INLAND COMMUNICATION

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 106, 19 April 1912, Page 5

INLAND COMMUNICATION

PROPOSED HASTINGS-PUKE-TITIRI TRAMWAY.

A SOUND PROPOSITION

A special general meeting of the Hastings Chamber of Commerce was held in the Borough Council Chambers yesterday afternoon to consider the proposal to construct a ‘ramway between Hastings and Puketitiri. Mr. E. H. Williams presided, and Messrs A. C. Bennett and 3.1 - Rae-Peacock, representing the settlers of Patoka, Puketitiri and Puketapu were in attendance. ' About twenty five members of the chamber were present.

The chairman said they met to hear Messrs. Bennett and Peacoch in regard to the proposal to construct a tramway line between PuKetitiri and Hastings. Speaking o enerally and without in any way committing

the chamber, he thought that any

public work in Hawke’s Bay which the effect of bringing the outfflhg districts into closer touch with the centre must comman I sympathy and support, and f after hearing the information which Messrs. Bennett and Peacock would lay before them the proposal commended itself to the chamber he hoped they would give it their active support.

Mr. Bennett said that the settlers in the district through which the proposed line would run *elt that by placing the project before the Hastings people and showing that it was a good business proposition they would be able to enlist their sympathy and thus go a step further. A deputation had ecently waited on the Hawke’s Bay < ounty Council, who after hearing ‘hem had made a grant not to exceed £2OO towards ascertaining the cost nf investigating the best route for a tramway for heavy traffic between Hastings and Puketitiri. Providing the cost was not prohibitive, the settlers in the district were prepared to form e special rating area to Bear ’hg cost and the settlers would not have committed themselves that far unless they were quite satisfied it was a good proposition. His estimation ot the cost of construction was made on a statement made in the House by Mr. James Allen to the effect that the Government could open up a lot of back country by means of light railways at a cost net -xceeding £3OOO per mile. The distance be tween Hastings and Puketitiri w.i-i forty miles, which made the estimated total cost £120.000. and the interest and sinking fund required annually would be £6OOO. Under present conditions they could provide for interest and sinking fund on that amount, although he did not know enough about railway matters to say what sum should be allowed as depreciation. The timber despatch cd from the Puketitiri mills averaged about 3,000,000 feet I er year and on this 4/6 per 100 feet was paid for cartage, but to insure the timber being carried by the tramway he had put the estimate from th's source at 3/- per 100 feet. There would be 3000 bales of wool a* 2 per bale, the carrying of live stock was estimated to return £3OO per year, and the carriage cf produce, fodder, etc., which was oased on what was now being done b’ tour horse teams would amount to £lOOO, bringing the total revenue to £6W). There were about 35.000 acres of firbt-class agricultural land which could be put to use, whilst J was now unproductive because of the cost of carriage of manure, etc. The line would add considerably to the value of the land on either side, would give facilities for farming ami fruitgrowing which would in time develop into large proportions. At the present time he knew of one fruitgrower who wish an orchard of 5 acres out of 250 acres was doing exceedingly well. The proposed special rating area would extend for five miles on either side of the route. All the members of the County Council had spoken in favour of the proposa 1 , except one or two who wished to know about an alternative route to Napier.

In reply to the chairman, Mr. Bennett said that between Puketapu and Puketitiri there would be no trouble in obtaining the land necessary for the route, but between Puketapu and Hastings he could not say. The timber industry would last another twenty years at least.

Mr. F. acock said the completion of the line would mean a saving of £lOOO annually to the County Council on the lessened cost of maintenance of the Napier-Puketitiri road, which amount could be credited to the cost of construction.

In reply to the chairman, Mr. Bennett said the scheme had the unanimous support of the settlers. Only one man had declined to sign the petition, saying his reason was that he wanted to know more about it first.

The chairman: That’s not a refusal.

