RAILWAY TO TAUPO

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 268, 6 August 1920, Page 8

RAILWAY TO TAUPO

RIVALRY AS TO ROUTES. Alarmed at the prospect of the Government adopting a's ■ the route of tha railway to Taupo.the. present lirackof tlio Taupo Totara' Timber Company's line from rutarurn, a deputation of settlers along the route of tlio proposed lino from Rolorun to Taupo wai'.fol oil tlio Prime Minister and the Minister of Public AVorks and the Minister of Lands yesterday. Tlio cause cf the alarm wan that tlio Government lias recently. soil up ft commission to make some inquiries about the I'utaruru line, and the pbjecfc of the (reputation was to ask that at least the commission should have authority to make'inquiries about the ltulorua'route also. Tlio Minister of Lands explained tliati there was 110 question cf rivalry 'between the routes 1 to bo. investigated by the commission, lie said that he had been approached by the company in connco'uion with a proposal that they had to make. The company had money to spend in the improvement of tho land, and'it made inquiry from the Government as to what tho future intentions cf llie Government, were ill regard to tho private line. The Government wish-, ed to get some information before giving an answer to the company. The commission- was a Departmental one, representing the jliailway Department'tho Lands Department, the Public AVorks Department; and the Forestry Department, and it was to inquire whovher it was worth while for the Government to close with tho offer of the company. If tlio Rotorua people wished to cone bofore the commission they might uo bo, but they slwuld understand that tho commission was not charged with tho inquiry as to which of the two routes —via l'maruru or via Rotorua—was preferable. The Government was not considering the question of rival routes. Ihe company wanted to knew whether tho Putarnru line conld bo maintained as a light line; it.could never be a main line. Tf Chero wero (to bo other qnestions introduced then the questions of routes otluir than that by lictonia .would ha\e to be opened to the commission a-lso. , Sevral proposals woro made U) tlia Minister of Public Works for Ihovmora rapid construction of tho Rotorua line, but ho would not hear of any to this line over others more urgent already in course of construction. Coa/es promised lo bring ncfore Cabinet the question of the kind of commission to make the proposed inquiry.