeding through Aruamii, Mokai and Atiamuri to Rotorua. They will inspect the Rotorua-Taupo railway works on the following clay. These works were, commenced by the former Government, and it is an interesting commentary on local opinion regarding this line that, despite dubious expressions of opinion from present Ministers, the Rotorua Progress League is issuing invitations for the ceremony of turning the first sod.

The Ministers will inspect the Kaingaroa State plantation on the same day, returning to Rotorua in the evening, and attending a reception to be given in their honour by the Arawa tribe. On Tuesday, February 26, they will inspect private afforestation near Putaruru, and also the Arapuni hydro-electric scheme. Further arrangements are not quite definite, but it is probable that the four Ministers will then proceed to Whakatanc and Opotiki, and reach C.'isborne on March 1 to inspect both the inland and the coastal routes of tin* railway. They plan to leave Gisborne on March 2 for Wellington.