In reply to Mr. A. L. D. Fraser. Mr. Bennett stated the proposed route v.a-.’ld go through private land only. He based his estimate of the cost of the line per mill on the statement made by Mr. James Allen in the House. lie did not know if Mr. Allen’s estimate included the cost <f bridges and the acquisition of land. >ml he considered a man of Mr. Allen’s intelligence would not make a statement unless he was sure it was correct. The petition stated that providing the cost was not prohibitive. the settlers within a radius of five miles on each side o f the line

would he prepared to form .1 special

ratinsr area to provide for the cost, but if it was found that the cost <|was going to be prohibitive, he for one would net be included in the special rating area. The land necessarv for the line between Puketitiri and Puketapu would be readily given.

Mr, David Whyte said that according to recognised authority (McKay) on light railways. "Mr. Bennett’s estimate was well within the cost. Th? book he referred to stated that light railways co’dd be constructed at from £l5OO to £‘2ooo per mile.

Mr. J. A. Miller said Mr. Bennett in his estimate had only calculated on the business which would emanate from Puketitiri and Patoka in the carriage of wool, live stock, produce, etc., and had not reckoned on the help that they would receive from this end. He believed that when the line was completed there would also be a heavy passenger traffic from Hastings to Puketitiri. In answer to Mr. Eustace Lane. Mr. Bennett said that any railway line to the Lakes district from either Napier or Hastings would have to go through Puketitiri. However, they were not looking at it from that standpoint. The forty miles between Hastings and Puketitiri was an excellent proposition on its own merits.

Mr. A. L. I). Fraser said the thanks of the meeting were due to Messrs. Bennett and Peacock for coming with the information and data which had been placed before them. The proposition as propounded was an excellent one, and he hoped their efforts would bear fruit. He moved :—“That a vote of thanks be given to Messrs. Bennett and Peacock for their attendance, and the data supplied, and that this meeting is in accord with the proposals in so far as recognised by the county council, and further that the chamber will undertake to make further investigations immediately.”

Mr. Eustace Lane seconded

Mr. David Whyte said the proposal wds of the greatest importance to the people of Hastings and to Hastings as a commercial centre. It would result in the development of good agricultural lands on both sides and open up country fifty miles beyond. By means of the line the trade which was now going to Auck-land-Hawke’s Bay legitimate tr.'.de —would come to Hawke’s Bay, and immediate action was necessary. The country through which the line would go was very suitable for close settlement oxen under present conditions when settlers cou’d • not afford to pay the cartage on manure, etc., and how much more suitable would it be when these things could be got by railway carriage. Mr. A. L. D. Fraser said his idea was that a railway should be erected which could be taken over by the Government at some future date. Mr. Bennett said that at the county council meeting Cr. Crosse had stated he was one of a deputation which waited on the Minister of Public Works some time back in regard to the claims cf an inland route for the East Coast railway, and on that occasion’Mr. Roderick McKenzie referred to the route wlrch was now proposed as the one for the tramway line as being very suitable for a branch railway.

Mr. Fraser’s resolution was then put and carried unanimously. The chairman thought the ' next thing to do was to have the survey pushed ahead, and then to approach the landowners between Hastings and Puketapu for the necessary land for the Fne. They could then consult money-lending firms cr the Government as was thought best.

On the motion of Messis. Mossman and G. Land, a committee consisting of the chairman, Messrs. D. Whyte, J. A. Miller. Eustace Lane, J. Holt, and H. A. Mossman. was set up to eoll,ect data, and in particular to ascertain the cost, if any, of acquiring land for the tramway, to collect funds, and report to the chamber.

Mr. Lane thought the meeting should affirm the route of the line. He had no doubt in his own mind that it should be from Hastings. Air. A. L. D. Fraser strongly deprecated any suggestion of parochial- ‘ ism. The question should be considered from a broad point of view and how it would affect the whole of the district, and he sincerely trusted that there would be no such thing as a controversy of Napier versus Hastings. The- fact that the settlers in the Puketapu and Puketitiri districts had asked the people of Hast-1 ;ugs to join them in the scheme, and i the configuration of the country was sufficient reason for holding* that the junction should be nt Hastings. I

The chairman said the presence of Messrs. Bennett and Peacock was sufficient guarantee that their opinion was that the proposed line should bo between Hastings and Puketitiri. It was unlikely that they would waste the time of the Hastings Chamber of Corrce in discussing a proposition to construct a line from Napier. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to Messrs. Bennett and Peacock for their attendance and the meeting terminated.