TAUPO RAILWAY

Hokitika Guardian, 1 October 1929, Page 5

TAUPO RAILWAY

ENQUIRY CONTINUED. (By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 1. Further evidence was heard by the M. to Z. Committee of the House today in respect to the Vaile Petition re Taupo Railway. Mr ualvin (Field Inspector of Lands und Survey department;; dealt with tanning possibilities of I'a.upo apd Rotorua lands, twenty miles on either side of the proposed line. He expressed the opinion, alter ten years of close association with the country that oolh the quality ana quantity of farmable laud iiad been seriously exaggerated. The total area enclosed within the region mentioned was 314,000 acres in Rotorua country and 1,111,in Taupo country, of which 340,iA)J acres was crown lands, 246,000 State Forest lands, 422,0dd private lands and 418,003 native lands. He was certain a certain element in boosting Reporoa and using some of the settlers for their own convenience went a long way from the truth. Owing to the broken nature of the country the amount of arable land fell very far short of a majority' of the estimates. Personally he did not consider there ■ was at, the very outside 100,030 acres of. easily ploughable combcry, that could .be entertained at the present time. He had. .seen no evidr, cnee to indicate that the development of the country had yet passed the. bx r perimental stage. Its development must s-ill be regarded as an experiment, the cost of which should be borne by the State and not by the individual. A few individuals had por--rayed Taupo Rotorua country as an agricultural El Dorado, and in his opinion they displayed a ridiculous-dis-regard for the consequences of their statements. It would be most regrettable if people were gulled into believing that in those • regions lay the wealth of opportunity. In years' to come agricultural and' chemical research might expedite developments, but the time had riot yet arrived when an individual -might be placed on a section and be sure of success.

Mr Kyle asked ' witness" would he consider Mr Vaile a pioneer because he had broken in 1700 • acres ot this land? ' • -. Witness: “I do not want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but I consider' he was window’ dressing to sell the rest of the lamd.’V

Mr. Semple questioned the right of witness, as a Departmental officer, to make such a'statement. Mr Galvin said he was asked •to express an opinion, and as only 17C0 acres could be developed, and in view of other propaganda, he had considered it was window., dressings . Mr Samuel: i4‘‘Do you; -‘consider -it wise to condemn .this country": without giving it a fair trial ? !* •> Witness: > “I don’t wish to. unduly disparage, it. I think it is all a question of experiment.’! He disagreed with previous witnesses w’lio had deposed that the majority of the land in the district was capable of profitable production. Galvin instanced the case of a gentleman who, in 1897, acquired 53,003 acres of land in the district for £3312. In 1913 lie. sold 13,102 acres for £6,551. In May 1925 he sold 25,185 acres for-£25,185. and' 1 in August of the same jear, he sold 4,800 for £7,833, still retaining ten thousand acres, of which he had improved only 1703 acres which he valued at, £535,000. To summarise the w’hole transaction, he bought 53,(XX) acres for £3,900. or Is 6d per acre,' sold 43,000 acres for £39,C00 and with all that profit on the transaction, had 'been able to improve only 1700 acres. That gfentleman, said wutness, is Mr Earle Vaile.

Replying to Mr Lye, the witness said he regarded Mr Vaile as a, good land salesman, but his ability as such was overshadowed by his sentiment. Mr Vaile: “Would you look at me and say that?” , Witness: “Yes, Sir, I would.” Mr Galvin said he could see no justification for/ the railway, 'but there might be some reason for justifying it which he could not see. \